GenZ shoppers doubled on Myntra last year: CMO Sunder Balasubramanian

Generation Z (GenZ), comprising individuals born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s, are a must-watch demographic for brands and marketers, owing to their distinct traits and substantial purchasing power. Having been immersed in a technology-driven environment from an early age, their experiences with social media have significantly influenced their expectations and interactions with brands.

India's GenZ constitute 20% of the global demographic and approximately 27% of the country's populace. The shopping trends of GenZ in India reflect a unique blend of online and offline experiences, significantly shaped by social media, technological advancements, and evolving consumer preferences. 

They are driving substantial expansion in India's e-commerce sector. A study conducted by Bernstein, a market research firm, indicates that GenZ accounts for approximately 17% of India's overall consumption. By 2035, GenZ spending in India are projected to hit Rs 49.4 lakh crore.

Myntra, a leading player in the fashion and lifestyle e-commerce sector, which is part of the Flipkart group backed by Walmart, is betting big on this cohort. 

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Myntra’s GenZ focus

Sunder Balasubraminan, chief marketing officer, Myntra, told afaqs! that “GenZ represents a thrilling opportunity for growth.” 

"There are 200 million GenZ just in urban India, and our studies show that 60 million of them are online purchasers of fashion and lifestyle. This is an exciting consumer base for us and we are doubling down on that.” 

Balasubramanian indicates that Myntra's efforts in 2025 will be focused on positioning it as a "GenZ-forward brand with a focus on influencer marketing and ‘festive’ marketing." 

Central to this strategy is FWD, a dedicated platform within the Myntra app tailored to the preferences of GenZ. Millennials tend to exhibit a strong sense of brand loyalty, whereas GenZ is more focused on current trends, frequently spending 25–30% less than their millennial counterparts. FWD’s pricing reflects this insight, catering to their budgets while offering curated, trend-driven collections.

“Last year, we had about 8 million customers who were GenZ. Currently, these figures stand at 16 million. It’s kind of a 2x growth in the last one year, which is super interesting for us. Over the next couple of years, we're looking to acquire another 20-25 million GenZ customers,” he says. 

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According to Balasubramanian, FWD has been instrumental in facilitating new customer acquisition. He further notes that FWD aims at two main groups: Early jobbers, who are already on Myntra but looking for curated selections, and college students, a crucial demographic that has not fully embraced online shopping yet.

Balasubramanian says Myntra at its core has been about providing access to brands and, also as a function of where the online shopping market is, has been more focused on the millennial audience. However, with everything forward, the brand is looking at it being a much more incremental GenZ platform.

Live commerce and other shopping experiences 

In response to the growing trend among GenZ for vertical video content, the brand has launched ‘Myntra Minis’ a feature that allows influencers post the latest styling and fashion inspiration for consumers. He adds that although the brand has tried live commerce, it discovered that users favour short-form, pre-recorded videos that they can view at their convenience.

“Fashion browsing is often about convenience, and recorded content aligns better with that.”  

Creator-driven marketing 

Balasubramanian says that for Millennials, the brand has collaborated with celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan or Kiara Advani. However for GenZ, they work with influencers and creators who align with their interests, as exemplified by events such as the Myntra Forward Creator Fest. The brand has initiated ‘The Ultimate Glam Clan Project’ to enhance their collaborations with creators.

“Launched two months ago, this democratises influencer opportunities. Any shopper can submit reviews—currently images, with plans for video reviews soon—and earn commissions for inspiring purchases. Over 100,000 users have signed up already,” he adds. 

Myntra reportedly saw its revenue from operations jump by 25 per cent from Rs 3,501 crore in FY22 to Rs 4,375 crore in FY23. The platform saw a 33 per cent surge in Monthly Active Users (MAU), rising from 45 million in 2021 to 60 million by the end of 2023 alongside strong customer growth.

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