Our investments in personalisation, supply chain, data insights, and platform to continue: Myntra's Swaminathan

Bengaluru-based Myntra, a fashion and lifestyle e-commerce company acquired by Walmart-owned Flipkart in 2014, is accelerating its digital transformation to enhance customer experience. Connecting consumers with over 5,000 brands, Myntra offers a wide range of clothing, accessories, personal care, and home and living products. In an exclusive interaction with TechCircle, Lakshminarayan Swaminathan, who leads technology, product management, and design at Myntra, emphasises the role of tech-led innovations in delivering a superior shopping experience, highlighting the differentiating impact of cloud, data analytics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Edited excerpts:

Which technologies are you most excited about for your organisation and the e-commerce retail sector in general?

Myntra is particularly enthusiastic about the transformative potential of generative AI, which is reshaping both operations and the customer experience. AI is pivotal across the board, especially in personalisation. Algorithms dynamically curate the homepage based on individual behaviour, moving beyond static segments to personalised banners and widgets informed by browsing patterns, location, and preferences. Lookalike profiling further enhances content relevance. Generative AI also unlocks creative potential, enabling on-the-fly generation of multiple creative versions for testing and hyper-personalised content delivery. Myntra is investing in immersive experiences to solidify its position as a destination for trendy styling and inspiration-led shopping. The scale and depth of personalisation unlocked by AI are unprecedented, marking a profound shift in consumer engagement.

Is your company's tech budget growing this year, and how? What’s the focus for this year?

Technology is central to Myntra's identity as a technology-backed fashion platform. Sustained investments in personalisation, supply chain optimisation, real-time consumer insights, and platform innovation will continue. Technology drives speed, scale, and differentiated experiences as Myntra scales its core business, expands globally, and builds on initiatives like M-Now and FWD. Ongoing tech investments reflect the belief that innovation is key to exceptional customer experiences and shaping the future of fashion commerce.

This year's tech focus is on improving the end-to-end customer journey with sharper personalisation, seamless delivery, and richer interactions. AI will take centre stage, powering content creation, personalisation, and operational efficiency. Myntra is also deepening investments in social commerce for more interactive, influencer and creator-led shopping experiences.

What is your tech team like in terms of the number of people and their capabilities? Are you planning to expand the team in the next year?

Myntra's tech organisation consists of four pillars - Engineering, Product, UX Design, and Data Science. Engineering teams handle the full stack, supported by product managers, a UX design team, and a data science unit focused on AI-led innovations. A mix of selective hiring and upskilling, driven by a startup mindset, nurtures a culture of innovation and growth, especially in AI and emerging technologies.

What kind of innovation are you bringing with technology as an enabler? Can you please highlight 1-2 cases where technology has helped improve business revenues or the customer experience for the company?

Myntra’s technology drives both customer delight and business value. Innovations, whether customer-facing or behind-the-scenes, are designed with intent and data-backed to make the platform intuitive, relevant, and efficient. Early adoption of AI is evident in features like My Fashion GPT, Maya, and My Stylist. InBeauty tools and Dream Room Inspirations enhance product discovery and confident choices. Focus remains on foundational aspects like size and fit, with AI-powered recommendations reducing uncertainty and increasing satisfaction. A seamless returns process builds trust. Personalisation and recommendation engines, powered by advanced algorithms, tailor each user’s journey. The FWD experience exemplifies this, with a reimagined interface powered by personalisation algorithms for Gen Z behaviour. The Ultimate Glam Clan platform has seen terrific reception from creators and users alike. M-Now brings quick commerce to fashion, delivering fashion & lifestyle starting with 30 minutes.

When looking at competitor benchmarking, which key technology areas do you see a need to increase activity in?

Myntra is well ahead in its digital transformation journey, with technology deeply integrated into every aspect of its operations. The company benchmarks against adjacent industries and global markets, increasing focus on fashion, beauty & lifestyle quick commerce, real-time hyper-personalisation, and creator-led commerce. UGC - Myntra Ultimate Glam Clan empowers shoppers to become creators, elevating content discovery and helping shoppers make more informed purchase decisions, tailored to serve Gen Z's fashion-forward mindset.

What is your tech roadmap for the next 2-3 years?

Our technology roadmap for the next 2-3 years focuses on driving business growth and elevating customer experience through scalable, future-ready solutions. We are doubling down on the use of generative AI, enhancing our platform intelligence, and strengthening the tech foundation to support faster delivery, sharper personalisation, and seamless experiences across formats like M-Now, FWD, Luxe, and social commerce. We're also investing in creator- and user-enabled tools that foster deeper engagement and community-led discovery, reshaping the way fashion is consumed and experienced online.