Includ, adding to India’s e-commerce industry; e-com industry has been going great guns, with phenomenal growth reshaping the retail landscape. Online shopping has exploded over the last two years, touching almost every corner of the country. Investments are enormous; such is the case with private equity and venture capital funding, which exceeds $15.4 billion alone for 2022. The confidence in India’s digital marketplace is evident, and the industry is expected to grow to $111 billion by 2024, expandable to an estimated $200 billion by 2026.
Includ, founded in April 2023 by Ashwin Rastogi, in an endeavor to cater to this newer consumer segment. Ashwin is an engineering graduate from BITS, Pilani, and possesses strong experience that he has acquired through his previous assignments going back to his last stint as Country Director for Urbanic and as Country Manager for Club Factory. His background in fast fashion and investment feeds the growth strategy by Includ, which targets women, specifically mothers, who increasingly control pocket money.
It was founded in Gurugram and aims to empower women through a platform that offers an extensive selection of kids’ apparel. It plans to extend to more women’s and home products. Coming with over 5,500 styles for children aged between 2 and 14 and starting at an affordable price of Rs 449, it assures that fashion is accessible without compromising style or quality.
Includ: Empowering Mothers Through a Curated Shopping Experience
The mission for Includ was more than just selling kidswear. Still, it was about an experience that speaks to the modern Indian woman who has managed the world of a career and family responsibilities. Mothers play a core role in household decisions, so the platform suited its offerings to their tastes, values, and aspirations.
This mother-centric approach goes far beyond helping the direct needs of children. Includ seeks to create an environment that recognizes the lifestyle demands of its core audience and empowers relevant choices with a portfolio of products embracing value, quality, and style. The strategic orientation to affordability and relevance singles out Includ from its competitors.
Ambitious Sales Goals and Strategic Expansion
Includ is trying to achieve Rs 2 crore of monthly sales with the help of a dedicated team of 25 professionals. Already, the brand has received funding from a couple of angel investors, including industry veteran Shailesh Rao. This financing success had already warmed up the brand’s confidence in achieving the goal of Rs 2 crore of monthly sales.
Despite being highly competitive- as the more prominent players like FirstCry dominate the market-there is still room for niche players such as Includ. With better access to online portals and a vast product variety, it has been able to rope in mothers who are present on social media platforms.
Expansion From Kidswear and Foray into International Markets
In the future, Includ’s ambitions do not end here. It plans to foray into women’s wear and home improvement product categories to become the one-stop shop for modern families. Regarding offline retail expansion, Includ also hopes to launch physical stores, starting with the kids’ wear category.
At the brand level, the company is already considering international expansions; GCC nations and Bangladesh are on the cards. The company is utilizing India, Bangladesh, and China as supply nodes. It targets critical markets in the GCC, India, and Southeast Asia- an approach reflecting a global perspective and a good understanding of core demography.
