CHENNAI: Taking a cue from the money minting avenue that is online retailing, the Tamil Nadu Handloom Weavers’ Co-operative Society, popularly known as Co-optex, inaugurated its online shopping facility on Monday.
Shoppers can log on to Co-optex’s website and order from the large collection of hand-woven sarees and shirts and add them to the cart to place their order. Co-optex has made possible for users without regular accounts to place their orders as well. However, cash-on-delivery option is not available to shoppers.
“Registered users as well as guest users can purchase online. Once the transaction is made, the product will reach the customer in under 24 hours if he or she resides in Tamil Nadu. For customers in the Southern region, the maximum delivery time is under 48 hours,” said a Co-optex official, adding that the products would reach a customer within 72 hours for the rest of India territories.
Co-optex had brought on board a courier service partner for the delivery, the costs of which would be passed on to the customer, officials said.
“Cash-on-delivery as an option is something we will make available for registered users at a later date,” an official said.
Fresh on the Christmas, New Year and Pongal shopping list is the saree collection, Jayakarthika. These low cost plain sarees, officials said, are priced in the `600 to `1,500 range. However, one marked difference is that Jayakarthika would feature attractive block printing designs on the pallu. “It adds value to such plain sarees and is uncommon on plain sarees. Plus, it is all handcrafted which makes it special,” said S Gokula Indira, State Minister for Handlooms and Textiles, launching the fresh line of product.
Gokula Indira also said that the Tamil Nadu Government was directly responsible for the welfare of 2.54 lakh handloom weavers and their families whose products were sold by Co-optex. “Co-optex makes up for its marketing skills, with the quality of products it sells,” she added.
The Minister also launched special gift coupons in the price brackets of `500, `1,000 and `2,000. These coupons can be purchased from Co-optex outlets in the city and used to buy sarees from 20 outlets across the State within a period of 90 days.