Online lingerie retailer Zivame’s sales have risen five-fold in the four years since its launch and just last week, it received 40 million US dollar in funding from local and foreign investors.

The start-up is one of several e-tailers cashing in on the awkwardness many middle-class women feel buying underwear in public in this conservative society.

It now plans to further boost sales by opening 100 “fitting salons” over the next three years where clients can get measured before making purchases online, e-tailers company’s founder said.

Physical stores ring in the bulk of the sales in India’s 1.7-billion US dollar lingerie market. These shops, however, range from pricey boutiques in glitzy malls to street side stalls and makeshift shops where the sales assistants are often men.

Many women said websites give them a discreet, budget-friendly and comfortable alternative, fueling growth in the online lingerie sector which consultants Technopak estimate at 70 per cent a year, albeit from a small base.

The overall lingerie sector is growing at 16 per cent. Other online lingerie retailers in India include Pretty Secrets and Clovia.