Thiruvananthapuram: Pushing forth its plan to be present in more South Indian cities, leading furniture and home products company Pepperfry has opened a new offline outlet in Thiruvananthapuram. The new offline store – Studio Pepperfry – has come up in Thiruvananthapuram, in the Kerala capital. This franchisee outlet is in fact the second in the state after the company owned Kochi Studio Pepperfy store unveiled 2 years ago.
Pepperfry, over the past three years, has established the largest omni-channel business in the furniture and home segment in the country. It has rapidly expanded its Studio footprint across the country by opening 40 studios (owned and franchise) in 23 cities with a key focus on South India which is Pepperfry’s biggest market. Today, there are 13 Pepperfry Studios in South India across Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mysore and Thiruvananthapuram.
The new Thiruvananthapuram operations is based on the franchisee model, and has been established in partnership with Geosam Furnishings, at Kesavadasapuram.
Pepperfry’s consumers residing in Thiruvananthapuram can now experience the variety of finishes, cutting-edge designs and quality of products that are available for purchase on Pepperfry. Additionally, interior design experts at the Studio offer free in-store design consultancy to help furnish their homes as per their requirements and aspirations.
Mihir Kulkarni, Vice-President and Head Omni-channel expansion, Pepperfry said, “South India is an important market for Pepperfry with a significant contribution to the overall business of the company and we further intend to strengthen our presence in the region through owned and franchise Studios. Our first Studio in Kerala located at Kochi has been doing very well and we are confident that Kerala could prove to be one of the strong markets for us in the South of India. Through our Studio in the city, we aim to provide easy access to our customers in Thiruvananthapuram and experience our differentiated product catalogue and superior quality products to build homes which reflect their personality and style.”
Pepperfry launched its first Studio in 2014 and over the years has fortified its omnichannel expansion. The launch in Thiruvananthapuram is in-line with Pepperfry’s vision to establish the largest omnichannel home and furniture business in the country. Over the years Pepperfry Studios have strengthened customer engagement and contribute more than 25% to the overall business. To fuel this growth Pepperfry pioneered a unique franchise model which also promotes and encourages new-age entrepreneurs in the country.
Samuel George, Director, Geosam Furnishings said, “We are happy to partner with India’s leading home and furniture marketplace. Pepperfry has pioneered a truly differentiated omnichannel business and we are looking forward to participate in their journey to create the largest omnichannel home and furniture business.”
This unique business model is a profitable proposition for interested partners with high potential for scaling up as it does not require the partner to hold product inventory, and is based on 100% price parity. It offers a lucrative commission structure where the franchise owners can benefit by earning commission on each online transaction made at the franchise studio. With Pepperfry managing the customer experience end-to-end, from delivery to assembly, the franchise Studio ensures standardization and stays true to Pepperfry’s ethos of providing consumers a seamless customer experience.
