Chapter 1: Introduction

(Market Research)
Definition:

Market research is defined as the process of evaluating the feasibility of a new product or
service, through research conducted directly with potential consumers. This method allows
organizations or businesses to discover their target market, collect and document opinions and
make informed decisions. Market research can be conducted directly by organizations or
companies or can be outsourced to agencies which have expertise in this process.

The process of market research can be done through deploying surveys, interacting with a group
of people also known as sample, conducting interviews and other similar processes.

Primary purpose of conducting market research is to understand or examine the market

associated with a particular product or service, to decide how the audience will react to a product
or service. The information obtained from conducting market research can be used to tailor
marketing/ advertising activities or to determine what are the feature priorities/service
requirement (if any) of consumers.

Types of Market Research: Market Research Methods and Examples

Whether an organization or business wishes to know purchase behavior of consumers or the

likelihood of consumers paying a certain cost for a product, market research helps in drawing
meaningful conclusions.

Depending on the methods and tools required, following are the types:

1. Primary Market Research (A combination of both Qualitative and Quantitative

Research): Primary market research is a process, where organizations or businesses get in touch
with the end consumers or employ a third party to carry out relevant studies to collect data. The
data collected can be qualitative data (non-numerical data) or quantitative data (numerical or
statistical data).

While conducting primary market research, one can gather two types of information: Exploratory
and Specific. Exploratory research is open ended, where a problem is explored by asking open
ended questions in a detailed interview format usually with a small group of people also known
as sample. Here the sample size is restricted to 6-10 members. Specific research, on the other
hand, is more pinpointed and is used to solve the problems that are identified by exploratory
research.
As mentioned earlier primary market research is a combination of qualitative market research
and quantitative market research. Qualitative market research study involves semi-structured or
unstructured data collected through some of the commonly used qualitative research methods
like:

Focus groups: Focus group is one of the commonly used qualitative research methods. Focus
group is a small group of people (6-10) who typically respond to online surveys sent to them.
The best part about focus group is the information can be collected remotely, can be done
without personally interacting with the group members. However, this is a more expensive
method as it is used to collect complex information.

One-to-one interview: As the name suggests this method involves personal interaction in the
form of an interview, where the researcher asks a series of questions to collect information or
data from the respondents. The questions are mostly open ended questions and asked in a way to
facilitate responses. This method is heavily dependent on the ability and experience of the
interviewer to ask questions that evoke responses.

Ethnographic research: This type of in-depth research is conducted in the natural settings of the
respondents. This method requires the interviewer to adapt himself/herself to the natural
environment of the respondents which could be a city or a remote village. Geographical
constraints can be a hindering factor in conducting this kind of research. Ethnographic research
can last from a few days to a few years.

Qualitative research methods are used by organizations to conducted structured market research
by using online surveys, questionnaires and polls to gain statistical insights to make informed
decisions.

This method was once conducted using pen and paper. This has now evolved to sending
structured online surveys to the respondents to gain actionable insights. Researchers tend to use
modern and technology-oriented survey platforms to structure and design their survey to evoke
maximum response from respondents.

Through a well-structured mechanism, data is easily collected and reported and necessary action
can be taken with all the information that is made available first hand.

2. Secondary Market Research: Secondary research uses information that is organized by

outside source like government agencies, media, chambers of commerce etc. This information is
published in newspaper, magazines, books, company website, free government and
nongovernment agencies and so on. Secondary source makes use of the following:

Public sources: Public sources like library are an awesome way of gathering free information.
Government libraries usually offer services free of cost and a researcher can document available
information.
 Commercial sources: Commercial source although reliable are expensive. Local newspapers,
magazines, journal, television media are great commercial sources to collect information.

Educational Institutions: Although not a very popular source of collecting information, most
universities and educational institutions are a rich source of information as many research
projects are carried out there than any business sector.

Why is Market Research Important?

With economy being competitive with each passing day it is important for businesses to know
and understand preferences of their consumers. Conducting research is one of the best ways of
achieving customer satisfaction, reduce customer churn and elevate business. Here are the
reasons why market research is important and should not be ignored:

• It provides information and opportunities about the value of existing and new products, thus,
helping businesses plan and strategize accordingly.
• It helps in determining what the customers need and want. Marketing is customer-centric and
knowing the customers and their needs will help businesses design product or services that
best suit them.
• By understanding the needs of customers, businesses can also forecast their production and
sales. One of the most difficult aspects for a production manager is to keep inventory stacked.
What is the requirement and how much should be produced to fulfill the needs of the
customer? Market research helps in determining optimum inventory stock.
• To stay ahead of competitors market research is a vital tool to carry out comparative studies.
Businesses can device business strategies that can help them stay ahead of their competitors.

Steps for conducting Market Research

Knowing what to do in various situations that arise during the investigation will save the
researcher’s time and reduce problems. Today’s successful enterprises use powerful market
research survey software that helps them conduct comprehensive research under a unified
platform and hence provide actionable insights much faster with fewer problems.

Following are the steps to conduct an effective market research.

Step #1: Define the Problem

Having a well-defined subject of research will help researchers when they ask questions. These
questions should be directed to solve problems and they have to be adapted to the project. Make
sure the questions are written clearly and that the respondents understand them. Researchers can
conduct a test with a small group to know if the questions are going to know whether the asked
questions are understandable and will they be enough to gain insightful results.
 Research objectives should be written in a precise way and should include a brief description of
the information that is needed and the way in which it will obtain it. They should have an answer
to this question “why are we doing the research?”

Step #2: Define the Sample

To carry out market research, researchers need a representative sample that can be collected
using one of the many sampling techniques. A representative sample is a small number of people
that reflect, as accurately as possible, a larger group.

• An organization cannot waste their resources in collecting information from the wrong
population. It is important that the population represents characteristics that matter to the
researchers and that they need to investigate, are in the chosen sample.
• Take into account that marketers will always be prone to fall into a bias in the sample because
there will always be people who do not answer the survey because they are busy, or answer it
incompletely, so researchers may not obtain the required data.
• Regarding the size of the sample, the larger it is, the more likely it is to be representative of
the population. A larger representative sample gives the researcher greater certainty that the
people included are the ones they need, and they can possibly reduce bias. Therefore, if they
want to avoid inaccuracy in our surveys, they should have representative and balanced
samples.
• Practically all the surveys that are considered in a serious way, are based on a scientific
sampling, based on statistical and probability theories.
There are two ways to obtain a representative sample:

• Probability sampling: In probability sampling, the choice of the sample will be made at
random, which guarantees that each member of the population will have the same probability
of selection and inclusion in the sample group. Researchers should ensure that they have
updated information on the population from which they will draw the sample and survey the
majority to establish representativeness.
• Non-probability sampling: In a non-probability sampling, different types of people are
seeking to obtain a more balanced representative sample. Knowing the demographic
characteristics of our group will undoubtedly help to limit the profile of the desired sample
and define the variables that interest the researchers, such as gender, age, place of residence,
etc. By knowing these criteria, before obtaining the information, researchers can have the
control to create a representative sample that is efficient for us.
When a sample is not representative, there can be a margin of error. If researchers want to have a
representative sample of 100 employees, they should choose a similar number of men and
women.

The sample size is very important, but it does not guarantee accuracy. More than size,
representativeness is related to the sampling frame, that is, to the list from which people are
selected, for example, part of a survey.
If researchers want to continue expanding their knowledge on how to determine the size of the
sample consult our guide on sampling here.

Step #3: Carry out data collection

First, a data collection instrument should be developed. The fact that they do not answer a
survey, or answer it incompletely will cause errors in research. The correct collection of data will
prevent this.

Step #4: Analyze the results

Each of the points of the market research process is linked to one another. If all the above is
executed well, but there is no accurate analysis of the results, then the decisions made
consequently will not be appropriate. In-depth analysis conducted without leaving loose ends
will be effective in gaining solutions. Data analysis will be captured in a report, which should
also be written clearly so that effective decisions can be made on that basis.

Analyze and interpret the results is to look for a wider meaning to the obtained data. All the
previous phases have been developed to arrive at this moment.

How can researchers measure the obtained results? The only quantitative data that will be
obtained is age, sex, profession, and number of interviewees because the rest are emotions and
experiences that have been transmitted to us by the interlocutors. For this, there is a tool called
empathy map that forces us to put ourselves in the place of our clientele with the aim of being
able to identify, really, the characteristics that will allow us to make a better adjustment between
our products or services and their needs or interests.

When the research has been carefully planned, the hypotheses have been adequately defined and
the indicated collection method has been used, the interpretation is usually carried out easily and
successfully. What follows after conducting market research?

Step #5: Make the Research Report

When presenting the results, researchers should focus on: what do they want to achieve using
this research report and while answering this question they should not assume that the structure
of the survey is the best way to do the analysis. One of the big mistakes that many researchers
make is that they present the reports in the same order of their questions and do not see the
potential of storytelling.

To make good reports, the best analysts give the following advice: follow the inverted pyramid
style to present the results, answering at the beginning the essential questions of the business that
caused the investigation. Start with the conclusions and give them fundamentals, instead of
accumulating evidence. After this researchers can provide details to the readers who have the
time and interest.
 Step #6: Make Decisions

An organization or a researcher should never ask “why do market research”, they should just do
it!

A market research helps researchers to know a wide range of information, for example,
consumer purchase intentions, or gives feedback about the growth of the target market. They
can also discover valuable information that will help in estimating the prices of their product or
service and find a point of balance that will benefit them and the consumers.

Take decisions! Act and implement.

Benefits of an Efficient Market Research

• Make well-informed decisions: The growth of an organization is dependent on the way

decisions are made by the management. Using market research techniques, the management
can make business decisions on the basis of obtained results that back their knowledge and
experience. Market research helps to know market trends, hence to carry it out frequently to
get to know the customers thoroughly.
• Gain accurate information: Market research provides real and accurate information that will
prepare the organization for any mishaps that may happen in the future. By properly
investigating the market, a business will undoubtedly be taking a step forward, and therefore it
will be taking advantage of its existing competitors.
• Determine the market size: A researcher can evaluate the size of the market that must be
covered in case of selling a product or service in order to make profits.
• Choose an appropriate sales system: Select a precise sales system according to what the
market is asking for, and according to this, the product/service can be positioned in the market.
• Learn about customer preferences: It helps to know how the preferences (and tastes) of the
clients change so that the company can satisfy preferences, purchasing habits, and income
level. Researchers can determine the type of product that must be manufactured or sold based
on the specific needs of consumers.
• Gather details about customer perception about the brand: In addition to generating
information, market research helps a researcher in understanding how the customers perceive
the organization or brand.
• Analyze customer communication methods: Market research serves as a guide for
communication with current and potential clients.
• Productive business investment: It is a great investment for any business, because thanks to
it they get invaluable information, it shows researchers the way to follow to take the right path
and achieve the sales that are required.

5 Market Research Tips for Businesses

Tip #1: Define the objective of your research.

Before setting off on your research quest, think about what you’re trying to achieve next with
your business. Are you looking to increase traffic to your location? Or increase sales? Or convert
customers from one-time purchasers to regulars? Figuring out your objective will help you tailor
the rest of your research and your future marketing materials. Having an objective for your
research will flesh out what kind of data you need to collect.

Tip #2: Learn About Your Target Customers.

The most important thing to remember is that your business serves a specific kind of customer.
Defining your specific customer has many advantages like allowing you to understand what kind
of language to use when crafting your marketing materials, and how to approach building
relationships with your customer. When you take time to define your target customer you can
also find the best products and services to sell to them.

You want to know as much as you can about your target customer. You can gather this
information through observation and by researching the kind of customers who frequent your
type of business. For starters, helpful things to know are their age and income. What do they do
for a living? What’s their marital status and education level?

Tip #3: Recognize that knowing who you serve helps you define who you do not.

Let’s take a classic example from copywriting genius Dan Kennedy. He says that if you’re
opening up a fine dining steakhouse focused on decadent food, you know right off the bat that
you’re not looking to attract vegetarians or dieters. Armed with this information, you can create
better marketing messages that speak to your target customers.

It’s okay to decide who is not a part of your target customer base. In fact, for small businesses
knowing who you don’t cater to can be essential in helping you grow. Why? Simple, if you’re
small your advantage is that you can connect deeply with a specific segment of the market. You
want to focus your efforts on the right customer who already is compelled to spend money on
your offer. If you’re spreading yourself thin by trying to be all things to everyone, you will only
dilute your core message. Instead, keep your focus on your target customer. Define them, go
deep, and you’ll be able to figure out how you can best serve them with your products and
services.

Tip #4: Learn from your competition.

This works for brick and mortar businesses as well as internet businesses because it allows you
to step into the shoes of your customer and open up to a new perspective of your business. Take
a look around the internet and around your town. If you can, visit your competitor’s shops. For
example, if you own a restaurant specializing in Italian cuisine, dine at the other Italian place in
your neighborhood or in the next township.
As you experience the business from the customer perspective, look for what’s being done right
and wrong. Can you see areas that need attention or improvement? How are you running things
in comparison? What’s the quality of their product and customer service? Are the customers here
pleased? Also, take a close look at their market segment. Who else is patronizing their business?
Are they the same kinds of people who spend money with you? By asking these questions and
doing in-person research, you can dig up a lot of information to help you define your unique
selling position and create even better offers for your customers.

Tip #5: Get your target customers to open up and tell you everything.

A good customer survey is one of the most valuable market research tools because it gives you
the opportunity to get inside your customer’s head. However, remember that some feedback may
be harsh, so take criticism as a learning tool to point you in the right direction.

Creating a survey is simple. Ask questions about what your customer thinks you’re doing right,
and what can be improved. You can also prompt them to tell you what kinds of products and
services they’d like to see you add which gives you amazing insight into how to monetize your
business more. Many customers will be delighted to offer feedback. You can even give
customers who fill out surveys a gift like a special coupon for their next purchase.

Why Does Every Business Need Market Research?

Market research is one of the most effective ways to gain insight into your customer
base, competitors, and the overall market. The goal of conducting market research is to equip
your company with the information you need to make informed decisions. It is especially
important when small businesses are trying to determine whether a new business idea is viable,
looking to move into a new market, or are launching a new product or service. Read below for a
more in-depth look at how market research can help small businesses.

COMPETITION According to a study conducted by Business Insider, 72% of small businesses

focus on increasing revenue. Conducting research helps businesses gain insight into competitor
behavior. By learning about your competitor’s strengths and weaknesses, you can learn how to
position your product or offering. In order to be successful, small businesses need to have an
understanding of what products and services competitors are offering, and their price point.

CUSTOMERS Many small businesses feel they have an understanding of their customer, only
to conduct market research and learn they had the wrong assumptions. By conducting research,
you can create a profile of your average customer and gain insight into their buying habits, how
much they’re willing to spend, and which features resonate with them. Additionally, and perhaps
more importantly, you can learn what will make someone use your product or service over a
competitor.
OPPORTUNITIES Potential opportunities, whether they are products or services, can be
identified by conducting market research. By learning more about your customers, you can
gather insights into complementary products and services. Consumer needs change over time,
influenced by new technology and different conditions, and you may find new needs that are not
being met, which can create new opportunities for your business.

FORECAST A small business is affected by the performance of the local and national economy,
as are its’ customers. If consumers are worried, then they will be more restrained when spending
money, which affects the business. By conducting research with consumers, businesses can get
an idea of whether they are optimistic or apprehensive about the direction of the economy, and
make adjustments as necessary. For example, a small business owner may decide to postpone a
new product launch if it appears the economic environment is turning negative.
 Chapter 2: Company Profile
(Dope Shelf Associates LLP)
Company profile
Founded in 2019, Dopeshelf is a lifestyle fashion brand that makes creative, distinctive fashion
for the trendy, contemporary Indian. Dopeshelf was created on the principle of creating impact
through innovation, honesty and thoughtfulness.

With a team of 4 members, and 1000+ products sold till date. We like to experiment freely,
which allows us to balance creativity and reliability, and our innovative designs. Our range of
products is always fresh and up-to-date, and we clock sales of over 100 products a month. Our
innovation focus extends to our operations as well. We are vertically integrated, manufacture our
own products, and cut out the middleman wherever possible. This direct-to-consumer model
allows us to create high-quality fashion at affordable prices. A thoughtful brand, we actively
attempt to minimize our environmental footprint and maximize our social impact. These efforts
are integrated right into our day-to-day operations, from rainwater harvesting to paper packaging
to employee benefits that helps us to create an accessible, affordable and thoughtful experience
of online shopping in India.

We love helping art unknowns become art totally-known. From our commission-based award
system to featuring artists on our website and Instagram page to the world to helping them start
their very own independent store with our newest endeavor, Artist Shops, we support our artist
community in every way possible.

What started as a t-shirt company has since expanded into a full line-up of apparel and
accessories. We seek out designs to give artists more ways to feature their work and for fans to
choose the best art, the weird art, the geeky art, the beautiful art. Every time you buy from us,
you're supporting great art and artists.

From design challenges to Artist Shops, we are always finding new ways to give creative minds
like yourself more ways to get your art looked upon, to succeed, and to achieve our ultimate
goal: to make great together.

We're based in Delhi and have been since we opened our doors in 2019, and we couldn't love our
hometown more.

Dopeshelf isn’t a company it’s a community of independent designers and artists who want to
show their art to the world and monetize their skills
Operations and Methodology
When it comes to professional printing processes there are three main types:

• Offset litho printing

• Digital Printing
• Screen printing

With offset or “litho” printing the image (your artwork) is transferred to metal plates and then
from the plates to a rubber blanket. Then the inked blankets transfer the image onto paper. The
process is called offset because the ink is first transferred from plate to blanket rather than going
directly on to the paper. Because of the time and costs required for set up, plates and ink before
anything is actually printed, offset isn’t cost effective for smaller amounts and is usually only
used when very large volumes are required.
Digital presses use powdered toner instead of traditional inks and with the digital printing
process, your artwork goes straight from your pdf to print. Early digital presses couldn’t compete
with the quality produced by full-colour printing. However, huge technological advances in the
last couple of decades have resulted in digital print that’s impossible to tell apart from litho.
Because there’s no setup cost or minimum quantity, digital printing is also perfect for smaller
amounts (whether it’s nine or 900) and when you need customised or personalised marketing.
Screen printing is the process of transferring a stenciled design onto a flat surface using a mesh
screen, ink and a squeegee. Fabric and paper are the most commonly screen-printed surfaces, but
with specialized inks it’s also possible to print onto wood, metal, plastic, and even glass. The
basic method involves creating a stencil on a fine mesh screen, and then pushing ink (or paint, in
the case of artwork and posters) through to create an imprint of your design on the surface
beneath.

The process is sometimes called 'silk screening' or 'silk screen printing' and while the actual
printing process is always fairly similar, the way the stencil is created can vary, depending on the
materials used. Different stenciling techniques include:

• Using masking tape or vinyl to cover the desired areas of the screen.
• Painting the stencil onto the mesh using 'screen blockers' such as glue or lacquer.
• Using a light-sensitive emulsion to create a stencil, which is then developed in a similar
way to a photograph (you can read more about this in our step-by-step guide).

Designs made using the screen-printing technique may use just one shade of ink, or several. In
the case of multicolored items, the colors must be applied in individual layers, using separate
stencils for each ink.
History of the company
We are school friends who play and party together. One day back in 11th standard we had find
some gaps in the industry. Most of our friends were making their online designs and animations
but unable to monetize their work. So we thought of printing their designs on the t-shirt and
everyone liked it.

What prompted us to start our venture was the response of our friends we were getting on our
designs and we had sold around 200+ t-shirts till our 12th standard. We wanted to create a
platform where unknown artist can come and show their designing skills and get paid on every
order of their design on t-shirts in form of commission.

We had shown our designs to many wholesalers and they didn’t like any because we were
targeting youth and designs for youth are different than the conventional designs.

After passing out of 12th standard we had a thought of starting our venture but some of us didn’t
have the money. Most of us accumulated capital for the business working for various internships.
We all got interned at different companies to get some corporate exposure. As internships came
to the end, we all had our saved money for the start-up.

Our first order was of 100 orders from a large retail company within the first month of the
launch. We had our first sale on 20th September 2019 and we all were so excited. We went for
the funding multiple times to the investor but none of them gave us. One was ready to pay but
the stake of his was very high and decided not to take funding. Now when we connect the dots it
all feels that it was the right decision we took.

Our friends became our consumers and their parents became our consultants for the start-up. We
are learning and growing day by day and strongly believe that one day we will achieve our goals.

We still find many gaps in the industry and we are trying to fill those in upcoming years. We had
faced several issues in registering our company, our name got rejected multiple times. Every
time, whenever we had given a different name, we took few days to come up with new one. We
had lost our hope to get our name registered with the government but finally on 13th March 2020
our name DOPESHELF got registered.

There are many hurdles we had faced, and willing to face in future, when we sum up what’s life?
This is life.
Vision and Mission
From our very first day in 2001, our business has been about making fashion and the joy it can
bring accessible to everyone — democratizing what had previously been a privilege of the few.

Today, the world looks different. More people than ever before are enjoying decent incomes and
good standards of living. We still want to make fashion accessible and enjoyable for all. But
given the environmental and social pressures faced by our planet, we must change how we do
that.
We have to challenge ourselves, question old assumptions, and reimagine what growth means.
We must innovate not only materials and processes, but also business models and new ways for
people to experience fashion and design. And we must keep people at the heart of our business
by treating them fairly, supporting their rights, and celebrating their diverse talents and
perspectives.

From the resources we use and increasingly reuse, to how we work with people and the
expectations we set for our suppliers — everything we do forms part of the social and
environmental story of our products. We want to enable our customers to understand and be part
of that story, so they can make informed choices and ultimately see more sustainable choices as
the most desirable and attractive ones.

Our industry is redefining itself and evolving, and so are we. We’ve been working on the
sustainability of our business for more than a year, and in 2020 we launched an ambitious new
strategy to redefine our approach and aspirations. Since then, we have taken important steps to
fully implement the strategy throughout our business, work towards the goals we have set as part
of it, and take the actions needed to make change happen.
Competitive advantages
We use Direct to Garment printer for our production of multicolour t-shirts with all different
designs

Direct-to-Garment Printing is the printing of digital images from a computer onto a shirt or other
garment through the use of an inkjet printer. And while the name may seem vague, the
advantages, disadvantages and ideal uses for DTG are quite specific. DTG is less complicated
that you would expect given that it can capture complicated images so accurately on something
as soft as a shirt or sweater. Put simply, DTG printers are bigger versions of your desktop inkjet
printer (with specially tested water-based inks) but instead of taking paper, they can take T-
Shirts, or other garments, as the print media. The inks contain a "fusing agent", so when the
design has been printed and heat pressed on the garments, the "fusing agent" enables the inks to
permanently adhere to the fibres of the fabric. The outcome is a high quality, vibrant coloured
print that is extremely durable and long lasting.

There are no setup costs, as compared to Screen-Printing.

Small orders and one-offs print at a reasonable price.

Print images on direct to garment printers are highly accurate and detailed.

Unlike Screen-Printing, Direct-to-Garment (DTG) Printer shops do not have to charge by the
colour, so full-colour printing is extremely affordable.

Direct-to-Garment (DTG) Printer inks attach directly to fibres, with a superb hand that almost
feels like part of the fabric.

Prints will remain just as bright and soft and won’t crack when properly cared for.

The main feature of Direct-to-Garment Printers is that they are less complicated than what you
normally expect. Many people are surprised with the complicated images that render so
accurately on something as soft as a T-shirt or Fleece Hoodie. With DTG you don't have to order
in bulk to get competitive pricing on your custom-print needs, and you also don’t have to
sacrifice quality and durability. Essentially, Direct-to-Garment (DTG) Printing allows
personalised T-Shirts to be produced at a cost-effective price for once-off events, or for
customers who don't require a large quantity of garments.
ONLINE SHOPPING AT DOPESHELF IS HASSLE-FREE, CONVENIENT AND SUPER-
EXCITING!

Online Shopping has always been a fun and exciting task for most and more so when the
shopping mall is none other than your own house. We have all had days when we have planned
trips to the clothing store in advance, dreaming about what we would buy once we get there.
Now we wouldn’t think twice before indulging in some online shopping. Well, cut to today’s
time and age, you can do all this from the comfort of your home while enjoying many online
shopping offers, right from amazing deals and discounts to one of the most robust user interface
amongst most online shopping sites in India, with many shopping filters to make your shopping
experience truly hassle free. This in our own words is what we call Dopeshelf.com.

Dopeshelf, the place to be when it comes to the coolest in online fashion, offers you fine, high-
quality merchandise goes ahead and indulge in a bit of online shopping for men and women’s
fashion. So, browse through the exciting categories we have on offer from men’s fashion to basic
men’s clothing as well as wide variety in women’s wear and women’s clothes to the amazing
range of accessories, fill up your carts and get fast home delivery for all orders. All of this topped
with our exclusive online shopping offers makes for an exciting, irresistible and super cool
combo! You can even gift some to your near and dear ones while being absolutely certain that it
will put a smile on their faces.

Online fashion is definitely more accessible with Dopeshelf.com. Explore the latest collections in
Marvel t-shirts including Arctic Monkeys t-shirts and captain America t-shirts in official
merchandise. Apart from these, quirkiest of T-shirts that you won’t find on any online shopping
sites in India are showcased at Dopeshelf.com. If your wardrobe has been longing for a cool
overhaul then Dopeshelf.com will certainly be your best bet amongst all online shopping sites.
Also, take a tour of our Dopeshelf Instagram page to stay abreast with the latest runway trends
and be a trendsetter among your immediate circles. What we wear speaks volumes of us they
say. But what if what you wore actually spoke what your mood was! Haven’t we all wondered
where we could get those quirky t-shirts and sport them with confidence? Sure, otherwise getting
them made or even buying them from otherwise expensive online shopping sites for clothes may
cost you substantially but with Dopeshelf.com, you will understand that you do not have to
spend a fortune on online fashion to look great. Sliders, joggers, sweatshirts, bag and bag packs
and so much more are just some of the other items you can grab hold of here.

AVAIL OF ONLINE SHOPPING BENEFITS AT DOPESHELF.COM AND YOULL SHOP

NOWHERE ELSE!

Choose your product, get it ordered online, and we ensure that its delivery happens right at your
doorstep anywhere in India. You just need to take care of the payment for the product from the
comfort of your home, while we ensure free shipping all the time on almost everything with no
strings attached. For any second thoughts after purchase, we have in place a return policy as
well. One of the best you will find on any online shopping sites in India. For your online
shopping experience to be safe and risk-free, we offer Cash on Delivery (COD) facility too. So,
you don’t have to worry anymore about your hard earned money being stuck when you buy
clothes online at dopeshelf.com. Avail exciting online shopping offers like designs of the day
and colour of the month when you shop with us. Make sure to use our easy 15-day returns
policy, card or cash on delivery option and other customer-friendly features. A comprehensive
sizing guide and detailed product descriptions coupled with high-resolution product shots will
give you all the information to make the right buying decision. Give your wardrobe the much-
needed upgrade with uber cool clothing head to Dopeshelf.com for a great online shopping India
experience now! Could you have asked for more?

DONT MISS OUT ON ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE ON OUR MULTI-FACETED ONLINE

STORE!

We dont just offer you exciting options in online fashion but also give you amazing accessories
with really cool bags and bag packs to choose from. Our bags and backpacks are compact,
hassle-free and easy to stuff things in. And all of this with the swag that you get to carry along
with it. Cool designs are what form a major part of our online fashion and we also ensure our
accessories section doesnt feel left out!

As for our accessories collection, they are also manufactured with impeccable quality materials.
Our mobile covers are made from hard and durable polycarbonate, with a matte finish that will
make for a great protection for your phone with the rough use that we put them through
nowadays.

DESIGN OF THE DAY- THE COOLEST FEATURE EVER!

Who said good and cool t-shirts have to expensive? We bring newer, cooler and more youth-
oriented designs every day. Yes! Every day you get a new design to explore and buy. Although
all our t-shirts are at an extremely affordable price, we decided to slash them down even further.
But there is a catch. It is only for those designs and these exclusive prices are only valid for a
duration of 24 hours! Designs refresh every day at 3pm and are valid only for 24 hours. So, you
need to hurry and grab one fast before it ends. Because we believe everyone needs to have a fair
chance at all of our fresh designs of the day.
COLOR OF THE MONTH- 30 DAYS, 1 SHADE!

When was the last time you played the colour game that we all loved in our childhood? Well, we
believe that we are always children at heart and for all the children within us, dopeshelf.com runs
colour of the month. Color of the month is a vibe that we feel every month. To communicate that
to our consumers and creating the mood for it is our sole purpose. Our palette refreshes every
month and every color has a story to tell.

A fresh new concept for online fashion, for fresh new looks. Every month on the first, we choose
a new colour and showcase all our products for that particular colour. Apparels, mostly solid
colored plain t-shirts, are available at an exclusive discounted price every first of the month.
There are options available in sleeve styles Boyfriend sleeves for women, full sleeve t-shirts for
men and more. You can buy those throughout the month but the exclusive price will only be
valid for that one day, the first of every month. Online shopping never seemed so fresh and
exciting. So hurry up and stack your cart with your favourite colour before it goes out of stock!

DOPESHELF.COM: THE UBER COOL ONLINE FASHION STORE FOR THE YOUTH

We, at Dopeshelf.com, have all that you need to glam up your cool quotient. From an extensive
range of plus size clothing, casual shirts for men and accessories for everyone, we purvey
diversity of choices in online shopping India platform has to offer under one umbrella. The range
of apparels like men t-shirts, joggers, sliders, Henley shirts, Polo t-shirts, Oxford pants and more
provide an array of options for the online customer to create a ravishing ensemble from. We try
to target all kinds of customers and cater to their needs and preferences. Communication is the
key to our functioning. Your Dopeshelf Online fashion Shop has arrived! Do not miss the
attractive online shopping offers everyday. Work your fashion with the wide range of apparels
available only one click away! Make a statement with our best t-shirts online! Get more, pay
less!
Strategy
Our new strategy, which has entailed scaling back previous plans for a brick-and-mortar
expansion, stoking e-commerce and amplifying sustainability efforts in manufacture and at retail,
is gaining traction.

Our strategic overhaul, in which the value player has embraced the shift away from physical
retail to digital, is beginning to reap rewards, with increased full-price sales and lower
markdowns

We will open our personalized store and will print product within few minutes. In parallel with
the integration of stores and online shopping we keep optimizing the store portfolio, including
more consolidation in established markets and expansion in growth markets.

In stark contrast to previous tactics, our company has embraced e-commerce and omni channel
fulfilment, with continued rollout of Click & Collect and online returns in store, along with
improved search functions, more flexible payment options and faster deliveries.

It doesn't hurt that Dopeshelf hit its marks in fashion, no small feat in an era when consumers
don't need to buy so much apparel, and are choosy when they do. But its attention to customer
tastes goes beyond design, and Dopeshelf is setting out to prove that fast fashion can rise to the
sustainability challenge that consumers have set.

It's not like other companies abandoning the fast-fashion proposition. The company continues to
invest in its supply chain in order to protect the swift product turnover. It is crucial for those in
the fast fashion segment and Investment in its supply chain, and the plan to open a new logistics
centre in Noida this autumn will aid product availability and speed.

Its longstanding commitment to sustainability sets it apart from other value players and with new
initiatives such as green home delivery (for example via cars that run on biogas) in the
Netherlands and trialing clothing rental in Stockholm in the autumn, we have found our niche.

Dopeshelf faces plenty of challenges. While digital sales have accelerated each quarter this fiscal
year, "continued investment is necessary to stay competitive," as other players also ramp up and,
in the case of rival bewakoof, enter e-commerce.
Our Philosophy
We believe in creating the kind of fashion, that makes you stand out as they are in line with the
latest local and global trends of the industry, but also at the same time offer value for money
functionality, with quality materials and comfortable and flattering prints.

We try to look into the psyche of our customers, and try to get inspired by the conversations and
experiences around us while creating our graphics, to ensure that they are relatable. We believe
in constant and consistent innovation to ensure that our fans get nothing short of the bets at
affordable rates! While most people do not know, we do not outsource the manufacturing of our
products, everything from the conception of the designs to the manufacture and the styling that
you see on the photographs of the banners and product pages of our website all happen in house!
We go from yarn to product and since we 're vertically integrated and bring fashion from us
directly to your doorstep without any middlemen that also further ensures reliability because for
us it is not just about the money but about building the trust and credibility in our fans about our
brand.

We also make sure to decrease the impact on environment and are building initiatives that will
help us with the same, for now by optimizing our processes to use only as much as we need from
nature, rain water harvesting and recycling the water from our RO water facility, because we
believe that the spirit of Dopeshelf is about creating an impact by breaking conventions and
having a different perspective!
The work culture
We have an organizational culture for creative innovation. The company’s cultural features focus
on maintaining a high level of innovation that involves creativity and a mindset that challenges
conventions and standards. The business depends on cultural support and coherence, which are
determinants of competitiveness and industry leadership, especially in addressing aggressive and
rapid technological innovation and product development. The following are the main
characteristics of our corporate culture:

• Top-notch excellence
• Creativity
• Innovation
• Secrecy
• Moderate combativeness

Top-notch Excellence: Dopeshelf organizational culture comes with a policy of hiring only the
best of the best in the designer market. This cultural trait is institutionalized in Dopeshelf
organization. For example, the company has programs that recognize and reward excellence
among workers. Excellence is emphasized as a critical success factor in the business, especially
in design and development, which is a major growth strategy.

Creativity: This cultural characteristic pertains to new ideas that help improve the business and
its products. Dopeshelf management favors creativity among employees’ knowledge, skills, and
abilities. This characteristic of the corporate culture enables the company to ensure sufficient
creativity, especially among employees involved in product design and development processes.
Such creativity is observable in the Arctic Monkey and Aham Bhramasmi among other products
included in our marketing mix or 4Ps. In this regard, the organizational culture helps maintain
the company’s capacity to satisfy customers’ expectations and preferences.

Innovation: Dopeshelf’s organizational culture supports rapid innovation. The company is

frequently apprised as one of the most innovative companies in the world. Based on this cultural
trait, the firm trains and motivates it employees to innovate in terms of individual work
performance and contributions to product development processes. The corporate culture
facilitates rapid innovation, which is at the heart of Apple Inc.’s business. Rapid innovation
ensures that the company continues to introduce new products that are profitable and attractive to
target customers.

Secrecy: We have developed Dopeshelf to have an organizational culture of secrecy. This

cultural characteristic continues to define the company’s human resource development. Secrecy
is part of the company’s strategy to minimize theft of proprietary information or intellectual
property. It is also a strategic management approach that enables Dopeshelf to maximize its
leading edge against competitors. Through the corporate culture, employees are encouraged and
expected to keep business information within the company. This cultural trait is reinforced
through the company’s policies, rules, and employment contracts. In this context, Apple’s
organizational culture helps protect the business from corporate espionage and the negative
effects of employee poaching.
 Chapter 1: Data Analysis and Interpretations
Consumer Behaviour
Q1

After collecting 58 responses, the customer behavior that we observe from the responses show
that around 80-90% of the people shop from the renowned websites/apps, i.e. , myntra, amazon,
flipkart, bewkoof, etc.
Q2

When asked, what do they look for, while shopping, around 85% people look for the quality of
the product and the price which satisfies them. About 55% people look for design and comfort
that suits them, and 35% of them look for trend, during that period of time.
Q3

On knowing about their shopping site preferences, many had different thoughts, but around 20-
25% people stick to 2-3 shopping websites or apps. 7% of the respondents said they have only 1
app/website. On the other hand, 9- 14% of respondents have 4-5 priorities while shopping online.
Q4

On the happiness index of their shopping experience, 64% of respondents have experienced a
happy shopping experience. Nearly 5% of them are not satisfied with their shopping experience,
and the other 31% are yet confused if their shopping experience has been going well or not.
Q5

Based on the frequency of visiting the shopping websites/apps, 57% of respondents have visited
the websites/apps only once a month. Around 28% of them have been visiting their shopping
destination once a week. 10% of the respondents resulted visiting the websites/apps for once a
fortnight. Only 5% of them have been constantly visiting their favorite shopping destinations.
Q6

While we concentrate on the elements that attract the consumer behavior, 69% of the
respondents get attracted through the offers, 36% because of the new arrivals, 30% just surf
through the websites/apps for time pass, 15% stress on the use of websites as they have some
upcoming party/event to attend, while 7% of the respondents just don’t want to miss out on their
favorites. Additionally for the last 1.7% of the respondent, have the wish to spend in lockdown.
Q7

On a scale of 1- 10, the respondents gave the understated response, when we asked to rate their
shopping experience:

10- 8.6%

9- 10.3%

8- 32.8%

7- 19%

6- 20.7%

5- 1.7%

4- 1.7%

3- 3.4%

2- 1.7%

1- 0%
Colour and Design Analysis
Within the duration of 2 days, and nearly 34 responses being collected, the results and analysis
comes up as follows-

Q1

Out of 34 responses being collected on the above question, we see that 67.6% of respondents
have responded that they prefer T-Shirts as daily casual wear, 32.4% like a shirt, 26.5% go for a
Hoddie, 20.6% for Pullover and 2.9% of them have opted for Crop tops/ maxi dresses, kurti/
tunics/ tops and lungi respectively.
Q2

When asked about their color preferences, 82.4% have opted for blacks, 55.9% for blues, 50%
for whites and greys, 32.4% selected reds, 20.6% for yellows, 14.7% for browns and 11.8% for
greens as their color choices.
Q3

We always find some difference in the color material on website/apps which can affect the
shopping experience. On taking reviews of 34 respondents, we can analyze that 8.8% of them
feel that there is some difference in the color and design while shopping online, 11.8% do not
really feel they can find any color or design differences, and the rest 79.4% of respondents feel
that sometimes they face the difference of color and design in websites/apps and in reality.
Q4

On reviewing the 34 responses, we feel that 64.7% prefer a round neck, 44.1% opt for buttoned
clothes, 32.4% find V-neck interesting, 23.5% of the respondents like either zipped or half-
collared clothes. Only 2.9% of the respondents feel that they prefer hault neck.
Q5

While describing the length of their dresses, shirts and T-shirts, 50% of them prefer regular
length, 26.5% respondents prefer waist length clothing, 20.6% go for crop length. As for the rest
2.9%, they only prefer thigh length ones.
Q6

Lastly, but not the least when we analyze the design of the clothing the most- 26.5% prefer
natural look, 20.6% prefer denim versions, 17.6% goes each for the embroidered, formal and
printed looks each.
Online versus Offline Shopping
Q1

We have often seen that customers spend more in both online and in stores. According to the pie
chart 72% of respondents spend more in stores. 26% of them spend more on online base. Also,
only 2% of them spend more both in store and online.
Q2

When asked, about the reasons they shop online are, 70% of them depend convenience, 58%
because of more variety, 32% decide on heaper clothes, 16% rely on the delivery speed, and last
4% have no such particular thoughts.
Q3

About 14% of customers prefer buying online first and then buying in store. Similarly, 62% use
online websites before visiting in store. And only 24% say they buy and make decisions on there
own.
Q4

24% of consumers browse the materials in store to buy online. Nearly, 32% of them prefer
deciding and finding online. 44% respondents prefer to look for both browsing in store and then
buying online.
Q5

10% of the people prefer online mode of shopping, 26% of the customers prefer more of offline
shopping. Regardless of the method, 64% of customers prefer shopping online and offline, both.
Q6

After been collected 50 responses from the regular users of online and offline shopping, we
observe that 80% of people do compare prices before shopping, 16% sometimes check and
compare prices before shopping and the rest 4% of them do not tend to compare prices while
shopping.
What attracts you the most?
Q1

Out of the 45 responses to the questionnaire, 48.9% shop online once every 2 months. 28.9%
shop once a month, 20% of them shop 2-3 times a month, and 2.2% of the respondents visibly
shop once a week.
Q2

The questionnaire survey shows that, most people, i.e. , 57.8% of them buy 2-3 items on a
regular single transaction, 37.8% of them tend to buy only 1 item per a single transaction, 2.2%
of them purchase 4-5 items in a single transaction, whereas 2.2% of them purchase more than 5
items per a transaction.
Q3

The particular questionnaire survey question, answers that, 60% of usual audience spends 1000-
3000 per transaction, 20% of the respondents spend less than 1000 in a single payment, 13.3% of
them tend to spend 3000-5000 bucks in every transaction and only 6.7% of them pay 5000-
10000 for a single transaction.
Q4

According to the questionnaire survey, out of 45 respondents, for local brands, 20 researches and
purchase online, 20 research but purchase offline and 5 never research, just purchase what they
want. For International brands, 27 researches and purchase online, 12 research but purchase
offline and 6 never research, just purchase what they want
Q5

This particular question deals with the kind of collection most of us are interested in. Out of 45
responses, 40% take up Local fashion brands, 48.9% of thee hav interest in Vintage clothing and
accessories, 33.3% are attracted towards Imported contemporary brand and 20% of them have
favoured with Leather stuff.
Q6

The last questions deals with the question regarding which Social media Platform they use to
interact with and follow the Brand. Around 44.4% interact through the brands from Facebook,
44.4% of them interact through the brands via Youtube. Moreover, 22.2% of the respondents
interact and follow through Blog, 15.6% of them follow through Pinterest and 8.9% of them
follow the brands through Twitter.
Chapter 4: Conclusions and Suggestions