Exclusively.in Transitions From A Flash Sale Portal To A Traditional E-Commerce Site

Exclusively.in, the Gilt-like private sale site which debuted in June 2010, seems to have ditched its members-only avatar to adopt a regular e-commerce approach.

The company said this approach will now allow a broader audience to shop from its range of authentic Indian apparel and high-end merchandise like jewellery and accessories. It will also allow the company to have stronger partnerships with a couple of select suppliers and better curate their collections from select brands for each season.

Explaining this shift, Exclusively.in CEO Sunjay Guleria said:

We saw the future of sales shifting on our site from a members-only to an open site due to an overwhelming demand for our products that short-lived flash sales could not meet.

We felt the best way to service that demand was to move away from a consignment model in order to provide fully curated collections with a much broader selection and a full range of sizing to a wider consumer base.

The company currently serves the Indian and fashion communities in the U.S. and U.K. and it plans to expand its reach in the near future to India and other markets such as Canada, Australia, South Africa, and Middle East.

The company had received an initial funding of $2.8 million from Accel Partners and Helion Venture Partners in November 2010. It was followed by $16 million funding, led by Tiger Global management, with participations from its earlier investors, Accel Partners and Helion Venture Partners. It had also recently launched new verticals for luxury travel and weddings respectively.

This move prompts the question of whether a members-only approach, pioneered by Gilt Groupe, is truly feasible in terms of scale, or should you stick with the regular e-commerce model, which is currently exploding in India? Do share your thoughts below.

[Source: PR Newswire]