Lee and Wrangler to adapt to changing behaviour of Indians
Retail is undergoing a major transformation in India and 2021 has shown that a strong E-commerce presence is essential, according to Nitin Chhabra, CEO, Ace Turtle, which has signed a licensee agreement with Kontoor Brands for the Indian market.
“Our new partnership with Kontoor Brands will enable Lee and Wrangler products to reach Indian consumers across all channels. Our experience, expertise and investment into these brands will aim to unlock new opportunities presented by the dynamic Indian e-commerce market,” assured Chhabra, announcing the definitive agreement on 19 Jan 2021.
The partnership will enable Kontoor Brands’ portfolio, including Lee® and Wrangler®, to be sold through a digitally connected network of online retailers and branded brick and mortar stores.
Ace Turtle will launch web stores for both Lee® and Wrangler® in mid-2021.
The brands will also be scaled through online marketplaces, conversational and social commerce. Customers can discover products and place orders through WhatsApp, Chatbots, Instagram and other social channels.
In addition, Ace Turtle is embedding technology within the physical stores where these brands are sold across India. This will include endless aisle (allowing customers to virtually browse and order instantly, and check stock availability in other retail stores and warehouses), click and collect (online orders can be collected from the retail stores), and ship-from-store for online orders and more.
“Lee and Wrangler have operated in India for many years and our partnership with Ace Turtle now enables us to adapt to the changing behaviour of Indian consumers by making our brands increasingly accessible to customers across the country,” said John Gearing Vice President & Managing Director, Kontoor Brands Inc., Asia-Pacific.
“We’re excited by the technology-focused opportunities that this partnership presents for the Lee and Wrangler brands to flourish in India,” he added.
Bengaluru’s Ace Turtle is a technology driven platform company that provides direct to consumer web commerce solutions for leading Retail Brands. Ace Turtle, with its proprietary platform, integrates online and offline retail channels automating and optimizing Omni-Channel fulfilment. The platform provides brands with a single view of inventory. It helps reduce the costs and complexity of Omni-Channel transformation for brands through automation by intelligent use of data.
Kontoor Brands, Inc. (NYSE: KTB) is a global lifestyle apparel company, with a portfolio led by two of the world’s most iconic consumer brands: Wrangler® and Lee®. Kontoor designs, manufactures and distributes superior high-quality products that look good and fit right, giving people around the world the freedom and confidence to express themselves. Kontoor Brands is a purpose-led organization focused on leveraging its global platform, strategic sourcing model and best-in-class supply chain to drive brand growth and deliver long-term value for its stakeholders. #digital #technology #marketing #consumers /fiinews.com
