Co-optex targets youth with latest trends, 'design your own saree' schemes

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Society, popularly known as Co-optex, a public sector unit of the State government, which was the choice of middle-aged, senior citizens and art lovers till last year, has transformed into a significant sales store loved by all in just one year.

According to the sources with Co-optex, summer sales at showrooms in Tamil Nadu have increased multifold over the last year, compensating for private stores’ sales.

“Not only summer sales, online sales are also up compared to last year. Last year, only a few showrooms sold products online, this year online sales have been launched in all 150 showrooms,” a senior official told DT Next on anonymity.

Elaborating, the official said, “If there are people who cannot come directly to our showrooms and buy our products, there is another type of people who do not know about our showrooms and what products are sold in them, so online sales procedure has been extended to all showrooms to attract them.”

“With the launch of online sales, people from all walks of life can learn about the products available in our showrooms, their quality, price, and availability. This is one of the main reasons for the increase in sales,” said the official, adding that as of now, around 34,000 products are sold in Co-optex showrooms and last year’s summer sales were around 6 lakhs, this year’s summer sales have increased by four times to 26 lakhs.

Apart from this, under the scheme ‘Design Your Own Sarees’, the sarees will be delivered on time if the customers pre-register specifying the type of saree, colour and design to be featured in it. Under this scheme, silk sarees are provided within two months and cotton sarees within one month, to those who have booked.

Meanwhile, where only material salwars were sold earlier, now the Co-optex have introduced readymade salwars, slim fit shirts, etc.

Subsequently, the Co-optex officials are considering selling printed shirts which are highly preferred by today’s youth. “By the end of this year, we have decided to introduce the printed shirts category in a few showrooms on a pilot basis. Depending on the response, we are planning to expand the sale of printed shirts in all showrooms from next year onwards,” added the official.