Fashion buffs switchto Indian accessories

Many who used to buy on Chinese sites are discovering the joys of desi shops

Many local businesses have been flourishing since the lockdown. With trends changing every other day, you don’t just buy products from the local businesses, you promote them on your Instagram page as well. It gives them credibility in addition to visibility.

It is important to establish a personal connection with the customers to enhance user selling point. Minnat Kanakia, owner of XOXO accessories, says that with numerous businesses coming up post lockdown, it is important to stay at the top of your game by keeping a check on competitors pricing and quality.

She has been in this industry for the past ten years but has never received a response like the past year.

“Saving customer reviews on our Instagram story highlights has definitely helped us gain customer’s trust. What people didn’t realise was, the quality brands like Shein provided was nothing compared to the desi businesses,” she says.

Minnat also mentions that Indian brands offer products that parallel that of the average international brands.

Why is it thriving?

With work from home culture being encouraged globally, people have started seeing Instagram as a space you don’t have to pay rent for. Making ideal use of this can get you money to make this your fulltime job. While the popularity Shein enjoyed can be chalked up to the wide range of options, local businesses are beating them long and hard by laying out handmade, authentic and artistic products.

Instagram has helped all these brands gain visibility through commercials. Sisters Jeevitha J and Lakshmi J run Destinee, an accessory store.

Jeevitha says that one can either pick a niche market for a luxury product where you charge your customers more and cater to a small market or have affordable prices with a huge customer base.

“We tried to bridge the gap between the two by providing luxury good products at affordable prices. This only works when you buy products in huge quantity from the supplier,” she says. With the Instagram algorithm changing frequently, knowing how to keep your audience always interested in your products is crucial. One of the ways to do so is by taking innovative pictures of the products.

If you are planning to start a business of your own, do your research, know your competitors and audience and mind that you keep your products as unique as possible.