Exclusively.

in Raises $16M In Series B Led By Tiger Global

Series A backers Accel Patrners and Helion Ventures also invested in this round

Six months after raising its first round of venture capital funding, online fashion flash sales site Exclusively.in has received a relatively bigger Series B funding of $16 million led by New York based Tiger Global Management LLC and participated by existing investors Accel Partners and Helion Ventures. The capital will be used to fund its international expansion plans. Exclusively.in had raised $2.8 million from Accel and Helion in November 2010, making Exclusively.in, one of the most funded e-commerce companies in India. Founded in June 2010, Exclusively.in offers a variety of products including jewelry, handbags, crafts, paintings and wedding attire. It is primarily targeted at NRIs and has been catering solely to the USA market so far but now has plans to roll out to various new markets this year. The site will reach the milestone of one million active, registered members in the next few months, according to the company. Lee Fixel from Tiger Global, Prashant Prakash from Accel Partners and Ashish Gupta from Helion Ventures will join the board of Exclusively.in. "We are excited to have Tiger Global on board. They have invested a lot in Indian firms and we look forward to their expert advice," said Sunjay Guleria, founder and CEO, Exclusively.in, speaking to Techcircle.in. Tiger Global has invested in India's largest online travel agency Makemytrip.com, e-tailer Myntra.com, Babyoye.com and consumer electronics shop Letsbuy.com. Exclusively.In has demonstrated many of the same traits of our other fast-growth investments: a solid management team, an open-market opportunity, and an impressive growth curve, said Tiger Globals Lee Fixel. The company is well positioned to bring Indian fashion to the masses, and were excited to help them realize that vision. International Expansion

Exclusively.in announced its official launch into the UK market which is a large consumer market for Indian fashion. By the end of December 2011, Exclusively.in will reach 15 markets including India, Guleria told Techcircle.in. "Having a global footprint is necessary and now we will be able to service Indians across the globe. We will reach out to consumers in Canada and South Africa next and will target the large diaspora in Australia and Singapore too," he said. The company has been growing at a monthly rate of 30-50 per cent. The company is also beefing up its top management. Guleria said that critical hires is on the top of his list as the company gains momentum. Guleria did not reveal the investment in the company or its burn rate. Brands & The Website Exclusively.in currently works with 250 brands every month to offer a sale that last short periods and are hence called 'flash' sales. Brands such as Satya Paul, Ritu Kumar as well as emerging designers are popular on the website. Guleria will not add more brands to Exclusively.in. He will increase volumes with existing vendors and delve deeper into categories rather than add new brands. The average transaction amount on Exclusively.in is currently $250 (Rs 10,000). The website does "hundreds" of transactions daily. The website will be tweaked with new features and content. "We will continue to invest in our technology platform - there will be tighter Facebook integration, social and sharing features. We will also be adding more lifestyle and fashion content soon," he said. In April, Exclusively.in launched a section for travel, and another for weddings. On the roadmap for the website, Guleria said, "We will focus on expanding our wedding section. We launched the wedding boutique for NRIs who have to travel to India for their weddings, enabling them to easily purchase their wedding attires. Now you will see further evolution in that vertical. We have an auction capability and will also introduce signed memorabilia and collector's items. We will add more merchandise going forth." Competitive Landscape

"We are competing with traditional outlets, rather than online shops. We are still trying to change consumer behaviour and convincing them to buy online. We have been successfull in the USA and now hope to replicate it in other markets," said Guleria. Guleria said the company has no consolidation or acquisition plans for now though the number of e-commerce players has multiplied. He believes they can co-exist in harmony as demand is rising. "There are a number of players, but luckily with apparel, it is quite subjective. There are many suppliers so multiple players can exist. As long as companies have their own niche, they can succeed," he said.

Cricketer Zaheer Khan Invests in Exclusivelys New Fashion Label Sher Singh

Resources: UnPluggd : Nov 19th, Pune. Block Your Seat. By sinha on 12, November, 2011 | Channel: Funding

Cricketer Zaheer Khan Invests in Exclusivelys New Fashion Label Sher Singh
Alright Ecommerce has gone mainstream in India and while actor Neha Dhupia/Shilpa Shetty and Ajay Devgan has forayed into ecommerce ventures, cricketer Zaheer Khan has invested in a new brand Sher Singh launched by online retailer Exclusively.in Inc. As per reports, the bowler will also be the brand ambassador for the newly launched label that is eyeing $100 million (about Rs 500 crore) turnover globally in the next two years.

Exclusively.In earlier pivoted from members only to traditional ecommerce site and has recently launched Sher Singh fashion label that includes lifestyle products (men and women include Tshirts, trousers, polos, shirts, dresses, saris etc).

The smart move is to bring enough incentives for celebrities (to endorse the brand plus invest in them) and importantly, create fashion labels under one umbrella brand. That is, move out of the echo-chamber of ecommerce, which has traditionally been selling whatever is available and hasnt really created fashion labels.

How a Niche Shopping Site Plans to Transform Local Economies [INVITES]

Quick Pitch: Exclusively.In is an Indian-inspired private sale site for fashion, jewelry, accessories, home decor and travel. Genius Idea: Sourcing 80% of its goods straight from India, Exclusively.In is a niche private sale site offering carefully curated collections of high-end Indian fashion, home decor and travel experiences. While 20% of its goods are sourced from the United States, via artists and designers focused on creating Indian-inspired goods, the majority of its offerings are handcrafted by local artisans and shipped directly from India to buyers in the United States, the only country where the site currently operates. Having launched in June 2010, Exclusively.In has already raised $2.8 million in funding from Accel Partners and Helion Venture Partners. These investors must agree that niche flash sale sites may be a hot area in 2011. Just last month, for example, we saw the launch of Lot18, a private sale site focused on providing wine and epicurean products at attractive discounts impressively, the niche wine site raised $3 million in a Series A round of funding, led by FirstMark Capital. If these two highly targeted private sale sites are any indicator, its starting to look like niche may be where its at next year. We spoke with one of Exclusively.Ins four co-founders, Nirbhika Moorjani, to learn more about the burgeoning startup and its co-founders inspiration. Were all travelers and avid shoppers, having worked and lived in the U.S. and internationally, she said. We are driven by the desire to bring the best of India to the rest of the world, including textiles, crafts, hand-looms, embroideries and traditional Indian arts, combining it with western sensibilities.

So how does the site operate? Moorjani was very candid to give us the low-down on the entire process: We travel the country, right from metros of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkatta to the villages and interiors of India, scouring the best of Indian fashion, jewelry, accessories, home decor and traditional arts and crafts. Then, we place orders which get shipped to our warehouse in New Delhi. All merchandise goes through an organized process where it is quality-checked, sized per U.S. standards, priced, photographed on models, described by our editorial team, and then the sale is uploaded per a schedule. The customer-facing activity of marketing, PR and promotions happens from our office in New York, where we promote and market the sales/brands. Every day we introduce 3-6 brands/sales, and each last for 5-7 days, so at any given point fo time you will find 12-15 brands live. Our customers currently are in the U.S., so once we get orders, we package in the warehouse in Delhi and ship directly to customers doorsteps. We also have a free return policy if you are not satisfied or it does not fit, each item qualifies for a free return. Our goal is to get the best of India, right to your doorstep and to make sure our customers are 100% satisfied. With a staff of 50+ in India and 10 in New York, the company is still growing rapidly, Moorjani said. It has even begun sourcing from Indian-inspired brands in the United States, such as Bibhu Mohapatra, Prabal Gurung, Waris Ahluwalia, and shipping from the New York office, located in bustling Union Square. If that process isnt impressive enough, Moorjani also told us that the startup is helping grow small businesses around India. Local karigars (artisans) who [previously] relied solely on demand generated by patrons living only in close proximity, now have new channels of distribution and exposure to global markets via us, she said. Exclusively.In has not only tapped into this channel, addressing latent demand for Indian products in the West, focusing first on our beachhead market in the U.S. and then expanding into other international markets, but we are concurrently creating momentum and demand for other Indian high-end designers who now have patrons in the U.S. Visiting Exclusively.Ins New York office, I was greeted by a passionate team with the credentials to back up their mission. Benefiting from the growth in private sale sites and driven by a clear mission to offer the best of India, these entrepreneurs are bound to make waves in whatever they set out to do. If youre itching to sign up for Exclusively.In, use this invite code and get started. For $20 off your first purchase, use the code MASHABLE at the checkout. To keep up with the company, you can follow its blog, Twitter updates or Facebook Page, as well.

SOURCE : http://mashable.com/2010/12/14/exclusivelyin/#6115Silver-Bangles-from-the-Heart-of-India

--------x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x--------Exclusively.In Becomes Largest Online Indian Apparel Retailer in the US

Site gains 100,000 Facebook fans less than a year from launch, integrates with Facebook Connect and announces partnership with designer Heena Kochhar

Exclusively.In, the members-only private sale site for Indian fashion, jewelry and home dcor, has become the largest online Indian apparel retailer. Today, the site also surpassed 100,000 Facebook fans, making it the largest Indian fashion retailer on the popular social networking site. Since its launch only nine months ago, the ecommerce site has already become a commercial and viral success, growing in members by 20 percent each month, and garnering a broad base of consumers tweeting and "Like"ing the Indian infused style. To further increase its social component, Exclusively.In just launched Facebook Connect on its site, allowing its members to share their favorite saris, jewelry and designers to their Facebook page. Through Facebook Connect, users will also be able sign up through their Facebook page, expediting the membership process. "It's great to see our fans so actively involved in our site - it's truly because of this strong viral component that we have gained so many members and repeat customers," Sunjay Guleria, CEO of Exclusively.In, said. "Our members give us feedback, share photos of themselves wearing our clothing, and tell their friends about us through Facebook. Now we're making it even easier for fans of Indian fashion to become members - through Facebook Connect - and to make their shopping social." Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter have become increasingly important to brands, especially those such as Exclusively.In that rely on word of mouth from their fans to get new users. To celebrate the Facebook Connect launch, Exclusively.In is giving away a trip to

India to one of its members and a guest - including VIP access to Wills Lifestyle Fashion Week in Delhi. To sign up for the contest click here www.exclusively.in/loveindia In addition to the launching Facebook Connect, Exclusively.In has also announced a deal with Heena Kochhar to offer her feminine and flamboyant styles on the site. Her collection of alluring kalidar dresses and tunics combine cosmopolitan and contemporary styles with a traditional Indian aesthetic. Since its launch a half a year ago, Exclusively.In has become the go-to industry standard, bringing Indian fashion, jewelry and lifestyle products to American consumers. The site's broad and diverse subscriber base is growing at a rapid pace. Over 65 percent of its members that have bought items on the site have made repeat purchases. To learn more, visit us at http://www.exclusively.in or join over 100,000 Facebook fans at facebook.com/exclusively.in. To start enjoying the Exclusively.In experience right away, go to www.exclusively.in to register instantly.

Exclusively.In Targets $20 Billion Indian Wedding Market with New Online Boutique

If you can imagine the opulence of an Indian wedding all silk embroidered saris, precious gem-encrusted jewelry, riots of flowers, and enough food and drink to feed a village you can certainly appreciate that the industry outfitting these lavish celebrations rings up about $20 billion worldwide. Indeed, a typical Indian wedding in the U.S. costs between $75,000 and $100,000 three times more than the average American nuptials. But until last month, there werent many places outside Delhi and Mumbai where a bride and groom could go to purchase suitable attire and jewelry. Now, Exclusively.in, the Gilt Groupe of Indian fashion and home dcor, has new sales channel to outfit the mister- and missus-to-be (and their anxious parents and entire wedding party) to the nines. The members-only private sale site offers lenghas, sherwanis, wedding jewelry sets, and the like from such world-renowned designers as Ritu Kumar, Payal Singhal, Satya Paul, Art Karat and Shyamal & Bhumika. Unlike the rest of Exclusively.In which offers limited-time sales, the

wedding boutique sells items long term with an always on sale functionality, all without having to travel to India. Niche flash sale sites seem to run counter to scalable e-commerce efforts just by nature of their narrow focus. However, the opposite proved true for Exclusively.in. Founded by four IndianAmerican entrepreneurs in June 2010, it was the first e-commerce site of its kind to market with eclectic offerings sourced mostly from India. The site grew rapidly to feature over 200 different vendors in the first four months of sales. Thanks to a savvy social media push, the site recently became the largest online Indian apparel retailer in the U.S. Fifty percent month-on-month membership increases were due in part to a broad base of consumers tweeting and liking Exclusively.ins Indian-infused style on Facebook. Facebook Connect further enhanced the shopping experience by allowing members to share their sartorial spoils and introduce non-members to the joys of joining the club. That caught the eye of investors and enabled the company to raise a $2.8 million round of institutional and angel funding from Accel Partners India and Helion Venture Partners. Expansion of its technology platform and consumer markets followed in short order. In April, Exclusively.in added travel packages to its offerings.

The wedding boutique has potential for tremendous growth according to Anu Duggal, co-founder and executive vice president of Exclusively.in Weddings. She said, The Indian wedding market is well recognized as the one of the fastest growing niches in the wedding industry, generating a growth rate of 100 percent year-on-year. With Indian weddings growing even more elaborate and extensive every year, South Asians around the world need an online destination that offers easy access to the latest in wedding apparel and jewelry. A quick perusal of the collections proves Duggal right. The site is rich with lavishly embroidered, custom-made lenghas, mens velvet and lame turbans, emerald and ruby cuff links shaped like diminutive elephant tusks, and pearl studded necklaces and bangles. So far, jewel-

bedecked elephants to carry the groom to the ceremony are not currently offered. Shipping is no doubt prohibitively expensive. Source : http://www.forbes.com/sites/lydiadishman/2011/05/13/exclusively-in-targets-200bindian-wedding-market-with-new-online-boutique/

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