Jumping onto the Gen Z bandwagon, e-commerce marketplace Flipkart has launched a new fashion app-in-app called ‘Spoyl’. This, the company says, is a fashion destination that has been specifically curated for Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) shoppers.

Spoyl will feature over 40,000 products across categories such as western wear, accessories and footwear. The company says this in-app interface will be different from how Flipkart looks, featuring black, white and neon aesthetic.

“With ‘SPOYL’, unique styles addressing current Gen Z fashion needs will be made available to every shopper, such as gender-neutral apparel, Korean-inspired designs and trendy college wear, to name a few,” Flipkart said in a statement.

Sandeep Karwa, Vice President for Flipkart Fashion told CNBC-TV18 that fashion is the biggest business for the Flipkart group in terms of orders and even repeat transactions and Spoyl comes as part of Flipkart’s strategy to ensure the fashion business remains relevant to the new-age consumer as well, while remaining affordable.

While the primary focus on SPOYL will be the apparel category, with accessories, footwear, and jewellery, among others, SPOYL will also start adding beauty, and grooming products. It is also eyeing more Gen Z-specific categories like skateboards, and will also look to bring on electronics and gadgets that could be specifically designed keeping Gen Z in mind.

The launch of a specific in-app destination targeted at Gen Z comes at a time when, according to a report by Bain & Co, one in three online shoppers is Gen Z and these shoppers mostly purchase fashion as the first category online, at entry price points.

Flipkart also adds that over 25 percent of Flipkart Fashion’s customer base comprises Gen Z, or those under 25, a figure that was at about 10-12 percent only a few years ago. Karwa believes this figure will go up to 30-35 percent of its business coming from those under the age of 25 in the next two to three years, which he pegs as a multi-billion dollar business opportunity.

Flipkart Fashion’s Video and Live Commerce experiences will be extended to the Gen Z experience as well.

This will be a new fashion segment for Flipkart apart from the fashion category available on its app, and its specific fashion and lifestyle app Myntra. However, Karwa says they decided on an app-in-app and not a separate app to ensure Flipkart also continues to remain relevant to its customer base, which he believes the app-in-app ensures.

“Our mission with ‘SPOYL’ is to address the growing needs of Gen Z who embrace their inner confidence and express their authentic selves through their style. By using technology that helps us stay ahead of the curve, we will ensure that every single Gen Z shopper has access to choices that suit them best. At Flipkart, we understand that value fashion doesn't mean compromising on quality and ethical production practices. By encouraging our seller ecosystem to use on-spot trend inputs and incorporating advanced planning, we strive to make available the most stylish garments, made possible by technology and data insights,” Karwa adds.

Going ahead, Flipkart says it will continue to add more features and generative AI-led tech to Spoyl to improve consumer experience. “The larger focus is on the supply side to ensure we get the right products that cater to the GenZ. A lot of our focus is going into spotting trends and a lot of tech has been built around this to spot the right trends, and inspirations and then pass this on to sellers, who can then convert them into apparel and other products. Another moat for Flipkart will be that 95 percent of SPOYL will be made in India,” Karwa told CNBC-TV18.

First Published:Aug 17, 2023 11:44 AM IST