Think online shopping website Fabbitt is only about fashion? Think again

Like most women, I have a love/hate relationship with Pakistan's unique shopping culture.

I hate the humid, loud markets. But I love that the shop owners repeatedly ask us for chai pani and make us feel welcome. I hate that my mother casually tells them our entire family history and the claustrophobic tiny alleys in bazaars where you're clutching your purse for dear life for fear that your wallet's going to be stolen. But...

Okay, I guess our relationship is a lot rockier than I first painted it out to be. Still, online shopping can never replace that personal touch.

Or can it?

Over the past few years, there's been a major shift in customer habits and fledgling entrepreneur, Anush Ammar noticed.

"Ever since I was a little girl, I've been obsessed with technology. Yes, I bought my share of Barbies but gadgets are what excited me from a very young age. As time has gone by and technology has progressed, it's become not just about the hardware but also the software; things like apps can literally change lives," shares the Fabbitt CEO.

Fabbit is the one stop online shopping portal for all things designer. From the opulent Faraz Manan ensembles, high-street House of Aphrodite items or Farah Talib Aziz ready to wear tunics, there's something for everyone.

The e-store currently stocks big-name labels like Ali Xeeshan, The House of Kamiar Rokni, Sania Maskatiya, Zara Shahjahan, Feeha Jamshed, to name a few.

"Pakistan has one of the largest mobile user networks in the world so it was something that I had in mind and wanted to tap into. I decided to just take the plunge and marry two things that I was really fascinated by: fashion and technology."

Will the click it, wear it model work in Pakistan?

For a venture to be successful, it must solve a problem; that's business 101. And this Stanford grad created the retail website keeping that in mind.

"Everyone wants a more efficient life and in this day and age (and heat!) no one has the time to go out to shop."

Two months into its launch, she says the response has been appreciable though she admits she hasn't managed to convert everyone just yet.

"Aunties are still stubborn. They're so scared to try it, they're like 'nahi, hum se nahi ho raha'. We've made the site extremely simple and if they just give it a chance, they'll realise we could make their lives much simpler too."

It's understandable that the online portal was met with some level of hesitations; after all, buying designer wear online that can go up to a whopping 14 lakhs without ever having been seen/touched, it can be a daunting experience.

Ammar is quick to clarify: "I get that people feel apprehensive but we're there with them, every step of the way and we're working towards breaking that consumer trend. For example, when it comes to international customers and bridals, we can tweak things to cater to their needs. If a bridal ensemble is, let's say Rs. 10 lakhs, we can work out an arrangement and bring it down to maybe RS. 7 lakhs by reducing a fraction of the embellishments and embroidery."

What makes Fabbitt different?

Before speaking to Anush, I tried to open Fabbitt twice on my browser. It took 5 minutes each time just to load.

"We have our fair share of teething issues," she explains sheepishly. "The website is completely organic from the back-end to the graphics -- it doesn't rely on any templates. That's why I say this is my baby because everyday, we're faced with something new and we don't know what to expect because it's never been done before but we're working on making it better every day."

Like most of the reigning tech companies of today, Fabbitt too has minimal inventory. Other than the ready-to-wear and lawn, mostly everything is made to order or stocked at the designer's studio, ready to be altered if need be and shipped out.

A fun little 'Personal shopper' tab on the left caught my eye on the website; Anush reveals that's got to do with the whole experience of shopping on Fabbitt.

"Personal shoppers bring an interactive aspect to the vivid experience we want you to have. Imagine you're a young girl, a teenager and it's your birthday. You're given Rs. 15,000 or 20,000 to spend and you're not sure what's trending, what works. We'll step in and be like a sartorial guide. If you're in Karachi and you want to contact Faraz Manan, we can be that medium for you."

The new age marketplace also boasts a blog, which is basically fashion for dummies; it features styling tips, outfit recommendations by the sartorial savvy team and makeup tricks.

There is currently a Fabbitt app and other additions to the website in the works; you could be soon having one-on-one Skype sessions with your favourite designers while sitting halfway across the globe from them — you heard it here first.