Startup Q&A: Erkut Ozer, Co-Founder, Tryd

RTIH: Tell us about Tryd

EO: The idea was a simple one. How can we provide customers with a same-day delivery service, but with the added benefit of allowing them to try items on, in the comfort of their own home or workplace?  

If the customer was not totally happy with their purchase, then we would simply return the goods back to the retailer the same day. The benefit is that we are giving the customer the ease of online purchase, but also getting the unwanted items back to the retailer as soon as possible for the retailer to get their items back into inventory.

RTIH: What was the inspiration behind setting the company up?

EO: Tyrd started as an idea by myself in early 2018. The idea came when I was visiting the post office. Noticing the number of people queueing to return clothes bought from the many online high street retailers, I posed the question; ‘How do we reduce the amount of returns for retailers and still allow consumers the choice of online purchases?’

RTIH: What has been the industry reaction thus far?

EO: Tryd has been received very well by industry professionals. We have been working with the Zero Emissions Network, an initiative supported by Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Islington councils and the Mayor of London. 

We have also been in conversations with many of the major high street fashion retailers, who are looking to provide their customer base with a same day delivery and try before you buy service. Retailers are excited about the returns aspect of Tryd. A concern for many retailers is the time it takes for items to get back into inventory when they are returned. We help to address this issue. 

RTIH: What has been your biggest challenge/setback? 

EO: Some of the biggest challenges have been trying to highlight the benefits of our service to smaller retailers. The smaller the retailer the more cautious they are to adopt new technology. We have also found that with all new tech startups, keeping up-to-date with the constantly evolving changes in the market, has meant we need to be on our toes and constantly evolve our offering. 

“We plan to expand out to encompass all of London in the coming months. We also expect to expand to other major cities in the UK, starting with Manchester in 2020”

RTIH: What are the biggest challenges facing the omnichannel retail sector right now?

EO: The biggest tasks we have seen within this sector have been twofold. Firstly, we need to provide customers with the best services possible, encompassed in this is the ability to provide the same offering as both an online and a bricks and mortar retailer.

Secondly, we need to make sure that our own process of returns is effective. Our aim is to increase customer transactions from retailers, and we aim to do this without cannibalising stores’ existing offerings to their customers. 

RTIH: What's the best question about your company or the market asked of you recently by a.) an investor and b.) a customer? 

EO: Investor. How do you plan to emphasise the environmental impact of the returns process to the customer? In the current culture of putting the environment at the forefront of everything that is done, ow do you plan to make your offering more apparent and more conscious of these issues?

Customer. When will I be able to get all of my shopping delivered to me by eco-efficient bikes the same-day as I placed an order?  

RTIH: What can we expect to see from Tryd over the next 12 months? 

EO: Over the next year, we expect to sign up more retailers, both large and small. We plan to expand out to encompass all of London in the coming months. 

We also expect to expand to other major cities in the UK, starting with Manchester in 2020. Finally, we hope to be the go-to fashion delivery service for many major high street and independent retailers in the UK and abroad.