PETALING JAYA: E-commerce lifestyle brand Oxwhite plans to develop more casual wear and lifestyle products, increasing its casual segment stock-keeping units to 80% by 2021, from 50% now as the new normal spurs demand for casual styles.
Oxwhite founder Chang Chee Keong (pix) said many working professionals dress more casually now, while employers allow staff to work from home to curb the spread of Covid-19.
“People are dressing more casually to work, so we will have more casual line of products. For example, casual shirts, polo shirts, blouses for women, casual shoes and pants to cater to the growing needs of semi-casual dressing,“ he told SunBiz.
He said Oxwhite’s range of “casual products” are also lifestyle products, including personal care products, homecare products, inner wear and sports wear.
“The profit for casual wear is healthier, as the product turnover is faster and cost to produce is less, while the minimum quantity we have to order from the factory is smaller compared to that of formal shirts,“ revealed Chang.
He referenced Oxwhite against Uniqlo, whereby the Japanese apparel retailer’s formal wear makes up less than 5% of its floor space, reinforcing the trend for casual wear.
Currently, 60% of Oxwhite’s products are casual wear, while the remaining 40% are formal wear. Its products are priced at RM14.90 (underwear) to RM200.
Chang shared that Oxwhite’s sales are above RM1 million a month, equivalent to more than 20,000 pieces of clothing, and growing. He said its best-selling products are casual items like T-shirts, polo shirts, and inner wear, alongside its all-time best sellers Supima cotton men’s and women’s shirts.
He said sales of men’s and women’s wear are equal, and while female customers have smaller cart size, they purchase more frequently.
“Covid-19 affected our supply chain. A lot of our supporting factories from Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand couldn’t source the materials from China, thus delaying our production and delivery of goods and the launching of new products.”
Despite these challenges, Oxwhite tripled its sales during the movement control order period, which Chang attributed to having the right products. “Inner wear, casual T-shirts, bath towels were best sellers during that time. People were staying at home, so they buy more casual items and household items.”
As an e-retailer, Oxwhite’s primary sales come from its website. Its products are also available on Shopee Mall. Its target audience are those aged 18-40 years.
Chang said it has no plans for physical stores, although it has experience stores in Isetan The Gardens and Isetan KLCC for formal shirts only.
Oxwhite operates on a direct-to-consumer model, providing an accessible alternative to luxury brands that maintains the premium quality at a fraction of the cost.
Oxwhite was launched in Malaysia in 2018 with a single hero product, a classic white shirt, which was sold at RM99 on a three-month pre-order basis for a year. Since then, the brand has pivoted its business to offer ready stock, and expanded its selection to offer a wide array of products tailored to the daily needs of the modern Asian: from business wear to casual wear, and from travel to home and living essentials.
