E-commerce majors Amazon and Flipkart are in talks with Hopscotch to buy a significant minority stake in the six-year-old company that sells kids’ apparel online, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said.
Hopscotch has appointed Barclays as the investment banker to raise up to $60 million (Rs 428 crore) to fund its expansion plans, including hiring more employees.
Founder Rahul Anand confirmed the company was in talks with potential investors, but didn’t name them. “We have commenced negotiations with some financial investors and strategic players but no deal has been signed yet,” he said.
While Flipkart didn’t respond until press time Friday to ET’s email seeking comment, an Amazon spokesperson said: “We do not comment on speculative reports of what we may or may not do in future.”
The children’s clothing space in India, pegged at Rs 95,000 crore and expanding 20% a year, is largely controlled by unbranded units. Hopscotch, with annual revenue of Rs 500 crore, caught the attention of investors in this market with its frugal spending and cost-conscious approach.
The company, which competes with Firstcry in the online market, focuses on lifestyle products that offer significantly higher margins and a bigger basket size. It operates a well-connected supply chain that extends up to traditional retailers who stock high and discount high. Half of its business comes from small cities and towns. Hopscotch is its main fashion brand with four other in-house private labels.
Hopscotch is into differentiated lifestyle categories that aren’t low-margin, a senior company executive said. “Our data and technology throw up 400-500 styles every day and can help us understand top-selling fashion within a few hours,” he said.
