In a LinkedIn post, Blinkit Chief Technology Officer Sajal Gupta announced the debut of Seller Hub, the seller programme for Zomato’s rapid commerce platform, on October 23, 2024. This business structure is based on Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA), which is an e-commerce service offered by Amazon.
Brands and Sellers Can Onboard Hassle Free
Brands and sellers will be able to onboard the rapid commerce platform without interacting with a middleman thanks to the Blinkit Seller Hub. It provides services including advertising, catalogue and pricing management, dark store-wise availability, and inventory tracking.
According to Gupta, the company’s goal was to develop a seller programme in fast commerce that was far superior to all others, and the original FBA Amazon has always served as its benchmark. In order to achieve this, the firm has introduced Blinkit Seller Hub, which allows brands to sell through Blinkit entirely on their own without interacting with the company or any middlemen (though Blinkit is available if companies require it). “We think that by developing technology that offers companies greater authority and control over their online presence, we can better serve the community of brands.” According to Gupta, more than 200 companies currently have access to their Seller Hub, and the firm wants to expand that number as soon as the necessary document verifications are completed.
The Recent Developments of Blinkit
In order to solve the crucial problem of size and fit that online buyers encounter, Blinkit recently launched a new service that permits returns and exchanges for apparel and footwear within ten minutes in a few Indian cities.
Blinkit currently has 791 dark stores, which are micro-warehouses that allow for 10-minute delivery, as of September 30. At the end of June, the company had 639 stores. By the end of this fiscal year, the company aims to have 1,000 dark stores and, by the end of 2026, 2,000. It is attempting to reach Tier-II and Tier-III cities with its services. According to reports, Blinkit fulfilled 92.9 million orders during the July–September quarter, generating a gross order value (GOV) of almost INR 6,000 crore.
Blinkit’s EMI Option
Customers may now divide payments for purchases over INR 2,999 thanks to Blinkit’s EMI (Equated Monthly Installments) option. All orders, with the exception of those that contain gold and silver coins, will have this option.
The goal of Blinkit’s new EMI feature is to increase the number of users on its site and encourage larger transactions. This option can facilitate larger orders since more and more customers rely on rapid commerce for household goods, groceries, and other commodities. According to specialists monitoring this market, allowing customers to stretch payments over time may also result in higher-value transactions.
Adding EMI as a payment option fits with Blinkit’s strategy of growing its clientele and fostering customer loyalty. Companies like Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto are fighting for market share in the fiercely competitive world of quick commerce. Blinkit aims to raise its average order value—a crucial indicator of its growth strategy—by enabling these kinds of transactions.
After Delhi and Kolkata, the ride-hailing app Uber plans to test its bus (shuttle) service in Hyderabad and Mumbai. The company is currently negotiating with a number of local stakeholders to obtain approval to launch in the nation’s IT hub.
In an interview with the media, Prabhjeet Singh, president of Uber India and South Asia, stated that the firm currently operates Uber buses in two cities and that two more cities—Mumbai and Hyderabad—are set to follow. Regretfully, Bengaluru is not yet included in this list.
Bengaluru Being a Dream Project
According to Singh, Uber is actively negotiating with various parties to launch bus service in Bengaluru. “It’s my passion project to make sure we can bring Uber buses to Bengaluru, assuming the regulators allow us to do so,” he said, adding that it demonstrates the localisation process and how we are evolving to meet customer preferences.
Singh further added that Uber needs regulatory approval to proceed to introduce such a service, and we have failed to obtain it. According to him, company is actively negotiating with a number of parties in the hopes of receiving approval to proceed, but as of right now, company has not been able to strike a positive chord.
Urging Civil Society and Policy-Making to Open Up to “Such Innovations”
Singh also called on those involved in policy making and civil society to be more receptive to “such innovations.”
“I would encourage a significant number of individuals in civil society to participate to make the working class’ daily travel hassle-free with such innovations. Numerous businesses are eager for Uber Shuttle to be introduced. From Hebbal and ORR (Outer Ring Road), you could take a shuttle. Air-conditioned shuttles with reserved seats that run every two to three minutes. These are situations that might coexist with the city’s other public transportation options. I hope policymakers are much more receptive to innovations like this,” he opined.
Uber India’s Vision
The goal of Uber’s public transportation integration strategy in India is to provide a smooth system that enhances city efficiency while saving passengers money and time. High-capacity vehicles (HCVs) are available for Uber Shuttle service, and reservations can be made using the Uber app. Before the shuttle arrives, riders can track it. Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Delhi NCR all offer Uber Shuttle service.
Uber has more than one million drivers, according to a media source, which CEO Dara Khosrowshahi revealed on the company’s March quarter earnings call. According to Khosrowshahi, bookings and transactions show that India is one of the company’s fastest-growing regions. Larger markets tend to grow more slowly, but India stands out as a major market that is expanding quickly, he added further.
The multinational technology company Meta and Infosys, a pioneer in next-generation digital services and consulting, bolstered their partnership on October 23, 2024, to promote generative AI innovation through open-source projects. Infosys is a firm believer in democratising AI and is a major supporter of open-source software. By utilising Meta’s Llama stack, a collection of open-source big language models and tools, Infosys is propelling notable progress in artificial intelligence and encouraging creativity in several sectors.
Infosys has announced a Meta centre of excellence (COE) aimed at boosting enterprise AI integration while facilitating internal adoption and contributions to open-source communities in order to promote innovation and hasten the implementation of Meta’s Llama stack. In order to facilitate customers’ smooth adoption of the Llama stack, this centre will create use cases tailored to the industry, enable a sizable skill pool on the Llama stack, and work closely with Meta.
Integrating the Llama Models With Infosys Topaz
As a pioneer in open-source AI innovation, Infosys is a launch partner and early adopter of the Llama 3.1 and 3.2 models. By combining the Llama models with Infosys Topaz, an AI-first suite of platforms, services, and solutions that use generative AI technology, Infosys is developing cutting-edge AI solutions to boost business value for companies all around the world.
One such innovation is the Llama-powered document assistant service, which, when compared to conventional ways, helps evaluate contracts more quickly and effectively, yielding notable productivity increases.
AI Experience Zone for Meta
Additionally, Infosys built a special AI Experience Zone for Meta at its Bengaluru campus as part of the COE. Customers will be able to witness firsthand cutting-edge enterprise AI innovations created by Infosys Topaz in partnership with Meta’s Llama technology in the state-of-the-art zone.
According to Balakrishna D. R. (Bali), Executive Vice President, Global Services Head, AI and Industry Verticals, Infosys, open-source innovation is essential to developing significant digital solutions that boost productivity and growth while levelling the playing field for all companies. The partnership with Meta demonstrates the company’s steadfast dedication to advancing corporate AI technology, including Gen AI, and encouraging cross-industry innovation. By incorporating Meta’s Llama family of models into Infosys Topaz, Infosys is utilising transparency and teamwork to make AI impactful and accessible for all types of enterprises.
According to Sandhya Devanathan, Vice President and Head of Meta India, the company is excited to expand its partnership with Infosys, which is a prime example of the strategic significance of open-source AI development. The incorporation of Llama into Infosys Topaz is evidence of the innovative potential of AI to spur innovation and enable companies to fully utilise AI to revolutionise their operations. Enterprises will undergo a revolution thanks to open-source models like Llama, which will accelerate their digital transformation and allow them to grow, innovate, and compete on a global scale.
In this exclusive interaction with StartupTalky, Mr. Tapan Sangal, the founder of MAI Labs, shares about his passion for technology which can make a fair digital world. Inspired by the potential of decentralization, Mr. Sangal shares how MAI Labs is breaking down barriers through its innovative KALP blockchain platform and the revolutionary MY IPR tool for managing intellectual property. He shared his opinions on blockchain & AI, where in the future technology will be available to everyone. As MAI Labs continues to push boundaries, Mr. Sangal’s ideas shine through.
StartupTalky: What inspired you to launch MAI Labs and focus on the next Internet?
Mr. Sangal: The inspiration behind launching MAI Labs stemmed from a strong belief in technology’s transformative power and its potential to create a more equitable and efficient digital world. We recognized that, despite the immense advances in technology, access to these innovations remained limited, particularly in sectors where complexity and regulatory challenges hinder widespread adoption.
Our vision for MAI Labs was to bridge this gap by simplifying advanced technologies and making them more accessible. This journey led us to focus on creating a new era of the Internet—one that moves beyond the limitations of centralized systems toward a decentralized, secure, and user-controlled digital ecosystem. Our goal is to empower users by giving them greater ownership over their digital assets, data, and interactions, enabling a truly democratic digital infrastructure.
MAI Labs seeks to incubate deep-tech solutions that drive this transition, and our approach is grounded in regulatory compliance, scalability, and accessibility. We aim to lead the development of public digital infrastructure for the decentralized Internet, positioning MAI Labs as a key player in reshaping how people interact with technology.
StartupTalky: How does KALP, MAI Labs’ flagship product, differentiate itself from other blockchain platforms in terms of democratising digital infrastructure?
Mr. Sangal: KALP stands out as a blockchain platform that truly democratizes digital infrastructure. While many platforms offer decentralized solutions, KALP takes it a step further by integrating regulatory compliance directly into its architecture. This ensures that all participants on the network are verified, enhancing trust and security—a critical aspect for the regulated tokenization of real-world assets (RWA).
What sets KALP apart is its comprehensive approach to decentralized public infrastructure. It provides a secure, high-performance platform with features like multi-chain mastery, enabling interoperability across multiple blockchains with simultaneous block finality. Additionally, KALP ensures user sovereignty by granting users full control over their private keys, making it a user-centric blockchain experience.
Another key differentiator is the strategic deployment of physical and cloud-based nodes across the globe, ensuring true decentralization and preventing any single entity from controlling the network. KALP’s coalition model further enables partners to host nodes in their locations, expanding the platform’s reach and robustness.
With a suite of tools, including KALP-Insight, which provides advanced analytics and monitoring, KALP not only democratizes digital infrastructure but also offers actionable insights for participants to make informed decisions.
StartupTalky: How does MAI Labs’ MY IPR platform transform intellectual property management?
Mr. Sangal: MY IPR, a revolutionary platform developed by MAI Labs, is the world’s first Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) management cloud designed to transform how creators, inventors, and businesses manage, protect, and monetize their intellectual property. Traditional IP management processes are often fragmented, inefficient, and costly. MY IPR addresses these challenges by providing a fully integrated digital platform that simplifies the process from registration to monetization.
By leveraging blockchain technology, MY IPR ensures immutability and transparency in intellectual property management. Creators and inventors can securely register their IP assets with instant verification, reducing the risk of infringement. The platform’s assetization feature allows IP to be tokenized, creating new opportunities for creators to monetize their intellectual property by trading and sharing royalties seamlessly.
Moreover, MY IPR offers tools for analytics and insights, empowering users to track the performance of their IP assets in real-time. This data-driven approach transforms IP from a static legal protection into a dynamic, revenue-generating asset. Ultimately, MY IPR democratizes IP management, making it accessible, secure, and efficient for creators across various industries.
StartupTalky: What key trends in blockchain and AI do you think will shape the tech industry’s future in the next 5 years?
Mr. Sangal: Over the next five years, we expect blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) to converge, creating transformative impacts across various industries. Here are some of the key trends that will shape the future of technology:
Blockchain-AI Convergence: The integration of blockchain’s security and transparency with AI’s analytical power will drive new, trust-based business models. Blockchain will enable secure data sharing between AI systems, enhancing the reliability and accuracy of AI predictions. This convergence will fuel advancements in sectors like healthcare, finance, and supply chain, where both trust and data integrity are paramount.
Data Privacy and Security: With the rise of data breaches and privacy concerns, the fusion of blockchain and AI will create robust solutions for protecting sensitive information. Blockchain’s decentralized nature, combined with AI’s ability to monitor and detect threats in real time, will ensure enhanced security for personal data, particularly in regulated industries such as healthcare and finance.
Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs): As blockchain adoption grows, DAOs will emerge as a significant trend, enabling communities and businesses to operate without centralized leadership. AI will play a key role in automating the decision-making processes within DAOs, improving efficiency and transparency in governance.
AI-Enhanced Blockchain Operations: AI will streamline and optimize blockchain operations, from consensus mechanisms to smart contract execution. By automating complex processes, AI will make blockchain technology more efficient and scalable, supporting its adoption across global industries.
These trends will not only drive innovation but also redefine how industries operate, creating new opportunities for businesses and society to thrive in a decentralized and intelligent world.
StartupTalky: What role do you see AI playing in MAI Labs’ future projects?
Mr. Sangal: At MAI Labs, AI is poised to play a pivotal role in driving operational efficiency and enhancing the performance of various solutions across our product portfolio. We see AI as an indispensable tool in automating processes that require large-scale data analysis, fraud detection, and real-time monitoring. By integrating AI into our platforms, we can deliver faster, more reliable results in sectors like finance, healthcare, and real estate, where precision and speed are essential.
However, while AI will augment efficiency in repetitive or high-volume tasks, MAI Labs remains committed to keeping the creative and strategic aspects of our projects human-centric. We believe that true innovation stems from human creativity, which cannot be fully replicated by algorithms. AI will serve as a powerful enabler in tasks like data processing, compliance checks, and smart contract management, allowing our teams to focus on more complex, high-value work such as strategy development, design, and user experience.
In future projects, we envision AI playing a critical role in our decentralized infrastructure, particularly in optimizing smart contract execution, personalizing user experiences within immersive environments, and enabling predictive analytics. By harnessing AI, MAI Labs will be able to scale faster while maintaining a high standard of quality, security, and compliance.
StartupTalky: How does MAI Labs integrate blockchain with legal frameworks?
Mr. Sangal: MAI Labs has been a pioneer in integrating blockchain technology within established legal frameworks, making compliance a core component of our blockchain infrastructure. The decentralized nature of blockchain often raises concerns about regulation and legal enforceability, but MAI Labs addresses this by embedding legal standards directly into our smart contracts and blockchain protocols.
Our flagship product, KALP, is built with a “regulatory by design” approach. We collaborate closely with legal experts to ensure that all transactions and interactions within the KALP ecosystem are compliant with global regulations, such as Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Know Your Customer (KYC), and data protection standards like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This allows users to engage in blockchain activities with confidence, knowing that their operations are fully compliant with relevant legal requirements.
Moreover, our Legal and Grievance Layer provides a unique mechanism for users to enforce legal rights and pursue remedies in the event of disputes or irregularities. By embedding legal terms and conditions into the blockchain’s code, we ensure that smart contracts are legally binding and enforceable in traditional legal systems. This integration of blockchain with legal frameworks not only enhances the trust and reliability of our digital infrastructure but also sets a new standard for how decentralized systems can coexist with established legal norms.
StartupTalky: What challenges did you face while developing KALP, and how did you overcome them?
Mr. Sangal: Developing KALP presented several significant challenges, which we addressed through innovation, collaboration, and a focus on regulatory compliance. One of the major challenges was balancing decentralization with regulatory adherence. In a decentralized blockchain, ensuring that participants and transactions meet global regulatory standards such as KYC, AML, and GDPR requires advanced protocols that don’t compromise the blockchain’s decentralized nature. We overcame this challenge by embedding compliance directly into the core architecture of KALP, creating a platform that aligns with regulations without sacrificing decentralization.
Another challenge was scalability. Blockchain platforms often struggle with transaction speed and throughput, which can limit their ability to handle large volumes of data and real-time operations. We solved this by building KALP with multi-chain capabilities and parallel processing, which allows multiple chains to run concurrently and achieve block finality simultaneously. This architecture drastically improves scalability, enabling KALP to support a high volume of transactions without slowing down.
Interoperability with other blockchains was also a crucial hurdle. To ensure that KALP could function seamlessly with other blockchain ecosystems, we developed an innovative approach to multi-chain mastery, allowing KALP to interact with various blockchain networks while maintaining security and performance integrity.
Through continuous innovation and strategic partnerships, we addressed these challenges and built KALP into a platform that is scalable, compliant, and interoperable—setting new benchmarks for blockchain technology.
StartupTalky: How do you envision Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) impacting global finance?
Mr. Sangal: Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) represent a transformative shift in global finance, offering the potential to modernize monetary systems, increase financial inclusion, and enhance the efficiency of cross-border payments. We envision CBDCs becoming a key component of the global financial infrastructure, driving both innovation and regulation in the digital asset space.
CBDCs will likely streamline transactions by reducing the reliance on intermediaries, which can make payments faster, cheaper, and more transparent. The programmability of digital currencies will enable central banks to implement monetary policies more effectively and with greater precision. For example, smart contracts could automate conditional payments, such as stimulus distributions, or enforce compliance with tax obligations in real-time.
Additionally, CBDCs could play a vital role in financial inclusion. By providing a digital currency accessible through mobile devices, central banks can reach unbanked populations in regions where traditional banking infrastructure is limited. This could democratize access to financial services and reduce barriers to entry for individuals and businesses in emerging markets.
However, the adoption of CBDCs will also raise important questions about privacy, cybersecurity, and the balance between centralization and decentralization. The integration of CBDCs with existing financial systems will require robust regulatory frameworks and a clear approach to protecting user privacy while maintaining transparency.
At MAI Labs, we see CBDCs as a significant opportunity for the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA) and decentralized finance (DeFi), where they could serve as a stable, government-backed asset within decentralized ecosystems. This will foster trust in blockchain-based financial systems and accelerate the adoption of decentralized finance on a global scale.
StartupTalky: What opportunities do you see in combining blockchain and AI?
Mr. Sangal: The combination of blockchain and AI presents transformative opportunities across multiple industries, enhancing both technological capabilities and business processes. At MAI Labs, we believe that integrating blockchain’s secure, transparent ledger system with AI’s predictive power can unlock new levels of efficiency, innovation, and trust.
Enhanced Data Security and Privacy: One of the key opportunities lies in data privacy and security. Blockchain’s decentralized nature ensures that data is stored immutably and securely, while AI can analyze this data to detect patterns and anomalies. This combination can be particularly powerful in industries like healthcare and finance, where sensitive data requires both protection and insight. AI can process encrypted data on the blockchain without compromising security, enabling insights without exposing sensitive information.
Automated Smart Contracts: Blockchain smart contracts are self-executing contracts with the terms directly written into code. AI can optimize these contracts by automating decision-making processes based on real-time data, ensuring the contracts adapt to changing conditions. This creates a dynamic environment where complex business processes can be automated, reducing human intervention and errors while improving efficiency.
Supply Chain Optimization: In logistics and supply chain management, AI can enhance blockchain’s tracking capabilities by predicting supply chain disruptions and recommending alternatives in real-time. The immutability of blockchain ensures that every action taken is recorded transparently, while AI provides the intelligence to optimize routes, manage inventory, and improve overall efficiency.
Personalized Financial Services: AI’s ability to analyze large datasets can enable the personalization of financial services, such as investment strategies or credit scoring, by analyzing user behavior and financial history. Blockchain ensures that these processes are transparent and secure, fostering trust between financial institutions and their customers.
Together, blockchain and AI represent a powerful combination that can create smarter, more secure systems across industries, driving new business models and reshaping the future of technology.
StartupTalky: What is the MayaaVerse project, and how does it align with MAI Labs’ vision for future technology?
Mr. Sangal: MayaaVerse is dedicated to delivering more than just a concept—it’s a comprehensive immersive technology platform embedded with AI, accessible to everyone. By empowering individuals and organizations to create, experience, and monetize in unprecedented digital environments, MayaaVerse is setting new standards in immersive experiences.
MayaaVerse represents a milestone in MAI Labs’ mission to redefine human-computer interaction and unlock creativity within immersive environments. This advancement marks the next stage of interaction—a seamless fusion of the physical and digital worlds. Our goal is to revolutionize the creator economy by offering an innovative platform that empowers creators to develop, collaborate, and monetize their digital content in new and transformative ways using immersive technologies and AI. Given the immense potential we see, we are confident in our decision to make a significant investment in this technological arena.
StartupTalky: How do you ensure the technology developed at MAI Labs is accessible and inclusive?
Mr. Sangal: At MAI Labs, accessibility and inclusivity are foundational principles that guide the development of all our technologies. We believe that advanced digital infrastructure should be available to everyone, regardless of their technical expertise, geographic location, or economic background. To achieve this, we take a multi-faceted approach:
User-Centric Design: Our platforms, such as KALP and MayaaVerse, are designed with a user-friendly interface that simplifies complex technologies like blockchain, AI, and immersive experiences. This lowers the barrier to entry for individuals and businesses unfamiliar with deep-tech solutions. For instance, KALP Studio provides developers and non-developers alike with intuitive tools for creating and managing decentralized applications (dApps) without requiring advanced programming skills.
Scalability and Customization: MAI Labs’ technology stack is scalable and customizable to meet the needs of both small businesses and large enterprises. We offer white-label solutions, enabling startups and entrepreneurs to build on our technology with minimal upfront investment. This inclusive approach allows businesses of all sizes to access cutting-edge infrastructure without the burden of heavy financial commitments.
Global Reach: Our decentralized architecture, particularly in products like KALP, ensures that our solutions can be deployed and managed globally, overcoming traditional geographic limitations. Additionally, we partner with local entities to provide localized support and resources, making it easier for users in different regions to adopt and benefit from our technology.
Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring compliance with global regulations is critical to making our technology accessible. By integrating legal frameworks and compliance measures into our platforms, we provide a safe and secure environment for users, which is particularly important in regions with stringent regulatory requirements.
Ongoing Education and Support: We are committed to educating users about the potential of our technology through workshops, training programs, and community engagement. By providing technical support and fostering knowledge-sharing, we ensure that more people can take advantage of our platforms.
Through these efforts, MAI Labs is democratizing access to deep-tech innovations, ensuring that everyone-regardless of their background-can participate in and benefit from the next generation of digital infrastructure.
StartupTalky: How do you balance innovation with security in your products?
Mr. Sangal: At MAI Labs, security is at the core of everything we build, and we have developed a robust framework to ensure that our innovations are both cutting-edge and secure. Balancing innovation with security requires a thoughtful, layered approach that integrates the latest advancements in technology with industry-best security practices.
Blockchain Security Architecture: Our proprietary blockchain, KALP, is designed with multiple layers of security, including cryptographic protocols, decentralized governance, and real-time transaction monitoring. By embedding compliance with global security standards, such as GDPR, AML, and KYC, directly into the blockchain, we ensure that security is never compromised, even as we innovate.
Smart Contract Audits: We conduct rigorous audits of all smart contracts deployed on the KALP platform. These audits ensure that our smart contracts are secure, preventing vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors. This focus on security does not slow down innovation but rather strengthens it by building trust in the reliability and safety of our systems.
Legal and Grievance Layer: One of the key innovations we’ve implemented is the Legal and Grievance Layer in our blockchain. This layer allows for legal recourse in the event of disputes or irregularities, providing an additional level of protection for users. By integrating a security-first approach with a legal framework, we ensure that our users are protected from both technical and legal threats.
Continuous Monitoring and AI Integration: Our use of AI for real-time monitoring and fraud detection enhances the security of our platforms. By continuously scanning for anomalies and potential threats, we can identify and mitigate risks as they emerge. This proactive approach ensures that security evolves alongside our innovations, keeping our platforms resilient in the face of new challenges.
Privacy by Design: We take a privacy-first approach to product development, ensuring that all user data is protected by encryption and secure storage mechanisms. Additionally, our platforms provide users with full control over their private keys, ensuring that they maintain ownership and control over their digital assets.
In summary, we prioritize security at every stage of product development, from design to deployment, while fostering an environment of continuous innovation. This allows us to build advanced, scalable solutions that users can trust.
StartupTalky: What are your thoughts on the future of digital ownership and intellectual property?
Mr. Sangal: The future of digital ownership and intellectual property (IP) is set to be revolutionized by blockchain technology, with platforms like our MY IPR playing a pivotal role. As digital content continues to grow exponentially, the need for secure, transparent, and immutable systems to protect and manage digital assets becomes paramount. Blockchain provides a decentralized framework where creators can assert ownership, track usage, and monetize their digital intellectual property without intermediaries.
One of the most significant shifts we anticipate is the tokenization of IP. By transforming intellectual property rights into digital tokens, creators will have more control over how their work is distributed and monetized. This tokenization will allow for fractional ownership, where multiple stakeholders can hold shares in a piece of intellectual property, enabling new revenue models for creators, including micro-royalties and automated payments via smart contracts.
StartupTalky: What global markets are you focusing on next for MAI Labs?
Mr. Sangal: MAI Labs is strategically focusing on expanding into several high-potential global markets that are primed for blockchain adoption and immersive technology solutions. Our next phase of growth will target regions with favorable regulatory environments, growing demand for decentralized solutions, and established digital infrastructure.
Middle East and North Africa (MENA): The MENA region, particularly countries like the UAE and Qatar, is rapidly becoming a hub for blockchain innovation. Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) has created a conducive environment for blockchain-based platforms, and we are already establishing our STOEX Exchanges in this region. With increasing government and institutional support for blockchain and decentralized finance (DeFi), MENA is a critical focus area for our expansion.
Southeast Asia: Southeast Asia is emerging as a hotbed for blockchain and digital asset innovation. Countries like Singapore and Malaysia have adopted progressive regulatory frameworks that support blockchain and tokenization platforms. The region’s growing tech-savvy population and high rate of digital adoption make it an ideal market for products like KALP and Kalpify.
Europe: Europe’s focus on data privacy, digital innovation, and regulatory compliance aligns well with our core offerings. The European Union’s evolving regulations around digital assets, particularly through the MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) framework, present an opportunity for MAI Labs to introduce our compliant and secure platforms. Additionally, Europe’s push for Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) opens up new possibilities for collaboration and expansion.
India: India’s robust tech talent pool and growing interest in blockchain make it a critical market for MAI Labs. We are focusing on sectors like real estate, healthcare, and financial services, where blockchain and AI can drive significant value. As the government continues to explore the use of blockchain for public administration and governance, we aim to position MAI Labs as a leader in this market.
By focusing on these global markets, MAI Labs is poised to become a leading provider of decentralized solutions, immersive experiences, and tokenized assets worldwide.
StartupTalky: How does MAI Labs plan to empower the next billion users globally?
Mr. Sangal: At MAI Labs, our mission is to make cutting-edge technology accessible to everyone, and empowering the next billion users is at the core of our vision. We aim to achieve this through a multi-pronged approach that focuses on inclusivity, innovation, and global accessibility.
Building Scalable and Accessible Platforms: Our technology platforms, such as KALP, MayaaVerse, and MY IPR, are designed to scale seamlessly while remaining user-friendly and inclusive. By focusing on intuitive interfaces and reducing the complexity of blockchain, AI, and immersive technologies, we can bring advanced digital tools to a broader audience. For example, KALP’s decentralized infrastructure and regulatory compliance ensure that individuals from all regions, regardless of their technical expertise, can engage with secure, scalable blockchain technology.
Democratizing Access to Digital Assets: Through platforms like Kalpify and STOEX Exchanges, we are working to democratize access to real-world assets by making tokenization simple and accessible. This allows individuals from emerging markets to participate in fractional ownership of assets such as real estate, commodities, and intellectual property. Our goal is to bridge the gap between traditional financial systems and decentralized finance, creating opportunities for users who have been underserved by conventional banking systems.
Supporting Entrepreneurs and Innovators: MAI Labs is committed to fostering entrepreneurship by offering access to our comprehensive tech stack, including blockchain, AI, and immersive experience tools, with no upfront costs. Through initiatives like our entrepreneur support programs, we enable startups to leverage our technology to build innovative solutions without the financial burden of technology development. This empowers new businesses to grow and succeed, especially in regions where access to advanced technology is limited.
Promoting Financial Inclusion: One of our key goals is to bring financial services to unbanked and underbanked populations. By leveraging blockchain technology, we can offer decentralized financial services (DeFi) that enable users to store value, send payments, and access credit, even without a traditional banking infrastructure. This opens up new opportunities for economic participation, particularly in developing nations where financial inclusion remains a challenge.
Education and Skill Development: We believe that educating the next billion users is essential to driving meaningful engagement with technology. MAI Labs invests in educational programs and partnerships that teach digital literacy, blockchain development, and AI skills to individuals worldwide. Through workshops, training sessions, and online resources, we empower users to not only use our platforms but also create and innovate within the digital ecosystem.
By combining advanced technology with a deep commitment to inclusivity and education, MAI Labs is working to ensure that the next billion users are empowered to fully participate in the digital economy, creating a more connected, equitable, and innovative world.
Nowadays, having additional income has become a big-time goal for many people seeking financial independence. With rising expenses and growing demands, regular earnings often fall short. This has led to an increased interest in innovative ways to generate extra income. As a result, user-friendly, easy-to-use money-earning apps have gained popularity.
In this article, let’s look at some of the best daily money-earning apps in India.
Google Opinion Rewards – Top Daily Money-Earning Apps in India
Google Opinion Rewards stands out as a pioneering app in passive income generation. Developed by the tech giant, this innovative platform leverages the power of user opinions to reward participants for their valuable insights.
How It Works:
The Google Opinion Rewards app presents users with various surveys, from market research to customer satisfaction evaluations. These surveys, tailored to the user’s interests and demographics, can be completed in minutes, earning the user a small monetary reward. The rewards, typically ranging from Rs 5 to Rs 20 per survey, are deposited directly into the user’s Google Pay account, making it a seamless and convenient process.
Cashbuddy
App
Cashbuddy
Rating
4.5
Platforms Supported
IOS and Android
Cashbuddy – Top Daily Money-Earning Apps in India
Cashbuddy is a multifunctional passive income app that offers a range of earning opportunities, from watching promotional videos to engaging with YouTube content.
How It Works:
The Cashbuddy app allows users to earn rewards by completing various tasks, such as viewing promotional videos or engaging with select YouTube channels. When the video owners or content creators reach a certain revenue threshold, they share a portion of their earnings with the app’s users, providing a steady stream of passive income.
Swagbucks
App
Swagbucks
Rating
4.5
Platforms Supported
IOS and Android
Swagbucks – Top Daily Money-Earning Apps in India
Swagbucks is a well-established passive income app that offers various earning opportunities, from completing online surveys to watching promotional videos and playing games.
How It Works:
Swagbucks provides users with a wide array of tasks and activities that can be completed to earn rewards, known as “Swagbucks.” These Swagbucks can then be redeemed for various rewards, including gift cards from popular merchants like Amazon, PayPal cash, and more.
Dream11
App
Dream11
Rating
4.3
Platforms Supported
IOS and Android
Dream11 – Top Daily Money-Earning Apps in India
Dream11 is a unique passive income app that allows users to create virtual sports teams and earn rewards based on their team’s performance.
How It Works:
Dream11 is a fantasy sports platform where users can create their teams of real-life players and earn points based on the players’ on-field performance. Users can then enter contests with fixed prize pools, competing against other users and potentially winning cash prizes.
Loco
App
Loco
Rating
3.1
Platforms Supported
IOS and Android
Loco – Top Daily Money-Earning Apps in India
Loco is a versatile passive income app that combines the excitement of live streaming, gaming, and rewarding user engagement.
How It Works:
Loco allows users to earn money by participating in various activities, such as playing free online games, live-streaming their gameplay, or engaging with other users’ streams. The app’s revenue-sharing model rewards users for their active participation and engagement.
Doocash is a passive income app that allows users to earn rewards by completing various tasks, such as watching videos and participating in surveys and polls.
How It Works:
The Doocash app gives users various tasks, including watching promotional videos, completing surveys, and participating in polls. Upon completing these tasks, users are rewarded with cash, which can be withdrawn into their online wallets.
Roz Dhan
App
Roz Dhan
Rating
4.1
Platforms Supported
IOS and Android
Roz Dhan – Top Daily Money-Earning Apps in India
Roz Dhan is a passive income app that combines survey participation, video viewing, and news consumption to generate user earnings.
How It Works:
Roz Dhan allows users to earn money by completing surveys, watching videos, and reading news articles. The app’s revenue-sharing model rewards users for engaging and participating in these activities.
Databuddy
App
Databuddy
Rating
4
Platforms Supported
IOS and Android
Databuddy – Top Daily Money-Earning Apps in India
Databuddy is a unique passive income app that combines cashback rewards and referral-based earnings to create a comprehensive earning platform.
How It Works:
Upon installing the Databuddy app, users can earn cashback rewards on their purchases from various e-commerce platforms, including Amazon, Flipkart, and Myntra. Additionally, the app offers referral-based earnings, where users can invite their friends and earn rewards when they make purchases through the app.
Survey Junkie – Top Daily Money-Earning Apps in India
Survey Junkie is a well-established passive income app that specializes in providing users with the opportunity to earn rewards by participating in online surveys.
How It Works:
The Survey Junkie app connects users with a wide range of surveys, where they can share their opinions and insights on various topics. Users earn points for completing these surveys, which can be redeemed for cash via PayPal or other payment methods.
mCent
App
mCent
Rating
4
Platforms Supported
IOS and Android
mCent – Top Daily Money-Earning Apps in India
mCent is a passive income app that allows users to earn rewards by completing various tasks, including app downloads and product promotions.
How It Works:
The mCent app presents users with various tasks, such as downloading apps, watching videos, and engaging with product promotions. Users can earn cash rewards or mobile recharge coupons by completing these tasks, which can be redeemed through their preferred payment method.
EarnKaro
App
EarnKaro
Rating
3.7
Platforms Supported
IOS and Android
EarnKaro – Top Daily Money-Earning Apps in India
EarnKaro is a passive income app that empowers users to earn rewards by promoting and referring various deals and offers to others.
How It Works:
The EarnKaro app allows users to earn commissions by referring and promoting deals from popular retailers, such as Ajio, Flipkart, and Adidas. Whenever someone purchases through the user’s unique referral link, the user earns a share of the transaction, resulting in passive income.
Pocket Money
App
Pocket Money
Rating
4.3
Platforms Supported
IOS and Android
Pocket Money – Top Daily Money-Earning Apps in India
Pocket Money is a comprehensive passive income app that combines various earning activities, including task completion, video watching, and gaming, to provide users with diverse earning opportunities.
How It Works:
The Pocket Money app allows users to earn rewards by completing tasks, watching promotional videos, and even playing the in-app game Tombola. Consistent participation in these activities can provide users with a steady stream of passive income, which can be redeemed for mobile recharges or cash rewards.
Ibotta is a passive income app that enables users to earn cashback rewards on their everyday purchases at various retailers.
How It Works:
The Ibotta app allows users to earn cashback rewards by shopping at participating retailers in-store and online. Users can also earn additional bonuses by watching videos and completing simple tasks like voting in polls.
Taurus
App
Taurus
Rating
4.8
Platforms Supported
IOS and Android
Taurus – Top Daily Money-Earning Apps in India
Taurus is a passive income app that allows users to earn cash rewards by playing a simple game for a few minutes daily.
How It Works:
The Taurus app features a simple game that users can play for at least 5 minutes daily to earn cash rewards. Users can also invite their friends to play in a multiplayer mode, earning additional rewards for participation and engagement.
Rupiyo
App
Rupiyo
Rating
3.4
Platforms Supported
IOS and Android
Rupiyo is a passive income app that offers users a variety of earning opportunities, including task completion, game playing, and referral-based rewards.
How It Works:
The Rupiyo app presents users with various tasks, such as completing surveys, watching videos, and referring the app to others. By completing these activities, users can earn daily cash rewards, which can be withdrawn through bank transfers.
Conclusion
In the dynamic and ever-evolving world of passive income apps, the opportunities for urban entrepreneurs and individuals to supplement their earnings are vast and diverse. By leveraging these innovative apps and capitalizing on their unique features, users can earn cash rewards, explore their interests, engage with diverse communities, and take control of their financial well-being. As the demand for passive income solutions grows, these apps offer a promising and accessible path to economic empowerment and independence.
FAQ
Which are the best money-earning apps?
Here are some of the best money-earning apps:
Google Opinion Rewards
Cashbuddy
Swagbucks
Dream11
Loco
Doocash
Roz Dhan
Databuddy
Survey Junkie-
mCent
EarnKaro
Pocket Money
Ibotta
Taurus
Rupiyo
Are money-earning apps real?
Yes, some money-earning apps are real, but it’s important to research and verify their legitimacy before using them to avoid scams. Always check reviews and payment proof.
How do I redeem my earnings from daily money-earning apps in India?
To redeem earnings from daily money-earning apps in India, you typically need to accumulate a minimum balance. Once you’ve reached that threshold, you can transfer the funds via bank transfer, UPI, Paytm, or other supported wallets. Each app will have specific instructions for withdrawals, so check their redemption policy.
In the early 1990s, when the internet was just an infant and mobile phones were not smart, V.S.S Mani envisioned creating digital yellow pages to connect people and local businesses with just one phone call.
In 1996, Mani sowed the seeds of his idea in the bustling streets of urban chaos in Mumbai and launched ‘Justdial.’ He aimed to simplify the cumbersome task of finding local businesses in a printed directory. Mani invented an efficient phone-based online directory service where anyone could dial in to find local businesses, products, and services.
Who knew what started as a small garage idea with an investment of only INR 50,000 would turn into a multi-million company, altering the way Indians searched for information?
In this ‘Startup Talker’ story, we will explore the fascinating journey of V.S.S Mani, the early days of Justdial, and the challenges he faced along the way.
V.S.S Mani was born in 1966 in Jamshedpur and belongs to a humble and traditional Tamil Brahmin family. Growing up in a middle-class family, he was no stranger to the challenges of making ends meet. Mani’s early life was shaped by strong family values and a zeal to work hard,which later played a crucial role in his entrepreneurial journey.
After completing his schooling, Mani enrolled for a bachelor’s degree at Delhi University along with preparing for Chartered Accountancy. However, he had to quit his college dreams due to financial crunches.
Even as a college dropout, Mani aspired to create something of his own and faced several challenges along the journey before landing on the idea that would later become ‘Justdial’.
Mani started his professional journey in 1987 as a salesperson for a yellow page company, United Database India. Being a man with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, in 1989 he co-founded AskMe, his first start-up venture and India’s first phone-based directory based in Delhi. Even with an initial investment of 25 lakhs and the brains of three other partners, AskMe did not succeed due to the lack of phone accessibility among people and exorbitant call rates.
In 1992, Mani ventured into a wedding planner magazine, yet to confront another setback. For four years, Mani kept trying his hands in multiple initiatives and enterprises with not much success. Finally, with many consecutive misses, Mani shifted his base to Mumbai, a city that made his dream come true.
In 1996, with a small capital of INR 50,000, borrowed furniture, rented computers, and a small office in Malad with only five employees, Mani started ‘Justdial.’ With the liberalisation of telephone policies and a successful meeting with MTNL officials on a unique customer number, Mani’s vision turned into reality. Through sheer determination and innovative thinking, he transformed ‘Justdial’ into a household name, revamping the way people connected with businesses across the country.
In 2000, Mani launched the dot-com version of ‘Justdial,’ expanding the services from mere contact details to online food ordering and ticket booking. Within a decade, with the simple concept of providing a comprehensive online directory of local businesses, Mani had tapped the unmet need of the Indian market. Seeing the massive success with the company’s valuation soaring to INR 4,000 crore by 2007 under his proficient supervision and innovative ideas, the company introduced its web-based version.
In 2013, Mani listed ‘Justdial’ and made the company public by issuing an IPO that further amplified the valuation of the company to INR 6,000 crores. The trailblazing success of ‘Justdial’ grabbed the attention of many investors, and in 2021, Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Retail acquired a total of 66.95% shares in Justdial, which included a 15.63% stake owned by V.S.S. Mani, valued at approximately INR 1,332 crore.
Interview with V.S.S Mani about his Career
V.S.S Mani – Personal Life
Mani is married to Anita Mani and is known to be a family man. Despite his professional success and a strong bond with his wife and kids, Mani believes in keeping his personal life private. Apart from ‘Justdial,’ all his personal affairs are out of the public spotlight.
V.S.S Mani – Challenges
Success did not come to Mani on a platter, both personally and professionally. From not being able to complete his education due to financial crunches to failed startup initiatives, he has faced catastrophe at every step of his life. During the inception of ‘Justdial’, Mani struggled with funding, where he had to sell his wife’s jewellery and withdraw funds from the FDs.
Mani has largely maintained a clean public image; however, in 2013, after the release of the ‘Justdial’ IPO, the company’s stocks faced volatility, leading to questioning the credibility of the company. With the rising concerns over the company’s ability to sustain long-term growth, investors started doubting Mani’s leadership and business model.
‘Justdial’ has also been questioned by industry analysts for their take on innovation, and the company struggled to maintain its market share with rising competition from international giants like Google & Zomato, which put Mani under scrutiny.
Moreover, when ‘Justdial’ was acquired by Reliance Industries, there was a lot of skepticism in the business world about the future of the company. Many believed that Mani would lose all his powers in the once-pioneering startup that was more of a dream come true for him.
V.S.S Mani – Awards And Recognition
Mani was honoured with the coveted Ernst & Young ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ Award 2013 in the area of services.
V.S.S Mani – Famous Quotes!
“Believing in oneself is the most important ingredient to becoming successful.” V.S.S. Mani, Founder, MD, and CEO, Justdial Ltd.
V.S.S. Mani is the founder and current CEO of JustDial.
What is the work of Justdial Company?
Justdial provides local search services, helping users find contact details, reviews, and addresses for businesses and services across various categories in India.
Is Justdial owned by Reliance?
Yes, Reliance Industries acquired a majority stake in Justdial in 2021.
The times are here, as we say the ‘winter’ is here.
As the festive season unfolds, there are multiple reasons that make us enjoy the times a bit more – as consumers, and as individuals. Right from the deals to the traction to the growth in numbers, footfalls, and revenues – there are instances that put the BFCM times at the top of the table in terms of significance. Arguably, the busiest shopping days of the year, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, present a golden opportunity for businesses to boost sales and mullahs.
As per the reports, Black Friday 2023 online revenue reached over $9.80 billion, a 7.46% increase from last year. It was 188% higher than the average daily online sales and 179% higher than Q4’s daily sales. However, Black Friday’s revenue was 21% lower than Cyber Monday. From 2022 to 2023, online retail spending grew by 7.69%.
Why Shoppers Buy on Black Friday?
With the increasing popularity of online shopping, it has become crucial for e-commerce companies to develop effective Black Friday marketing strategies. In this article, we shall explore proven strategies to help you plan and execute a profitable Black Friday Cyber Monday promotion.
Before diving into the planning process, it is essential to define your goals for the Black Friday Cyber Monday promotion. By setting clear objectives, you can stay focused and measure the success of your marketing strategies. What do you want to achieve with the BFCM edition, what are your goals and where do you see yourself at the end of the sale? Well, some questions you should keep in mind while starting on the planning for the big day. Some common goals include:
Increase sales: Determine the number of sales you aim to achieve during the promotion.
Grow your customer base: Set a target for acquiring new customers and expanding your reach.
Boost brand loyalty: Encourage repeat purchases and strengthen customer loyalty.
Increase website traffic:Drive more visitors to your website and generate leads.
By defining your goals, you can tailor your Black Friday Cyber Monday strategies to achieve them effectively, eliminating any last-minute hassle whatsoever.
Build Your Email List
Email marketing is a powerful tool for driving sales during the Black Friday Cyber Monday period. Start building your email list well in advance of the promotion to gather subscribers who are interested in your offers. Consider implementing the following strategies:
Create an email popup: Design a popup that offers exclusive access or discounts to those who sign up for your newsletter.
Offer incentives:Provide additional discounts or free shipping for customers who subscribe to your email list.
Segment your list:Categorise subscribers based on their interests and purchase history to send them targeted emails.
The Gear Guy Gives a 15% Discount in Exchange for an Email Address
When you are able to build a strong and comprehensive email list, you give yourself a chance to seamlessly communicate your Black Friday Cyber Monday offers and drive conversions.
Schedule Your Popups
Popups are not just for collecting emails. Period.
They can also be used to guide visitors to your best Black Friday Cyber Monday offers. Come on, we live in an era where all the information we need is just a click away, literally. All you need is the right hook and the right timing (No pun intended). By scheduling your popups strategically, you can ensure that your messages reach the right audience at the right time. Consider the following tips:
Create multiple popups:Craft different popups for various purposes, such as highlighting discounts, reducing cart abandonment, or providing information about delivery times.
Experiment with timing: Stand out from the competition by adjusting the timing of your popups. Consider acting early or late to catch the attention of potential customers.
Use attention-grabbing designs: Make your popups visually appealing and aligned with your brand identity to capture and retain visitors’ attention.
You can seize those leads with the right premise!
Leveraging well-timed and targeted popups is a foolproof way to maximize the impact of your Black Friday Cyber Monday promotion.
Who loves chaos, anyway? We don’t and we are sure you and your customers won’t as well.
In a timeline that is largely dominated by ChatGPT ninjas and self-proclaimed experts – it becomes important to stand out. Inbox is where you’ll differentiate from others but you need to know the HOW! In a crowded inbox, it is crucial to create subject lines that stand out and entice recipients to open your emails. Avoid the typical discount-focused subject lines and consider these alternative approaches:
Tease surprises:Create curiosity by hinting at surprises or exclusive offers in your subject lines. We don’t love chaos but yeah – surprises? Bring them on!
Focus on benefits: Instead of solely flaunting discounts, highlight additional benefits such as free shipping, returns, or loyalty program perks. For the junta, the benefit is as important as the savings!
Be creative and humourous:Use humor or clever wordplay to make your subject lines memorable and engaging. Learn from Fevicol, KFC, Swiggy, Zomato, boAt, Samsung. They are what they are for a reason!
With some magic in terms of words and the way you put out your value propositions, you can increase open rates and capture the attention of your target audience. EASY!
Leverage Social Media
I see something on Instagram, search about the founders on LinkedIn, Google the company up, check reviews on Facebook, and boom – bring it home! Who am I?
I’m your customer.
Social media platforms play a significant role in driving awareness, interest, and engagement during the Black Friday Cyber Monday period. To effectively leverage social media, consider the following strategies. Keep reading, don’t skip:
Research about your audience:Identify which social media platforms your target audience frequents the most and focus your efforts there. It can be any platform based on your niche. What works the best for your business use case? A SaaS sells better on Facebook and Linkedin as compared to apparel, as they find their home on Instagram. Choose your audience!
Use hashtags and buzzwords: Incorporate Black Friday-related hashtags and high-performing SEO keywords in your social media posts to increase organic reach. This little piece of magic still works and works incredibly well.
Share engaging content:Content is the kingdom, not just the king and queen. Create visually appealing posts, videos, or interactive content to grab the attention of your followers and encourage them to share your content. Good content is more addictive than the finest of wines. It just keeps on growing.
The EASY Way To Create Facebook Ads That Convert (Black Friday Edition)
Engaging on social media should be a ritual for businesses during their campaign, as this can help them amplify the reach of your Black Friday Cyber Monday promotion and drive more traffic to their website.
Create a Landing Page
Your customers don’t want to land on a rock from 1300 BCE while looking for you online or via an ad. This is where a landing page becomes imperative. A dedicated landing page for your BFCM goals can significantly enhance the customer experience and drive conversions. Follow these tips when creating your landing page and you’ll be good to rock:
Design for simplicity:“When I’m looking for a refrigerator, I need a refrigerator. Don’t walk me through a washing machine and land me up on a refrigerator.” Your UI/UX should be simple and interactive. That’s it. Keep the layout clean and user-friendly, ensuring that visitors can easily navigate and find the information they need.
Highlight your best deals: The hook is important and what’s more effective than flaunting the best, upfront? Showcase your most postcard offers prominently on the landing page to capture visitors’ attention immediately.
Use persuasive copywriting:Copy sells, Apple pushes. The right copy can make or break one’s prospects. So, craft compelling headlines and descriptions that communicate the value of your offers and encourage visitors to take action.
By inculcating a well-designed landing page, you can create a seamless shopping experience for your customers and increase the likelihood of conversions.
Retarget Shopping Cart Abandoners
It stays in the cart until it dies. Well, customers and business owners – both can relate to it for contrasting reasons. After all, Shopping cart abandonment is a common challenge for e-commerce businesses. However, it also presents an opportunity to re-engage potential customers. Implement these strategies to retarget shopping cart abandoners:
Create retargeting lists: You need to be in control of who’s at what stage of conversion, in order to convert them. It is always a nice idea to segment visitors who have abandoned their carts and target them with personalized ads or emails.
Offer incentives:Provide exclusive discounts or free shipping to push abandoners towards completing their purchases. A little push goes a long way.
Create a sense of urgency: Use countdown timers or limited-time offers to create a sense of urgency and prompt action. Well, urgency breeds sales for businesses.
Example of BFCM Countdown Timer
The right strategy can help you minimise cart abandonments, and help you generate more revenue.
Offer More Than Discounts
Discounts are our sweet spot, no denying! But there’s more. While they are a major driver of BFCM sales, one can consider going beyond traditional discounting to offer additional benefits to their customers. Explore these alternatives, instead and see how it goes:
Free shipping: Indians love freebies or simply anything that has something ‘free’ associated with it. Provide free shipping for all orders or incentivize customers to reach a specific purchase threshold to qualify for free shipping.
Loyalty program perks: Offer additional rewards or exclusive access to loyalty program members during the promotion. Loyalty goes a long way!
Bonus gifts: Include free gifts or samples with purchases to increase the value proposition for your customers. We said it again. Free!
When you offer more than just discounts, you can differentiate your brand and provide added value to your customers during the celebrated sale period.
Like all good things, when BFCM comes to a close, continue to build momentum by teasing your next big campaign or event. This tactic keeps customers engaged and encourages them to revisit your website or subscribe to your email list for future promotions. Consider these approaches:
Promote upcoming sales: Tease your Cyber Monday, Christmas, or other holiday sales to maintain customer interest and generate anticipation. Excitement initiates easy sales.
Offer exclusive previews: Provide sneak peeks or exclusive access to upcoming product launches or limited-time offers. This can be done in creative ways to uphold the mystery and excitement.
Highlight unique selling points:Showcase what sets your brand apart from competitors and emphasize the value customers can expect from future campaigns. When you are vocal about your perks and what you bring to the table, the world takes notes.
It is always a good idea to keep your customers guessing and curious about what waits for them, next. With the right kind of strategies and followups – your revenue pipeline shall always be filled, irrespective of the sale.
Launch Flash Deals
Surprising customers with exciting deals every hour is a great way to keep them coming back. Offering flash deals creates urgency and excitement, encouraging quick purchases. It also helps brands build buzz and stay ahead in the market.
Boost Product re-engagement with AI
A smart Black Friday marketing strategy is to suggest products based on what visitors have viewed. Instead of showing these suggestions only on product pages, display them on any page, with a list of recently viewed items at the top.
By using a machine learning algorithm, the tool can arrange the items, putting the ones most likely to be purchased at the top of the list.
Add New Products Just Before Black Friday
Customers love new arrivals! You can use this excitement by adding new products to your store just before or during Black Friday. This will make your store more attractive to shoppers looking for great deals. Be sure to promote your new products on your website and in emails before the event starts.
Conclusion
Well, no brownie points for guessing – this is a BIG, BIG DAY for businesses all around the globe. Doesn’t matter if you’re running an online store that sells Gua Sha stones, or the one with funky founder t-shirts or you’re someone who is building that beautiful piece of software that’ll take the internet by storm in 2030 (we understand your vision), there’s something for everyone during the sale. Businesses can go big or go home and the only thing that can stop them is their own goals, and how they perceive their business in the first place.
FAQs
What are the strategies to retarget shopping cart abandoners?
The strategies to retarget shopping cart abandoners are to create retargeting lists, offer incentives, and create a sense of urgency.
What are the Email marketing strategies that can be implemented during the Black Friday Cyber Monday period?
Email marketing strategies that can be implemented during the BFCM sale period are creating an email popup, offering incentives, and segmenting your list.
Why having a dedicated landing page is important during the BFCM sale period?
A dedicated landing page during BFCM can significantly enhance the customer experience and drive conversions.
You can be unaware of it only if you’re living under a rock. Big day for businesses all around the globe – Black Friday and Cyber Monday, collectively known as BFCM, are two of the most highly anticipated shopping events of the year. For both online and brick-and-mortar merchants, these sales periods offer a unique opportunity to boost sales, attract new customers, and increase brand visibility. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the origins and significance of BFCM, provide valuable tips and strategies for planning your sales, and explore various marketing channels to maximize your reach during this lucrative season.
Black Friday, which falls on the Friday after Thanksgiving, has its roots in the United States and was originally used to mark the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. It gained popularity in the 1960s when people would skip work to take advantage of the sales in retail stores. In the early 1980s, retailers recognized the financial benefits of this annual shopping spree and started offering significant discounts to attract shoppers.
Introduced in 2005, Cyber Monday was created to promote online shopping among Black Friday deal hunters. With the rise of e-commerce, online sales have surpassed retail purchases, making Cyber Monday an essential part of the BFCM shopping experience.
Black Friday Online Consumer Spending with Projection from 2024-2026
As per the reports from Statista and Adobe, the Black Friday 2023 online revenue reached over $9.80 billion, a 7.46% increase from last year. It was 188% higher than the average daily online sales and 179% higher than Q4’s daily sales. However, Black Friday’s revenue was 21% lower than Cyber Monday. From 2022 to 2023, online retail spending grew by 7.69%.
The Popularity and Attraction of BFCM
BFCM has become a highly marketed event, drawing in millions of shoppers in search of the best deals on a wide range of products. Retailers, both online and offline, offer substantial discounts, sometimes as high as 60%, to entice customers. The popularity of BFCM has even led to instances of violence among shoppers in stores. The allure of significant savings and limited-time offers drives customers to participate in this shopping extravaganza.
Planning Your Black Friday Sale
The Importance of Planning
Whether you’re a small store or a large enterprise, planning is crucial to ensure a successful Black Friday sale. Taking the time to strategize and prepare will help you grab the attention of potential customers, increase purchases, and build a loyal customer base. Here are three core steps to consider when planning your Black Friday sale:
Decide your discount amount: Determine the percentage or value of discounts you’re willing to offer on your products. Strike a balance between attracting customers and maintaining profitability.
Promote your store’s discount: Utilise innovative marketing channels to create buzz around your Black Friday sale. Leverage social media platforms, email marketing, and web push notifications to reach a wider audience and generate excitement.
Engage with visitors and provide stellar customer support:Ensure that your website is user-friendly and optimized for a seamless shopping experience. Offer exceptional customer support to maximize conversions and leave a lasting impression on shoppers.
Creating an Online Catalog
Creating an online catalog is a powerful way to showcase your products and reach a larger customer base. Digital catalogs are more cost-effective and easier to create than physical catalogs, allowing you to reduce production and distribution costs. They can also include interactive features such as product reviews, video content, and detailed product information, enhancing customer engagement and decision-making.
Leveraging Communication Channels For BFCM
Customers crave attention. They want to feel important as well as informed. To effectively market your Black Friday sale and increase visibility, consider leveraging web push notifications. Craft well-written notifications that highlight your sale and entice subscribers to visit your store and make a purchase. Businesses can also transform their social media into a sales and support engine during BFCM and make the most out of the Black Friday- Cyber Monday extravaganza. Reach out to your customers on Facebook, share behind-the-scenes footage on your Instagram, or simply send them order updates on WhatsApp. Convert your Black Friday visitors into subscribers to expand your audience and market to them even after the sale ends. Trust us, they love it!
To maximize your sales and revenue opportunities, consider extending the BFCM sales period beyond the traditional weekend. By planning for a longer sales period, you can take advantage of pre-Thanksgiving sales and promotions, as well as post-BFCM opportunities. Communicate your offers early and continue promoting them to capture the attention of customers who may be considering whether to buy online or in person.
Identifying Products for Promotion
Picking the right products to promote during BFCM is essential for driving sales and maximizing profitability. Leverage data and analytics to identify high-demand products that customers are most likely to purchase during this period. Utilise sales reports, conduct an ABC analysis, and leverage inventory management systems to make informed decisions about which products to feature in your Black Friday campaign. What has worked for you in the past, shall give you an idea as to what would work in the future as well. So, keep a tab on your sales history to make the most out of the period.
Crafting Irresistible Offers
Creating compelling offers is key to attracting customers and driving sales during the BFCM sales period. Consider running “jaw-dropping” sales on popular items to draw customers to your store. Utilise apps and features that promote discounts, upsells, and cross-sells to encourage customers to make larger purchases. Additionally, consider using flagship products as loss leaders to drive revenue and increase average order value.
Optimizing Shipping and Delivery
If you’re selling a physical product, then a well-defined shipping and delivery strategy is crucial for a successful Black Friday sale. Define your shipping options, including free shipping thresholds and expedited shipping, to meet customer expectations and incentivize purchases. Communicate your shipping policy, including transit times, on your website and during the checkout process. Consider offering additional shipping options such as buying online, and pickup in-store to cater to local customers. For those selling SaaS, or LTDs to their software – it is important to highlight the perks, benefits, and how the software experience would be delivered in the first place.
Black Friday And Cyber Monday Deals: What You Need To Know
Rewarding and Retaining Customers
Rewarding loyal customers is an effective way to drive sales and foster brand loyalty during the BFCM sales period. Offer exclusive discounts, early access to sales, and special perks for referrals through your customer loyalty program. Personalize your marketing campaigns and provide targeted offers to existing customers to encourage repeat purchases. Utilise email marketing and social media to engage with your loyal customer base and incentivize them to continue shopping with you.
Reflection and Improvement
After the dust of BFCM settles, take the time to reflect on your strategies and outcomes. Analyze your sales data, customer feedback, and marketing performance to identify areas of improvement. Document your decisions and outcomes for future reference and use the lessons learned to refine your approach for the next BFCM sales period.
You can host a Black Friday live stream on your social media channels. People can join from anywhere, letting you showcase products, answer questions, and offer special deals to more people.
You could also use these events to raise money for charity. A live stream on Instagram with a donation link is a great way to support a good cause and strengthen your brand image.
Take Advantage of Cross-selling
Example of Cross-Selling
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are perfect for improving your cross-selling skills.
When a customer buys something, suggest another item that goes well with it. Simple examples of cross-selling include:
Socks + shoes
Yoga mats + yoga straps
To set up cross-sell offers, you can use third-party tools too.
Conclusion
Black Friday and Cyber Monday offer tremendous opportunities for businesses to boost sales and attract new customers. By understanding the history and significance of BFCM, carefully planning your sales, and utilizing the right marketing channels and resources, you can maximize your reach and profitability during this highly anticipated shopping season. Follow the strategies and tips outlined in this guide to ensure a successful and lucrative BFCM experience for your business.
FAQs
What is BFCM meaning?
BFCM is Black Friday – Cyber Monday. It refers to the major shopping events right after Thanksgiving. Many retailers offer big discounts during this time.
What is Cyber Monday?
Cyber Monday, introduced in 2005, was created to promote online shopping among Black Friday deal hunters.
How extending the BFCM sales period can help maximize your sales and revenue?
By planning for a longer sales period, you can take advantage of pre-Thanksgiving sales and promotions, as well as post-BFCM opportunities.
How can the customers be retained and rewarded during the BFCM sales period?
Rewarding loyal customers is an effective way to drive sales and foster brand loyalty during the BFCM sales period. Offer exclusive discounts, early access to sales, and special perks for referrals through your customer loyalty program.
According to reports, WeWork India, a joint venture between the American co-working giant WeWork and the Bengaluru-based real estate company Embassy Group, is considering preparations for an initial public offering (IPO). WeWork India is looking to go public with a target valuation of $2 billion to $2.5 billion. JM Financial has been designated as the book-running lead manager for the issue by the company, according to reports.
The IPO is expected to increase the valuation of WeWork India, which was valued at less than $400 million in its most recent investment round in 2020. According to the report, the company hopes to collect $350 million to $475 million through its first public offering.
WeWork’s IPO Offerings
Depending on the state of the market, the exact figures will be decided closer to the IPO date. Both a primary capital raise to assist corporate expansion and a secondary stake sale by current shareholders, including WeWork US, will be part of the offering.
The South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Company, whose Indian unit is listed at a little discount after the nation’s largest IPO, had a disastrous Indian market debut. Now, WeWork’s intention to go public in the Indian stock market is a very interesting development for market observers to look forward to.
Plans to Launch the IPO in 2025
By year’s end, the corporation is supposed to submit the required paperwork. The Embassy Group is also hoping to shore up liquidity through the issuance; therefore, the firm is aiming for a listing by the first half of 2025. WeWork US came out of bankruptcy earlier this year with a $750 million equity valuation, and Anant Yardi, a digital entrepreneur of Indian descent, became the new majority owner. According to reports, the Embassy, supported by the Virwani family, attempted to purchase a 27% share in WeWork India from WeWork Global, but those plans were unsuccessful.
WeWork India sought to raise approximately $150 million from a group of investors, including Mithun Sacheti, the creator of CaratLane, the family office of Enam Group, and venture fund A91 Partners, in order to finance this transaction. The deal ultimately fell through, despite the company’s goal of a $550 million valuation.
About WeWork
With the goal of establishing spaces where individuals and businesses can collaborate and perform at their highest level, WeWork was established in 2010. Since establishing its initial office in New York City, the company has expanded to become a global provider of workplace solutions dedicated to offering adaptable solutions, motivating, secure environments, and unparalleled community experiences. Since that’s how the future operates, WeWork is always rethinking how the workplace can make everyone—from Fortune 500 companies to independent contractors—more driven, effective, and content.
SoftBank Vision Fund partner Paul Davison has stepped down from his position as a non-executive director of the board of Brainbees Solutions, the company that runs the omnichannel children’s clothing line FirstCry. The Pune-based business said in a stock exchange filing on September 22 that the resignation was due to SoftBank’s internal compliance commitments.
“Unfortunately, given that FirstCry is now a publicly traded company, SoftBank’s internal compliance policies require that I resign and no longer hold the position of board director,” Davison wrote in his letter of resignation. Since July 15, 2019, Davison has been a member of FirstCry’s board.
SoftBank’s Internal Compliance
SoftBank’s internal governance and compliance requirements usually cause it to leave board positions in firms once they go public. This method enables the company to control risks, concentrate on investment strategies, and have flexibility when it comes to exiting investments.
In the similar move, after the fintech company Paytm and the insurance marketplace Policybazaar were listed on Indian stock markets, Munish Varma, a former managing partner of SoftBank Investment Advisors, resigned from the boards of both companies in 2022.
India is a Top Performing Market
In an interview with a well-known news source on October 22, Alex Clavel, co-chief executive of SoftBank Investment Advisers, said that India is one of the best markets for the firm’s portfolio companies, as most of them are going public. In the June quarter of this year, SoftBank sold off its stake in Paytm, suffering a loss of almost $150 million, and finished its exit from PB Fintech, the parent company of Policybazaar.
FirstCry’s Financial Report Card Prior Going to Public
On August 13, 2024, FirstCry debuted on the stock market, launching at a 34.4% premium over the INR 465 price of its initial public offering (IPO).
The company raised INR 1,885.8 crore in an anchor round prior to the IPO, and 4,055,428 equity shares were distributed to 71 anchor investors, including Norges Bank, Government of Singapore, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), Fidelity Funds, Nordea Asset Management, Max Life, Nomura Funds, SBI Mutual Fund, ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund, HDFC Mutual Fund, Kotak Mahindra Mutual Fund, and Goldman Sachs.
Compared to the same period last year, when it recorded a consolidated net loss of INR 90 crore, FirstCry posted a loss of INR 57 crore for the quarter ending June 30. Compared to the equivalent quarter of the previous fiscal year, when revenue from operations was INR 1,407 crore, it increased by 17% to INR 1,652 crore.
Nitin Konde
