Taran Chhabra almost missed a train in Spain in 2016. Why?
Well, he was overpacked – he was travelling with 5 pairs of shoes, one for running, another for lounging, and the rest, just in case!
How convenient would it be if I would have one versatile shoe for all these activities?
With this thought, Taran embarked on a global learning journey to shoe manufacturing hubs and was struck by the industry’s reliance on synthetic, non-eco-friendly raw material.
Moved, Taran decided to pelt 2 birds with one stone (his D2C footwear brand, in this case) – Neeman’s.
🔷 Offer comfort, versatility, and style
🔷 Do some good for the planet
Taran cracked product moat using Merino Wool, a natural, renewable Australian fibre that’s soft, breathable, and perfect for use year-round. And this simple move turned out to their trump card – comfort delivered on the consumer’s doorstep.
As a result, Neeman’s has made some long strides (you would expect nothing less from a footwear brand)
🔥 INR 270 Cr valuation (as of Oct ‘24)
🔥 INR 69 Cr in FY23, a ~50% increase from FY22
🔥 80K+ pairs of shoes sold monthly
🔥 4.65 rating (average) on marketplaces
Let’s take a deeper dive!
Solving The Good ‘Ol Drawer Problem!
Neeman’s is an aspirational brand – standard SKUs cost anywhere between INR 1,999 and INR 6,999.
That’s comparable with the discounted fares of mid-range sneakers by Adidas, Puma, and even Nike. This was the biggest challenge – finding a place (amidst global brands) in shoe cabinets.
What made it even more tricky was the mindset of the Indian consumer. People wouldn’t wear their shoes by Neeman’s even after paying top dollar. In short, it would be left in their shoe drawer. Seldom, people choose comfort over the typical Nikes!
Honest confession – we like to flaunt our Nikes as well!
The Solution: Dopamine Hit 🗝️
A dopamine hit at the following 3 consumer touchpoints, and all of a sudden they become your brand ambassadors.
❇️ Purchase
❇️ Delivery
❇️ First Experience
Taran made sure the website and mobile application are optimised to the core and deliver an unforgettable buying experience.
Next was delivery – plastic free wraps and customised messages did the trick here!
But the most significant part was to make sure consumers tried the shoes within 2 weeks of purchase, or they would simply forget about it!
So, Neeman’s reached out to new consumers within a week of purchase to inquire about their satisfaction or any encountered issues. For unresponsive customers, re-engagement efforts were focused.
This approach didn’t just solve the drawer problem but also boosted cross-sales!
The Result: 30% Boost In Repeat Orders!
Neeman’s observed a pattern – although the primary customer base was predominantly male, within 20-30 days, a significant portion made repeat purchases, albeit in smaller sizes—possibly for women or children.
Capitalising on this insight, the company engaged customers during this period, encouraging them to share their experience with others post-purchase, and catapulted repeat rates by close to 30%
The X-Factor: How Neeman’s Is Taking A Stand For The Planet!
Neeman’s started out as India’s first sustainable footwear brand and this positioning helped them acquire their first consumers. Turns out this wasn’t just a marketing gimmick – the brand truly cares for the planet – just their way of CSR, maybe?
But the numbers are incredible:
♻️ 3.2 Mn+ plastic bottles recycled
♻️ ~50K Kgs of tyres recycled
♻️ 5 Mn+ plastic bags avoided with paper packaging
We love when brands do good for the planet, don’t we?
These numbers turned out to be the secret fuel that propelled the growth story of Neeman’s! Coupled with the comfort quotient of shoes, this sustainability angle helped Neeman’s get that much-needed edge in the highly-commoditised footwear segment in India.
Numbers don’t lie, do they?
Until the next one!
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