Brands
Pepe Jeans partners with GoKwik for COD expansion in India
Mumbai: Pepe Jeans London, the iconic denim brand celebrated for its modern and stylish fashion selections, has formed a strategic partnership with GoKwik, a prominent eCommerce platform. Together, they aim to enhance Pepe Jeans’ online presence in India by extending Cash-on-Delivery (COD) services securely and embarking upon the issue of Return to Origin (RTO) rates. Utilizing GoKwik’s extensive network intelligence with over 100 million shoppers, Pepe Jeans aims to diminish non-deliverable COD orders and fortify its position in the ever-evolving digital commerce landscape.
GoKwik is set to assist Pepe Jeans London in expanding its digital presence by extending Cash-on-Delivery (COD) services to a broader range of postal codes. This expansion will harness GoKwik’s network-driven intelligence to curtail the incidence of Return to Origin (RTO). RTO occurs when COD orders are annulled during transit, leading to increased logistical expenses, inventory blockages, and potential product damage, all of which can impact the brand’s overall profitability.
Speaking on the partnership Pepe Jeans India CEO & MD Manish Kapoor said, “The Indian eCommerce sector holds significant promise and displays substantial potential in the years ahead. Cash on delivery is a distinct preference for the majority of Indian consumers, and this preference brings with it the intricate issue of RTO.” He further explained, “Our collaboration with GoKwik will further expand our ability to offer Cash-on-Delivery services in remote regions of India. Utilising their advanced intelligence solutions, we aspire to broaden our presence among various consumer demographics, ultimately enhancing our Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) and mitigating the challenges linked with COD orders.”
Cash-on-Delivery (COD) enjoys widespread popularity in India and is a crucial payment method for ensuring long-term business expansion. Nevertheless, a significant challenge arises, as more than 30 per cent of COD orders are returned to the warehouse during shipment, resulting in profit leakage for brands. In certain scenarios, such as for Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) brands, this return rate can skyrocket to as high as 60 per cent, with the fashion category being the most affected.
GoKwik is renowned for its comprehensive data-backed intelligence solutions that analyse shopper behaviour patterns across 200 parameters. It then ranks shoppers under different risk buckets based on their probability of returning orders before delivery, and then places controlled interventions to safely expand COD serviceability while keeping a check on the RTO rate. Through these unique solutions, GoKwik has helped several brands save over Rs 130 Cr of RTO losses.
“We are constantly committed to building solutions that help eCommerce brands grow at a high speed yet sustainable pace,” stated GoKwik co-founder & CEO Chirag Taneja. “Pepe Jeans have a legacy that is now continuing in the digital space. Through our data-backed intelligence, we aim to unlock their COD GMV by deepening their COD penetration while also minimising their return losses. Look forward to seeing them grow at a phenomenal rate with us” Chirag continued.
The collaboration between Pepe Jeans and GoKwik underlines their joint dedication to utilizing technological advancements and their deep industry knowledge to push the boundaries of online retail. Their mission is to address the requirements of Indian shoppers and establish a smooth, hassle-free shopping experience for fashion enthusiasts throughout the country.
Brands
UK’s OnlyFans seeks US investor at $3bn valuation after owner’s death
The adult video platform is seeking stability after the death of its billionaire owner
LONDON: OnlyFans is looking for a new partner. The London-based adult video platform is in advanced talks to sell a minority stake of less than 20 per cent to Architect Capital, a San Francisco-based investment firm, in a deal that would value the business at more than $3bn (£2.2bn).
The move is driven by an urgent need for stability. Leonid Radvinsky, the Ukrainian-American billionaire who owned OnlyFans, died of cancer last month at the age of 43, leaving the future of one of Britain’s most profitable privately held businesses suddenly uncertain.
The choice of Architect Capital is not arbitrary. The firm has deep expertise in financial services, which aligns neatly with OnlyFans’ ambitions to offer banking products to its creators, many of whom have long struggled to access basic financial services because of the nature of their work.
The numbers behind OnlyFans are, by any measure, staggering. The platform posted revenues of $1.4bn in the year to 30th November 2024, with a pre-tax profit of $684m, up four per cent on the prior year. Payments to creators totalled $7.2bn over the same period, a rise of nearly ten per cent. Radvinsky personally collected $701m in dividends from the business in 2024 alone, on top of more than $1bn in such payments he had already received. The platform, run through its parent company Felix International, hosts 4.6m creator accounts, with performers keeping 80 per cent of subscription proceeds and the platform pocketing the remaining 20 per cent. It has 377m fan accounts in total.
The current minority stake talks represent a notable scaling back of ambitions. In January, OnlyFans was reported to be in discussions with Architect about selling a majority stake of 60 per cent. Before that, the company had explored a sale to a consortium led by Forest Road Company, a Los Angeles-based investment firm. Neither deal materialised.
OnlyFans has built an enormously lucrative business on content that mainstream finance has long refused to touch. Now, with its owner gone and a $3bn valuation on the table, it is looking for the kind of respectable institutional backing that might finally persuade the banks to take its calls.
