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Ask experts which was the most affected sector in the wake of the pandemic, and we are bound to get a unanimous response: Brick-and-mortar retail, both globally and in India. Unlike other slowdowns or recessions often triggered by overexpansion and risk undermining, the Covid-19 crisis was different. 

The unprecedented health crisis broke supply chains, halted store traffic for months and brought all offline consumer activities to a shuddering halt. Many small businesses were forced to scale down or close operations unless safety and convenience ruled their processes. Suddenly, the ecommerce model – buy online and get a home/kerb delivery – thrived due to its newfound relevance. 

What followed next was logical. The direct-to-consumer (D2C) businesses made their mark and found their mojo due to a digital-first approach, zero-intermediary, agile operations and, most importantly, a customer-centric rebranding rarely done by big-box retail. The success story of Bengaluru-based men’s fast fashion brand Snitch is a case in point.

Set up in January 2019 by Siddharth R Dungarwal, Snitch started its journey as an offline retail brand. A year later, Covid-19 changed the face of physical retail forever.

“During the pandemic, we were stuck with extra inventory. It was a key reason why we moved online. We initially thought of leveraging marketplaces, but we also wanted our brand to gain recognition. That’s why we decided to launch our website,” said Dungarwal.

Watch Dungarwal, founder and CEO of Snitch, talk about the company’s growth, its challenges and plans to move forward.

The fast-fashion startup began its online journey in 2020 with barely 35 products in its portfolio and received around 60 orders a day. After two and a half years, it processes close to 1,500 daily orders and has grown its workforce from four to 90. Interestingly, more than 98% of Snitch’s sales now happen online. 

The brand credits its growth to its ‘fashion-forward’ modern clothing inspired by global trends. Dungarwal claimed that his startup clocked INR 40 Cr in revenue in FY22, and the target for the current financial year would be INR 75-80 Cr.

Key Challenges And Drivers: How Snitch Stole The Show In Pandemic Times 

Snitch’s digital pivot reinforces the impressive potential of India’s D2C model, pegged to reach $300 Bn by 2030 as per Inc42’s State Of Ecommerce report.

But the transition came with its challenges. 

Initially, the D2C brand struggled to put together a well-thought-out marketing strategy and lacked the automation tools that could help it draw level with competitor brands. 

“Initially, it was just about selling. But we soon realised that building a brand is more important. That’s when we began to focus more on retention marketing,” said Dungarwal. 

About eight months ago, Snitch partnered with the martech platform Wigzo to automate its marketing campaigns. Delhi-based Wigzo specialises in multichannel marketing solutions across email, web and mobile apps. 

With Wigzo’s help, Snitch could send automated marketing communications to customers who had abandoned their carts and nudged them to complete their shopping. The brand claimed that using SMS and WhatsApp channels helped clock the highest CTR (click-through rates) and open rates. 

According to Dungarwal, Snitch’s retention rate increased by 15-20% after leveraging Wigzo’s services, and the D2C is currently clocking 15-20% revenue growth month on month. 

Six months ago, Snitch launched its app, which accounts for more than 35% of its sales. As part of its next phase of growth, the D2C brand aims to open digital experience stores across India where its best-selling products will be available. 

“In the next three-five years, we aim to be one of the biggest fashion brands in India and then take our operations to the global markets,” concluded Dungarwal.