CASE STUDY

FirstCry kicked off with an inventory-heavy, pure-play ecommerce model, as did a handful of companies in 2010 (zero-inventory marketplaces were not widely popular at the time). But soon, it adopted a contrarian approach, moving from online to offline despite the immense hype around ecommerce. Online shopping was convenient, but the nature of FirstCry products required the involvement of the entire family as they shopped for the baby/kid. This could only be achieved offline. Moreover, its offline business could grow faster beyond metros, where people were not too familiar with ecommerce more than a decade ago.

FirstCry started its offline outlets in metro and non-metro cities and expanded the hybrid model through franchisees. But it's holistic goal was to sync online data with marketing strategies and offline experiences. For instance, a physical shop can track people's online preferences to serve them better, while shoppers can do inventory search, price comparison and check products in real time for quality and fit. This helped create the trust of new parents who earlier hesitated to purchase baby products online.

The omnichannel strategy helped FirstCry cement its presence in Tier 1 and 2 cities, resulting in 400+ offline stores. About 40% of its sales come from brick-and-mortar businesses, amply enhanced by its online features.

SOURCE: INC42, FIRSTCRY,ENTREPRENEUR, FINANCIAL EXPRESS