In a story originally reported by TechCrunch, Ropeo, an on-demand fashion startup based in Bogotá, has seen 90% weekly user growth since entering the Y Combinator accelerator in January 2018. The company, which operates in Colombia’s seven biggest cities, is bringing on-demand fashion to Latin America, where e-commerce has yet to fully catch on.
Ropeo works similarly to American subscription fashion services like StitchFix, Shoedazzle, or Le Tote. You fill out a brief survey about your size, style, and budget, then receive a box at the end of the week with clothing chosen via machine learning algorithm and a stylist. After a weekend of trying on the clothing, users can send back whatever they do not want through Ropeo’s delivery service.
Currently, Ropeo is using a third-party for delivery logistics but after entering the Y Combinator program, the team is already looking to incorporate in-house delivery. To get around the challenges of online payments in Latin America, Ropeo also allows customers to pay cash on delivery, which has spurred their rapid growth.
To date, Ropeo has raised US$250K and is looking to continue improving its machine learning process to become more attuned to customers’ unique styles.
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Original article in TechCrunch