EShakti

eShakti.com is an online women's apparel company that offers Size 0-36W and specializes in mass-customization on designer clothes for women.
History
eShakti began as a small website offering basic cottons and modestly embellished pieces. As they grew, they were tasked with providing design and fit solutions to meet the growing customers' needs. eShakti started in apparel around 2004, though as a multi-product company it seems to have been started earlier.
After 2005 eShakti dropped all products other than women's apparel. In an interview with Plussize.about.com eShakti is described as the brainchild of B.G.Krishnan who, with two angel investors, launched the business., The brand exploited the opportunity that the Internet provided for mass customization. "Shakti" means power or strength in Sanskrit: eShakti means "the power of the Net."
Overview
By keeping up with technological advancements, eShakti can provide fashion customization at a modest cost. With Design Teams based in New York City, California & India, a diverse fashion perspective is offered to the consumer. Apparently, ready sizes are not stocked. Each style - whether standard sized, custom-styled or custom-sized - is cut to order. This helps them to cut down merchandise warehousing costs and keep fashion affordable.
Products
eShakti offers a size range from Size 0 to 36W on all its designs. eShakti offers custom styling and sizing on almost all its products, except on their Overstock selections. Their designs are sometimes embellished via print, embroidery and fabric texturing. In March 2015, eShakti expanded its product line with its first-ever bridal collection and first-ever custom-made pants collection.
Business model
eShakti uses personalized marketing, viral marketing, and relationship marketing. The primary sources of the company's rapid growth appear to have been from repeat customers and numerous word of mouth recommendations around the blogosphere.
eShakti claims to let a woman shop for exactly what she wants - the fabric, color, body, styling and sizing.
In an interview with VCCircle.com (which is part of The VCCircle Network), Krishnan is quoted as having said, "What differentiates eShakti from other e-com firms in the fashion business is the fact that its buyers can customise the size and the style of the garments on offer. In other words, now women can get tailor-made garments that will be a perfect fit."
In October 2011, it is revealed to have raised $3 million from IDG Ventures. It has been speculated that the company proposes to use the funding for scaling up operations, expanding to newer product lines and focus on the Indian market.
Yahoo's contributor network covered eShakti in an article "How to get Michelle Obama's cover look from Essence Magazine", as a store that offers dress options that look similar to the First Lady's cover look.
Recognition
New York Live (NBC) featured eShakti in a segment about custom-fit clothing. The show’s host, Lilliana Vazquez, along with her male host counterpart square off in a battle of the sexes to determine who has it better when it comes to finding custom (but affordable) fashion in NYC. The clip highlights the brand’s custom capabilities, along with sizing and great shots of the variation in product.
InternetRetailer.com nominated eShakti as one of the "Best of the Web - Internet Retailer Hot 100 - 2012".
In April 2012, Jezebel.com, one of the popular feminist blogs owned by Gawker Media, aimed at women's interests, featured eShakti's customization capabilities in an article titled, "How Much Would You Pay for a Dress That Fits Just Right?"
Voted as one of the Five Best Online Custom Clothing Stores in May 2012, by Lifehacker.com, eShakti's claim to fame reached a new high.
Wall Street Journal's print edition WSJ.com prominently included eShakti in an article highlighting the Pattern-making process
In a TV segment by ABCNews.com, two of eShakti's outfits were featured in a story covering Top 3 Celebrity Accessories for Less
Today
Spring/Summer 2013 seem to have catapulted eShakti on to a different league. Articles by The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, a Mother's Day feature by The Huffington Post, Yahoo's Contributor Network have re-established the Company's credentials in providing Customized Fashion Apparel.
Chicago WCIU's morning show, You and Me This Morning, featured eShakti's customization capabilities, showcasing eShakti styles on models. Style representative, Kathie Young, spoke of the website's ease of use, the brand's custom sizing and styling options, the variety of styles available, the range of sizes, the price range of their products and the shipping time. In addition, eShakti's Facebook page was noted as a great resource for style availability and brand information

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