Personalisation in India needs a multi-pronged approach: Myntra CPTO

From asking users for inputs to using generative AI to create profiles for users, personalisation at scale in India needs a multi-pronged approach, said Raghu Krishnananda, Chief Product and Technology Officer of lifestyle and fashion-focussed ecommerce platform Myntra.

"Personalisation also should not just be at an individual level but at a regional and cohort level as well," Krishnananda said, at panel discussion at YourStory's Tech Leaders' Conclave 2024.

Cohort analysis studies the behaviour and characteristics of a group of people (cohort) who share common experiences or characteristics over a specific period. The metrics usually include gender, affluence, location, etc.

When a user logs into Myntra, they are immediately asked to choose their preferred experience: the general platform—Forward for Gen-Z fashion or Luxe for premium brands. This targeted approach directs users to curated pages, thus enhancing the likelihood of converting browsing into sales, said Krishnananda.

Strategies around the search option, using AI technology to curate selections and outfits, and using queries to suggest items beyond the main product category are some of the ways in which companies, including Myntra, can provide personalisation at scale, he added.

Sumant Narayanan, Business Head, India & SAARC, Akamai. said offering personalisation at scale in India is a very unique problem.

"In India, if you're trying to deliver personalisation, it's almost as if you're delivering to several different countries," he said.

When asked about the viability of scaling augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), Myntra's Krishnananda said the benefits are huge, especially for ecommerce companies, but the difficulty lies in getting people to use it and assuring them that their data stays safe.

"In fact, for people who use the AR/VR feature on Myntra, we see more conversions and more buying, but the question is how do you get people to use it," he added.