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You Are Here Because ...
... of either of the following reasons ...
1) a loved one of yours told you;
2) you are a customer-turned-friend of mine;
3) you are a friend-turned-customer of mine!
1) a loved one of yours told you;
2) you are a customer-turned-friend of mine;
3) you are a friend-turned-customer of mine!
That's it! Toubé Bäs has never put any ads on Google (or else where), neither do I have the money to do such mass advertising!
Plus, to be very honest, these t-shirts are for a few people - exclusive ones. Like they normally say, "For the classes, not the masses." That's what we mean when we call them,"For-a-few" t-shirts :)
T-shirt wearers crave for a certain feel of privilege. Meaning ... you do not want just about anyone to wear a t-shirt that you have been sporting so lovingly. You desire exclusivity. That's why I stop selling a particular design after having sold 501 pieces of those.
(That's also why people who visit this site do not use the share button above ... but here's something: share this site with friends of yours who are not close to you geographically!!!)
That design goes into the history books - forever! The 501 people who bought that design ... will be the only bearers of that design - ever!
T-shirt wearers crave for a certain feel of privilege. Meaning ... you do not want just about anyone to wear a t-shirt that you have been sporting so lovingly. You desire exclusivity. That's why I stop selling a particular design after having sold 501 pieces of those.
(That's also why people who visit this site do not use the share button above ... but here's something: share this site with friends of yours who are not close to you geographically!!!)
That design goes into the history books - forever! The 501 people who bought that design ... will be the only bearers of that design - ever!
Naturally, then, things like adverts in the newspapers, pamphlets, strategies like luring customers to "tell 20 friends and win a free t-shirt" are all methods to attract a whole lot of people, but not the kind of customer I hope/want to deal with at Toubé Bäs. A typical Toubé Bäs customer is far more prudent, dignified, and sophisticated than that. Plus, slightly richer as well!
I plan not to worry about the masses, or the huge business opportunity that I lose with them. My concern would be to cater to the few elite people, and give them all the customer service I can afford to. That's where I won't like to fail.
Thankfully, that's the business wisdom my grand father felt like sharing with me recently.
Also, Toubé Bäs is not about 'designer' t-shirts ... where a flutter of butterflies, a fleet of birds ... and things like that contribute to some immensely colorful design. The t-shirts here will always have a strong message to deliver ... a message that you will either connect with instantly, or not connect with at all. These are meaningful t-shirts, and may make sense to only a few people who are passionate about the core meaning. In your group, or at a social occasion, these t-shirts will certainly give you that "Hey Nice T-shirt!" response ... serve as conversation starters (about your passion), and make you feel happy about it.
Looks like the ride's going to be tough for me, right?! I hope so too!
Me, and This
I had it all planned at 25 ... but the more you plan, the more Gods laugh! I'm 30 now, and till today, this is what I ended up doing ...
So much for all the planning! I ended up making no money in life - but I now believe I do not need much of it (sour grapes?!!) My stupid passion will carry me through!
(Still, I have a 1000 more things to do - like run a taxi in Bbay, write a book on IIT Bombay's trivia, act in Prithvi atleast once in this lifetime, do some RJ-giri etc. etc., work towards 'community sports')
May be it's difficult to believe, but at IITB, I flunked in 22 courses - and took an extra year to graduate. Ironically, that one year was one of the best years of my life!
Why flunked? Well, almost all the time in the class was spent scribbling and drawing something or the other, and all the time in the hostel/playground was spent farting around and taking pride in being witty.
In 2008, my dad happened to mention some Gitagyaan, "If you can do something well, and you choose not to do it, then you are committing a big sin." So I resumed my drawing, and my farting around ... and Toubé Bäs was born. I thought t-shirt designing would be a nice thing to do - but it turned out to be an incredibly fascinating experience in the industry of 'expression'.
In 2008, my dad happened to mention some Gitagyaan, "If you can do something well, and you choose not to do it, then you are committing a big sin." So I resumed my drawing, and my farting around ... and Toubé Bäs was born. I thought t-shirt designing would be a nice thing to do - but it turned out to be an incredibly fascinating experience in the industry of 'expression'.
The true concept of "tshirts" is yet to 'arrive' in this country. Usually, t-shirts not only provide a strong platform for 'individual expression' ... but if managed suitably, t-shirts have the power to bring about a bottom-to-top ripple in the society too. I have begun with the former hoping that the latter will turn out to be a by-product.
Today, it's just the youth (at heart) that prides in wearing witty and unique tshirts. The poppa-kinds are happy wearing their kurtas and polos and shirts, while the bachcha-party are too kiddish to appreciate most of the wit! In the Western parts of this world, tshirts are the primary street/campus/lounge casual wear - meant for you to flash your attitude while the slightly lesser mortals take notice of you and your beliefs/attitudes!
Today, it's just the youth (at heart) that prides in wearing witty and unique tshirts. The poppa-kinds are happy wearing their kurtas and polos and shirts, while the bachcha-party are too kiddish to appreciate most of the wit! In the Western parts of this world, tshirts are the primary street/campus/lounge casual wear - meant for you to flash your attitude while the slightly lesser mortals take notice of you and your beliefs/attitudes!
I am hoping this would happen in India soon. With the trendy youth that we boast of - it will! There's zero doubt in my head, at least!
T-shirts Don't Hide. They Reveal.
91% of urban population claim that they have a "favorite tee", which they will never discard in their lives! Come what may.
About 5.4 million tshirts are sold worldwide! Daily.
More than 60% of the all urban population owns atleast 10 tees each. 19% own more than 30 tees!
More than 60% of the all urban population owns atleast 10 tees each. 19% own more than 30 tees!
These are statistics - but there's one very generic reason why people wear tshirts: to express. People mistake T-shirts as apparel. They are not. T-shirts are, instead, a form of 'media' - and a much more 'personal' media than the radio or tv can even hope to offer. When someone wears a t-shirt with a message on it, he or she is devoting 50% of the body to that message ... for an entire day. That's how siginificant t-shirts are ...
T-shirts are about one's personal beliefs and thoughts - and that's not the end! T-shirts are a casual, cool, and carefree manner to express one's attitude in style, and in a unique way.
That's why I always maintain, "T-shirts do not hide the body. No. Instead, they reveal your mind!"
Still, that is NOT the reason why a t-shirt becomes someone's favorite - so much so that that's the only thing they will sleep in. There's something else ...
T-shirts are about one's personal beliefs and thoughts - and that's not the end! T-shirts are a casual, cool, and carefree manner to express one's attitude in style, and in a unique way.
That's why I always maintain, "T-shirts do not hide the body. No. Instead, they reveal your mind!"
Still, that is NOT the reason why a t-shirt becomes someone's favorite - so much so that that's the only thing they will sleep in. There's something else ...
Emotional involvement. Yes - researches have shown that the one piece of apparel that people develop maximum emotional bonds with are their tees! A tee may be a gift from your girlfriend (better - it may belong to your girlfriend), it may remind you of that marathon run, it may have a message about your passion and belief, or it may simply reflect something about your school or college - but once ppl get emotionally involved with their tees, they don't want to discard them - no matter how batterred the fabric may be! This is one relationship where there's no breaking-up.
There's little wonder in the fact that almost 33% of the sports world revolves around merchandise, and almost 43% of revenues that colleges in the West generate are through sales of merchandise - and a huge chunk of that is t-shirts.
Garment industry?! No! I think I am in the media industry! :)
There's little wonder in the fact that almost 33% of the sports world revolves around merchandise, and almost 43% of revenues that colleges in the West generate are through sales of merchandise - and a huge chunk of that is t-shirts.
Garment industry?! No! I think I am in the media industry! :)
Customer Testimonials
A few randomly chosen testimonials from a few good men and women!
| Apoorv , 28 - Mumbai |
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Hey i recieved the tshirt which is really nice, thanks a lot now i can help our environment by wearing this tshirt....thanks a lot! |
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The T shirt designs are awesome and so is the quaility . A very rare combo. Also I have washed the T-shirt multiple times and am completey satisfied :) |
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The two people i gifted the tees were impressed with the design and the fabric is also very comfortable!! |
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The "Life main riks" Tee has become really popular in the company, I wore it to office today and the at least two guys mailed me to ask where I picked it up! Wow! thanks to Toube Bas, I am popular now! |
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I just received the t shirts here in Australia and they're fabulous! Out of all the t-shirts I've ever owned the tennis ";love-all" t shirt is in the top 3 of all times! |
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The tee is worth the money spent :) |
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The tshirt I got from Toube is already the talk of the circle :) |
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I am delighted to receive the product from Toube Bas. The designs are eye catching and eclecticand the Ts are comfortable and value for money! Plus the service is personalized and top of the line. Looking forward to buy more stuff from you. Best of luck. |
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These tees are a pure delight - the reaction that I see on my friends faces when they see it for the 1st time is a delight to watch! |
The Entire Toubé Bäs Collection
"Ke Nako! The FIFA World Cup T-shirt?"
A 200 piece LIMITED EDITION t-shirt, for lovers of the world's favorite game! A neat, sexy piece of World Cup merchandise!
"Burn the Cigarette!"
A terrific gift item for a person you know who smokes, and who shouldn't. Some people can do with a simple tip.
"Human Beings. Being Human?"
Buy a t-shirt for Rs. 200/-, and donate Rs. 20/- to green activities in India. The first in the series of 'Greenizen' t-shirts.
"Earth, Unearth"
The second in the 'Greenizen' t-shirt series. Buy the t-shirt, and donate Rs. 20/- to green activities in India!
"1936 Berlin - Indian Hockey Magicians"
Remembering Dhyanchand and Co., who mesmerised world hockey with their stick wizardy at the 1936 Berlin Olympics! Finally, a decent hockey t-shirt to wear.
"Messy Footballers"
Not for the 'only-fans'. A t-shirt that football players will relate to, if they've played football the way it should be played!
"Surya Namaskara"
For the ardent Yoga advocates, depicting the 12 poses of Surya Namaskara in Warli Art. Plus, all mantras tastefully placed on the back.
"The IIT Bombay Skyline"
The entire skyline of IIT Bombay on a graceful black t-shirt, for anyone who admires IITB, and/or wants to wear a stylish t-shirt.
"Tennis Is In - US Open - 2009"
A 20-only limited edition t-shirt made for the "Paris of Tennis": The US Open. For tennis devotees of the highest order!
"Main Runveer Hoon"
An extra-ordinary t-shirt made for long distance runners, conveying the spirit of marathon running in a strongly worded Hindi prose. Short distance runners can stay away from this one.
"I Love My Mummy"
A sexily witty t-shirt that anyone who loves his/her momma can wear. The graphic plays cutely with the pun on the word 'mummy'. 'The' favorite of almost all.
"Life Main Riks Hai"
A humourous salute to the decades old presence of auto rickshaws on Indian roads. Some made movies, some wrote poetries. We made a t-shirt.
"The Football Geek's A-Z"
A no-frills-and-no-fuss t-shirt that underlines the importance of football in a football fan's life. A smart message about mostly club football from the football fan's perpective.
"Tennis For Peace"
A graceful piece made for one of the most graceful, and peaceful, sport of them all. Plus, a witty connection between 'peace' and 'tennis' depicted in strong colors.
"The Sahasrara Chakra"
A respectful, and soothing, message about the 'Sahasrara Chakra' or the 'Crown Chakra' on a spiritual white base. Ethnic, and easy.
"Main Runveer Hoon"
An extra-ordinary t-shirt made for long distance runners, conveying the spirit of marathon running in a strongly worded Hindi prose. Short distance runners can stay away from this one.
"The Football Geek's Preferences"
Another in the "Football Geek's" series, clearly stating the importance of football to fans, over everything, including women.
"Baap Of All Evil"
A must have for fathers of naughty brats, depicting fathers as 'Super Dads'
"The Cricket Guru's A-Z"
The ultimate wear for a hard core cricket fanatic, depicting 26 cricketing trivia that only masters of the game can decipher. Not for the cricketingly-faint-hearted.
The Toubé Bäs Blog
Buy A Tee, Plant A Tree!!
Most of the t-shirts here are priced at 501/-. These are the limited editon ones.
However, there are a few that go for much cheaper. The reason being - I hope as many people can buy them as possible, since the proceeds from them will be donated to a good cause.
I am selling the 'Greenizen' series t-shirts for as little as Rs. 200-300/- ... and donating 10% of the proceeds to plant trees in India. That's YOUR money and, hence, YOUR contri(bution)!
Total contri from 'Greenizens' sales till today is
Rs. 5620/-
[I don't know how big a difference will this make - and I cannot worry about it too. The good thing is, the first Rs. 3000 were used very well - for this]
You can buy and add to the fund at these links:
T-shirt 1 - Human Beings
T-shirt 2 - UnEarth Ho Jaayega!
T-shirt 3 - Hari Ya Ali? (Latest)
Below, you can Involve a few people you know:
Payment Methods Here
Payments on Toubé Bäs can be made in the following ways:
CreditCards/DebitCards/Direct Net Banking: Oh yes! This is serious business - we have tied up with CCAvenue to bring all the security and conveniences to your payment process. CCAvenue is India's largest payment gateway (they must be really good, right?) ... and provide for payment through global credit cards ... and also debit cards & simple online banking of almost all the banks in India!
PayPal: Allows for ultra-secure credit card and international bank transactions! Also, doesn't require you to have a paypal account :)
Bank Transfers: Requires some work from your end. You got to add me to your bank-payee lists and then pay me the amount online. My account details: Sorabh Sodhani, 005701048198, ICICI Bank - Prabhadevi Branch.
Cheques: Easier than bank transfers. Simply courier or post a crossed cheque addressed to "Sorabh Sodhani" to the following address ... Sorabh Sodhani, IITB Souvenir Shop, 1st Floor, Gulmohar, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai - 400076 - India.
Delivery Around India In 4 Days!
Promise? No! Practice? YYYES!
Unless one is Dominoes Pizza, it's impossible to commit on delivery logistics in India and live up to those. No wonder even FedEx took some time to set base in this country!
I must have sent more than a thousand couriers - tried BlueDart, DTDC, and experimented with a host of other big names - but have always found Maruti Couriers to be the most pragmatic and, hence, efficient of them all.
My observation, and a semi-commitment too: it won't take more than 3-4 working days for your t-shirt gifts/packets to reach anywhere in India - so you can go for some last minute gifting too! I spend quality time packing and shipping the stuff myself ... so yes ... you can be sure that I am personally involved in your order till the very last minute.
I must have sent more than a thousand couriers - tried BlueDart, DTDC, and experimented with a host of other big names - but have always found Maruti Couriers to be the most pragmatic and, hence, efficient of them all.
My observation, and a semi-commitment too: it won't take more than 3-4 working days for your t-shirt gifts/packets to reach anywhere in India - so you can go for some last minute gifting too! I spend quality time packing and shipping the stuff myself ... so yes ... you can be sure that I am personally involved in your order till the very last minute.
What's Our Marketing Budget?
It's Rs. 0/-
:((
That apart, there is another reason why we do not want to market aggressively. Toubé Bäs thrives on exclusivity where a few self-aware people buy t-shirts about things they are passionate about.
In short, it's a classes vs. masses story, and we are going for the former. It would hurt the brand to have 5,000 people wearing the same design. That's the whole basic behind us producing 500 tshirts of a kind.
In short, it's a classes vs. masses story, and we are going for the former. It would hurt the brand to have 5,000 people wearing the same design. That's the whole basic behind us producing 500 tshirts of a kind.
Our only hope of survival: good words being spoken by you about us (if you liked our work and service).
Just in case you can help us, please do use this tool below!
Thanks!
Toubé Bäs: The Mad Lessons So Far
Not that I am a successful millionaire - but what the heck! The experience in this hobb-usiness has been an assortment of lessons already. While I get the ultimate pleasure in selling t-shirts here, I would love to share some empirical realizations about starting-up with you - may be they might benefit you!
7) Long-term Planning is a Joke!
Yes, it is! Believe me! The gods smile at you pitifully when you plan your life - imagine how loud they will laugh when you try to make a 2 year plan of your business in an excel file, with goals very clearly mentioned in there! While you are doing it, one of your 27 other competitors has already sold his product. My small advice is ... think small, think small term, and make sure you do it. For instance, meet a real customer and test the product on her and take a genuine feedback. As far as your investors, angels, managers etc. are concerned, tell them, and make them repeat it 20 times, that your poorest customer is far, far more important than anyone in the business you are running. Because, he/she is.
6) The Customer is God!
That's what we Indians have always been taught, haven't we? That's what the marketing gods Jack Trout and Al Ries have said, and that's what Theodre Levit said in his HBR classic, "Marketing Myopia". This is a rule that should be followed as a superstition, and yesterday, my 88 year old grandfather advised me to do the same too. When I say, "God", it doesn't mean you sacrifice just about everything for them. But respect them, their wants, and make them happy. They are feeding you, afterall. Oh - my MBA never mentioned a word about it :) MBA is for jokers. I was one when I did it :(
5) The Supplier is Not Satan Either!
Well, it would be wrong to say that the suppliers are Gods too - but they are somewhere close as well. I had the great fortune to come across Ashfaq Hussain (Dash-n-Dots, Bangalore) who turned out to be not only a screen-printing expert, but an expert in quality and aesthetics too. It's been more than a year - and we are still going strong. I make sure he gets his quoted figure in time, and he ensures that I get the best quality one can produce. if you don't expect your customers to keep postponing their payments, don't do it to your suppliers as well. As for the 'cash-flow', you have to make the sales happen to take care of it. If that isn't happenning, there's no point being in business. Really. Warren Buffet himself hates the concept of 'credit' ... and you know who he is, right?!
4) Credit Doesn't Work
I have always been told to 'maintain my cash flow' by paying my suppliers late, and taking money early from my customers. However - in business it's essential to realise that good relationships (even Adi Dassler says this) are much more important than credit periods, plus yours is not the only bank account that feeds on money! Hence, I do not sit on my customer's head to make the payment as if my leg is breaking away, neither do I keep my supplier's money with me just for the sake of it.
3) Passion > MS Excel
Many people start their businesses based on their passion, and before taking the plunge, try to evaluate their passion in figures keyed in an MS Excel mesh - thinking, "Should I, Shouldn't I?" My suggestion (who am I, btw?): if you are passionate about it, jump in anyway - lest you may regret it. I started designing and selling t-shirts without blinking an eye-lid. Money went, money came, money went. I may have had 'tough times' - but did not realise them in all the fun. Only 11 months later did I make my first excel file to organise myself. Plus: an excel file makes sense only when you have numbers with some experience behind them.
2) "F*** It!" Bolke Kar Daalne Ka
When I was but a freshie bachcha in IITB, and tried to apply my brains in usual hostel acitivities, my seniors had this one suggestion: "Bahot zyaada nahin sochne ka. Bas 'F*** It' bolke kar daalne ka." That's what I do - in life, in the football ground, in Toube Bas: I think about things for some time - giving all due respect to the situation. But that's it ... once the Unconscious feels right, I don't give a damn: I say, "F*** It!" ... and I do it. Plus, that's what Sir Richard Branson said too, right? Remember the book, "Screw It ... Let's Do It!" One of my all time favorites!
1) Read Jack Trout and Al Ries
No businessman should be allowed to start a business until he reads a couple of books by these two divine marketers! My father introduced me to the book, "Focus", and then I dug up "Positioning", "Differentiate or Die", "Marketing Warfare", "22 Immutable Laws of Marketing", and "In Search Of The Obvious". Even if you are not about a business, please do read them!
I shall keep populating this section just in case it benefits a few more unreasonable, mad people who may be looking for some encouragement.
The moment I saw this t-shirt, I knew I wanted it. And all my friends recrowned me the ultimate cricket fanatic!!S for God and T for God again!! For a Sachin maniac that I am, seemed like its made for me only!