Odd Giraffe Franchise: Company Profile and Business Model

If you get thrilled when you go through sections of notebooks, calendars, and journals, you have likely seen or heard about Odd Giraffe. With a worthy goal, this Mumbai-based business has become a favorite among Indian stationery enthusiasts. Their goods are attentive, vibrant, and surprisingly adaptable. However, what is the brand's backstory? Are they franchises? And what is the essence of their business model? Odd Giraffe Franchise does not appear to be offering franchise opportunities. However, their business is worth exploring.

Odd Giraffe: Company Overview

Brothers Karan and Sanil Joshi established Odd Giraffe in 2017 under the name Odd Giraffe Lifestyle Pvt. Ltd. A cult favorite for planners, journals, and other creative stationery, the company swiftly evolved from a niche lifestyle one. These individuals recognized a need in the market: stationery that was not only practical but also extremely trendy and unique. A design-driven Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) stationery business, Odd Giraffe produces personalized, premium stationery such as notebooks, calendars, and journals. They use technology to create personalized goods, providing customization choices to make each one special.

At first, it was all about making some fantastic Diwali presents in late 2018. But all of a sudden, in January 2019, since the formal introduction of Odd Giraffe's initial product line, the company has had a colorful journey. Odd Giraffe has a strong emphasis on design and provides a wide range of personalization choices, enabling clients to add their images, text, and designs to their stationery. They frequently collaborate with artists and other companies to create one-of-a-kind, limited-edition stationery items. Notebooks, calendars, journals, cards, and other paper goods are all part of their product line.

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As of March 31, 2024, Odd Giraffe's annual revenue is ₹3.94Cr. What began as a design experiment evolved into a full-fledged lifestyle business whose goal is to inspire a passion for self-care, journaling, and planning via paper. They decided to start a made-to-order, online-first stationery firm that provides personalized, high-end planners and journals rather than following the usual route (mass production, retail stores, etc.). As a creative professional, Karan gave each product its design flair. Their planners and journals were Instagram-worthy and shareable due to their vibrant colors, humorous themes, and well-considered layouts.

Their limited-edition notebook collaboration with Starbucks India resulted in lines across the country, which was a tremendous gain for credibility and visibility. They were able to reach the wellness and beauty audience through another partnership with Nykaa. During Shark Tank India Season 3, Odd Giraffe made an appearance and requested ₹75 lakhs for 7.5% equity. They were valued at ₹15 crore after striking a deal of ₹75 lakhs for 5% ownership plus ₹75 lakhs in debt at 10% interest. Sales and brand awareness increased as a result of the exposure.

Who exactly is Odd Giraffe?

• The Masterminds: The brand's dynamic duo, Sanil Nitin Joshi and Karan Joshi, are the masterminds.
• Where the Magic Happens: They are based in Mumbai, India.
• How Do They Operate: Their primary sales come from their online store. While they sell straight to us, cool people, they also sell to businesses to meet their stationery needs. They work on both D2C(direct-to-consumer) and B2B(business-to-business) models.
• What Goodies They Provide: Where do I even begin, I wonder? Imagine beautiful notebooks, planners that truly inspire you to plan, journals for all your ideas (they even offer ones specifically for gratitude and advice!), adorable photobooks, entertaining cards, oddball stickers, and even some desk accessories and trendy clothing. What's the best part? For an added personal touch, you can frequently have your name or business logo placed on them!
• Performing Well While Appearing Good: These people care a lot about the environment. Most of the time, they only produce items upon request, which reduces waste. Additionally, they make an effort to put items in recyclable materials and use paper from reliable sources.
• Artistic Flair: They collaborate with many artists to create incredibly distinctive and striking covers. What an empty canvas!
• Who Is Adoring the Giraffe? The majority of people who value good design are millennials, or people between the ages of 25 and 40. They are becoming the preferred choice for business clients and are working to recruit more men.
• Where Are They Located? Currently mostly available online via their own website, but keep an eye out as they may also appear on other online markets!

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Odd Giraffe: Understanding the business model

Odd Giraffe sells its goods directly to consumers via its online store, mostly using a Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) business strategy. As a result, they can keep control over product modification, branding, and client experience. They also serve the business-to-business (B2B) market by providing customized stationery packages and items for events, branding, and corporate gifts.

Every product, including notebooks, journals, and planners, is printed only after a consumer orders it, saving inventory and providing customization choices. The main sales channel is their Shopify-powered web store, and Instagram is a key platform for consumer interaction and discovery. Furthermore, they have been able to reach a wider audience and strengthen their position as a high-end, design-driven stationery company due to smart brand partnerships. They are successful and scalable due to their community-driven, sustainable, and focused business model, which eliminates the need for franchises or physical stores.

Key Elements of the Business Model:

• Customized Changes: A key distinction that enables consumers to add their names or logos to products to suit their own tastes and business branding requirements.
• Design-Centric Approach: To differentiate itself in the market, this strategy emphasizes distinctive and eye-catching designs, both internally and through artist partnerships.
• E-commerce Focus: Their online store serves as the main sales channel, offering a wide range of customers convenience and accessibility.
• Premium Positioning: With prices usually ranging from ₹800 to ₹1,500, their products are classified as premium.
• Emphasis on Mental Wellness: Taking advantage of the growing awareness of mental health, their collection of planners and journals with an emphasis on mental wellness, including gratitude and guided diaries, is a unique selling proposition.
• Community Building: With more than 130k members on Instagram, the business actively interacts with its customers on social media.
• Sustainability Initiatives: By using sustainable materials and a made-to-order strategy, it appeals to customers who care about the environment.

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How Do They Sell?

Are you wondering how Odd Giraffe sells their products? Odd Giraffe has a direct-to-consumer (D2C) business strategy, meaning that they sell their goods directly to consumers via their official website. No franchise outlet, third-party store, or middleman is engaged. They have complete control over the branding, customer experience, and product quality with this strategy. Their sales process is as follows:

• Customized Model: Following your order, each product is printed. This guarantees low inventory waste, freshness, and customisation.
• Personalization Options: A lot of products, such as notebooks, journals, and planners, may be customized with your name or favorite design, which makes them excellent for giving or expressing yourself.
• Shopify-Powered Website: Shopify powers its website, enabling a seamless, simple e-commerce experience.
• Instagram-Driven Marketing: With more than 117K Instagram followers, Odd Giraffe leverages social media as a powerful engagement and conversion tool, frequently directing viewers to product pages through reels and stories.
• Limited Edition Drops & Partnerships: They occasionally release exclusive collections in association with companies such as Starbucks and Nykaa, creating excitement and a sense of urgency to purchase.

Wrapping Up

The tale of Odd Giraffe demonstrates that even a niche product, like planners, can become a niche product with imagination, determination, and a strong brand voice. Odd Giraffe maintains a digital, minimalist, and personalized aesthetic, and their made-to-order method is both economical and environmentally responsible.

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Even if Odd Giraffe does not offer franchising, you can still follow their journey. Whether you're a design freak, planner addict, or just someone who values well-considered things, Odd Giraffe offers something that could brighten your day a bit. If you are keen on creativity, you can learn from their story and start your own brand.