24 trendy Zalora competitors in Southeast Asia

Fashion is the fastest-growing ecommerce vertical in Southeast Asia, and Rocket Internet’s Zalora is leading the pack. The fashion estore de force operates in Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, Thailand, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Indonesia, and New Zealand. It also recently launched an app in Taiwan. In the past, the firm told Tech in Asia that it has a few key strategies to win the fashion ecommerce market regionally, including focusing on mobile commerce, incorporating offline strategies like setting up pop-up stores in malls, and even launching its own marketplace for third-party merchants. The site has adopted an affiliate marketing program too, with users getting up to a 12 percent commission for getting others to buy Zalora products.

Fashion ecommerce experts may tell you that Zalora already has the mass market sewn up in Southeast Asia. A notable Indonesian fashion estore and services provider Paraplou Group grabbed headlines last week when it announced it had shut down. Zalora is indeed the fattest kid at the dinner table in terms of market share, having sucked up US$238,000,000 in funding to date, and claiming more than 17 million monthly visits across ASEAN at the end of 2014.

See: Lessons from ecommerce giant Zalora on its third birthdayThe company says next year, the Southeast Asian fashion market should be worth around € 70 billion (US$77.1 billion). Zalora’s gross merchandise value grew 80 percent in recent years: from €84 million (US$92.5 million) in 2013 to €151.6 million (US$167 million) in 2014.

For the shoppers: Zalora carries several trendy brands like Aldo, Mango, and Factorie. The firms says some of its top brands include Adidas, Levis, Ray Ban, Cocolyn Apparel, Rip Curl, Daniel Wellington, and more. The firm has created its own private labels too, including Ezra, Zalia, 24:01, and Something Borrowed. In markets like Indonesia, shipping is free so long as your order is worth a minimum of Rp 300,000 (US$22). The site lets users pay via cash-on-delivery, but it also accepts Visa, MasterCard, and various bank transfers. In many Southeast Asian cities, Zalora offers same-day delivery. The site has a 30-day return policy, excluding lingerie, underwear, swimwear, beauty products, earrings, watches, and sunglasses.

But despite the firm having a clear foothold in ASEAN, and Rocket Internet calling Zalora the region’s clear winner, data suggests there’s still a large piece of the fashion ecommerce pie to be had. As regional markets mature, we can expect to see more online fashion retailers cropping up than ever before. The key question investors are likely going to be asking these firms is: “How will you do it differently than Zalora?”

With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of fashion players that could be Zalora competitors a few years down the line. It’s important to note that these startups aren’t likely able to out-muscle Rocket Internet in terms of spending power, but with a little bit of strategy, investor support, and segment differentiation, they could find a way to outmaneuver the fashion ecommerce giant. After all, fashion is an ephemeral business. One day you’re hot, the next you’re not. Here are 24 fashion ecommerce sites that compete with Zalora in one way or another.

See: Indonesia’s fashion ecommerce firm Paraplou shuts down

1. Ava

Ava calls itself the Philippines’ premier shopping site for well-loved brands and experiences. Ava aims to be the country’s “online retail therapy, done right.” The trendy store has its own private label, but also acts as a flash-sale and brand discovery site.

See: Fashion brands find it hard to grow in the Philippines, but e-store AVA wants to help

2. Berrybenka

3. Smooch The Label

4. Chon.vn

5. WearYouWant

6. Dressabelle

7. WhatWeLike

8. Pomelo

9. VIP Plaza

10. PinkEmma

11. BrandClozet

12. Maskoolin

13. 8wood

14. Cloth Inc

15. Wokuwoku

16. Etclo

17. HijUp

18. Shopdeca

19. Chicify

20. Tate & Tonic

21. Reebonz

22. Bobobobo

23. Megafash

24. Love, Bonito