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Tag: d2c brands

  • Leveraging Social Media for Diwali Promotions: Winning Strategies for D2C Brands

    This article has been contributed by Manasvita Subramanian, Chief of Digital Marketing at Spicetree Design Agency. 

    With the Diwali season sparking consumer excitement, it’s an ideal time for direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands to ramp up social media efforts. Many brands have achieved impressive results by connecting emotionally with their audience, launching festive products, and using targeted ads and influencer collaborations. Here are successful strategies brands have already used for Diwali promotions, demonstrating how to create impact in a crowded digital landscape.

    1. Highlight Cultural Relevance with an Engaging Festive Story

    D2C brands like Cadbury and Amazon have mastered the art of using Diwali’s cultural significance in their social media storytelling. This approach strengthens brand appeal and forms an emotional bond with customers. For example, Cadbury’s “Not Just a Cadbury Ad” campaign took an innovative approach by creating hyper-localized ads that encouraged viewers to buy from local stores for Diwali. Through social media, they rolled out city-specific ads featuring local vendors, adding a strong community-focused message.

    Why it Worked:

    Cadbury tapped into the cultural sentiment of supporting local businesses during Diwali, aligning perfectly with the festive spirit and gaining immense traction on social platforms.

    2. Create Limited-Edition Festive Products and Attractive Bundles

    Nykaa’s Diwali Dhamaka Sale offers up to 50% off on top beauty brands, with special Diwali bundles and gift sets in festive packaging. “Buy-more-save-more” deals incentivized larger purchases, making it easy for customers to buy multiple products at discounted rates.

    Why It Worked:

    This approach tapped into Diwali’s gifting spirit with attractive, ready-made gift options that offered value and convenience. The festive packaging and exclusive bundles increased appeal, encouraging bigger purchases and boosting Nykaa’s sales during the high-demand season.

    3. Emotional Storytelling

    Zomato‘s Diwali campaign, “Rishton Se Hai Diwali, Har Din,” successfully navigated the crowded digital landscape by focusing on emotional storytelling and cultural relevance. The campaign’s heartwarming video resonated deeply with audiences, showcasing the unifying power of food during the festive season. This approach not only increased brand engagement but also strengthened Zomato’s connection with its customers.

    Why it Worked:

    The campaign’s heartwarming video effectively portrayed the unifying power of shared meals, evoking strong emotions and creating a sense of nostalgia. By aligning with the cultural context and values of its audience, Zomato successfully created a memorable and impactful campaign that resonated on a personal level.

    Diwali Influencer Marketing: Tactics to Boost E-commerce Sales
    Discover how influencer marketing can boost e-commerce sales during Diwali with authentic, targeted campaigns that resonate with festive shoppers.
    StartupTalkyVarun Bhardwaj

    4. Leverage Influencer Collaborations with Festive Content

    Haldiram, partnered with popular influencer Komal Pandey to elevate their Diwali campaign through the campaign #YehDiwaliApnoWali, translating to “This Diwali is all about loved ones.” In this charming campaign, Komal showcased how Haldiram’s delectable treats create memorable moments among family and friends during the festival. Her engaging reel combined style, flavour, and the essence of togetherness, making it a perfect representation of Diwali celebrations.

    Why It Worked:

    The collaboration effectively captured the warmth of the holiday, allowing the brand to connect emotionally with its audience. By aligning with an influencer whose values resonate with its target market, Haldiram reinforced its position as a key part of festive gatherings

    5. Enhance Engagement with Festive AR Filters

    OnePlus launched a festive campaign centered around Diwali, titled #OneCelebration, where they collaborated with Snapchat to develop an AR portal lens designed to connect individuals, especially those unable to celebrate Diwali in person. Through this innovative feature, users could immerse themselves in the festive spirit with the AR portal lens, adding virtual decorations, sparkling lights, and a touch of warmth to their surroundings.

    Why It Worked:

    The campaign resonated deeply with users by addressing the emotional aspects of celebrating Diwali apart from family and friends. The AR portal lens offered a unique and innovative way for people to connect and celebrate Diwali, this resonated with the festival’s core values of family and community. The campaign also aligned perfectly with OnePlus’ brand ethos of innovation and youth appeal. By leveraging cutting-edge technology to create a festive experience, OnePlus demonstrated its commitment to staying ahead of the curve.

    By blending cultural relevance, interactive campaigns, influencer partnerships, and AI, D2C brands can build strong connections with their audience during Diwali. The examples above show how well-crafted campaigns on social media can enhance a brand’s visibility, boost engagement, and drive sales. Brands that leverage Diwali’s festive energy with creative, consumer-centric strategies are more likely to see tangible results, building both brand loyalty and festive cheer in the process.

    Effective Diwali Marketing Ideas to Boost Sales During the Festive Season 2024
    Check out how you can boost your sales at the time of Diwali with some effective Diwali marketing ideas this festive season 2024.
    StartupTalkyApoorva Bajj

  • Leveraging Social Media for Diwali Promotions: A Winning Strategy for D2C Brands

    This article has been contributed by Ankit Aneja, Vice President, Herbal Chakra Pvt. Ltd. 

    As Diwali is around the corner, D2C brands have a prime opportunity to use social media to engage consumers, sell more, and create lasting relationships. Digital platforms become an integral part of modern marketing, making it important to develop Diwali-specific campaigns so that one can stand out in a busy marketplace. Here are some key strategies that can help D2C brands optimize their social media presence and maximize impact this holiday season:

    Diwali-Specific Discounts and Promotions

    Discount and promotion sales will continue to be one of the most attractive ways for Indian consumers, especially with Diwali when it is all about spending money in gifting and personal purchases. A Diwali special or a festive promotion will create some sort of urgency for a limited period and move into quick sales. Sales should be hosted, coupons be offered, and packaged products flaunted: Social media, especially Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp-what better way to promote something? Tools such as countdown timers on Instagram Stories or discounts on Facebook ads will ensure that brands get maximum traffic during the holiday season since impulses will drive it.

    The demand for healthy lifestyles, Diwali is not merely about sales. It also represents an excellent opportunity to nudge consumers toward new habits as wellness trends become mainstream for D2C brands in their way of propagating healthier and mindful lifestyles. For example, Herbal Chakra could focus on Ayurvedic rituals for health and wellness, encouraging customers to “start your health journey this Diwali.” Whether it is fitness, mindfulness, or skincare routines, holiday events provide emotional touchpoints that inspire people to make long-term lifestyle changes. Brands can create compelling content like tutorials, educational posts, or influencer collaborations that resonate with a growing health-conscious audience.

    The Power of Substitution: Healthier Alternatives

    Spotlighting Healthier Alternatives during Diwali is a very effective approach. When the season is known for overindulgence and lavish living, brands can seize this moment as an opportunity to shift consumers towards healthier and eco-friendly alternatives. An example would be pushing jaggery as an alternative to refined sugar in most of the sweets that make up the festive treats. Making content about sustainable conscious choices such as sustainable packaging or organic ingredients can ensure that the brand reaches the masses without going out of relevance during the festival.

    Diwali Influencer Marketing: Tactics to Boost E-commerce Sales
    Discover how influencer marketing can boost e-commerce sales during Diwali with authentic, targeted campaigns that resonate with festive shoppers.
    StartupTalkyVarun Bhardwaj

    The Key is Content: Performance Marketing Meets Organic Engagement

    In marketing strategy terms, a strategy for instant returns during the festival; however, a brand cannot undermine the long-term strength that content marketing possesses. Creating valuable content regularly allows brand awareness to build in the long run and deepen customers’ relationships with you.

    Organic content, that is, a product guide, user-generated stories, and even behind-the-scenes content could give a loyal community. Ideas of the values ​​that the brand stands for or activities of initiatives such as eco-friendly campaigns or charity events around Diwali are going to appeal emotionally and increase brand affinity. A great example is working with influencers and customer reviews to encourage D2C beauty brands to create makeup tutorials around the holiday season and encourage their followers to achieve the same look with a brand’s products. 

    Foster Brand Loyalty: Re-target and Lifetime Value Focus for the Long Haul

    To have a sustainable future, D2C brands will have to build customer loyalty that lasts beyond the holiday season. Retargeting campaigns will help brands reach out to their former customers with personalized offers or reminders about Diwali sales. These can be very effective when retargeting segments that have already shown interest in your brand but haven’t bought yet.

    Finally, a D2C business is only sustainable if it is customer lifetime value-focused. Brands should create loyal customers by offering subscription models, exclusive offers, or loyalty programs. It has been observed that brands often contact their existing customers asking them to buy during the festival of Diwali and continue using the same throughout the year. Email marketing can do wonders for customer retention if it is accompanied by tailored discount codes and exclusive, timed pre-sale access. This means that the value that contributed to the long-term success cycle can be substantially increased for customers.

    Expand Your Footprint: 

    For new D2C brands, Diwali is an excellent time to get more visibility through aggregator platforms like Amazon, Flipkart or Nykaa. Although the margins may not be too high at this stage, it is a never-before opportunity to reach out to an enormous and very diverse consumer base. By aggregating new brands with well-known markets, aggregators add to the trust customers are bound to have in and seek out the products coming from these new brands. It can then be driven, during the high-spending season, by placing their D2C presence there, which can convert those sales into direct-to-self, through their website.

    First, it has to be about getting your brand in front of as many people as possible and then reaching out to the brand’s platform, which has higher margins.

    Leverage Your Existing Customer Base:

    One of the most valuable assets for any D2C brand is its existing customer base. Diwali presents a great opportunity to reconnect with loyal customers through personalized messages, exclusive offers, and festive greetings. Send premium customers early access codes or, offer extra discounts on referrers during the period. Create some holiday-related product bundles so that purchasing is more exciting. And that will generate more sales in addition to a loyal base of customers. Take this moment to actively gather feedback for enhancing further and refine based on resonance with the brand’s audiences.

    “Diwali offers D2C brands a chance to connect meaningfully with audiences, integrating festival tradition with the potential of digital engagement. Through social media, we are reaching consumers directly; they get emotional about festivals; we are offering customized offers and establishing long-term relations. Brands can have high-impact, value-based campaigns by focusing on authentic storytelling, wellness habits, and environmental alternatives for products.” – Ankit Aneja, Vice President, Herbal Chakra Pvt. Ltd. 

    This will ensure that D2C brands have repeat sales and brand advocacy even after the holiday season. It is an excellent opportunity for D2C brands to reach new customers, retain existing ones, and increase overall brand awareness during Diwali, provided they make the right use of social media. Adding monetary incentives, encouraging new habits, offering healthier alternatives, and focusing on a long-term content strategy, D2C brands can make the most of their social media presence for a successful Diwali campaign.

    Effective Diwali Marketing Ideas to Boost Sales During the Festive Season 2024
    Check out how you can boost your sales at the time of Diwali with some effective Diwali marketing ideas this festive season 2024.
    StartupTalkyApoorva Bajj

  • D2C Brands are Bridging the Gap Between Urban, Semi-urban, and Rural India

    D2C brands are using their unique model to reach consumers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, offering them access to high-quality products and services that were once only available in urban areas.

    In a rapidly evolving business landscape, Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) brands have emerged as pivotal players in the dynamic Indian market. Their role in bridging the divide between urban, semi-urban, and rural regions of India is becoming increasingly prominent. By adopting a direct online sales approach, D2C brands are successfully extending their reach to consumers in smaller towns and cities, where traditional retail outlets may be scarce.

    The significance of D2C brands in India transcends mere commerce; they are poised to revolutionize the consumer landscape in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. Their value proposition lies in offering top-notch products and services at competitive price points, granting consumers in these regions the same access to quality offerings that their urban counterparts enjoy.

    Challenges and Opportunities of Catering to Consumers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities in India
    D2C Brands Are Bridging the Gap Between Urban, Semi-urban, and Rural India
    Advice for D2C Brands Looking to Expand Their Reach to Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities

    Challenges and Opportunities of Catering to Consumers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities in India

    One of the biggest challenges for D2C brands catering to consumers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities is the lack of infrastructure. Many of these cities have limited access to reliable internet and transportation, which can make it difficult for consumers to shop online and receive their orders. Additionally, consumers in these cities are often more price-conscious than their urban counterparts.

    Despite these challenges, there are also significant opportunities for D2C brands in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. These cities are home to a large and growing population of middle-class consumers who are increasingly interested in shopping online. Additionally, consumers in these cities are often more brand-loyal than urban consumers, once they find a brand that they like.

    Mr. Raghunandan Saraf, Founder and CEO of Saraf Furniture, said, “These regions offer immense potential due to their large populations and increasing disposable incomes. However, there are logistical and infrastructural challenges that can complicate reaching these consumers. These challenges include establishing efficient supply chains, navigating diverse cultural preferences, and addressing limited internet connectivity in some areas.”

    Moreover, he emphasized the significance of localized marketing strategies and after-sales support. He highlighted that despite these challenges, considerable opportunities exist. He drew attention to the fact that Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are experiencing a surge in aspirational consumers who are actively seeking quality products. He underscored the idea that D2C brands can capitalize on this demand by delivering value-driven propositions and tailoring personalized experiences.

    Ms. Shalvi Govil, Head of E-commerce & Operations of The Indian Garage Co., mentioned the key challenges and opportunities of catering to consumers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India.

    Challenges

    1. Awareness and Brand Perception: Building brand awareness and establishing a positive perception among consumers in these cities can be challenging.
    2. Price Sensitivity: Consumers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities tend to be price-sensitive and have limited purchasing power. 
    3. Distribution and Supply Chain: Setting up an efficient distribution network in these cities can be challenging due to limited infrastructure and connectivity. Maintaining a consistent supply of products to meet demand can also be difficult.
    4. Cultural Diversity: India has diverse regional cultures, and brands need to understand the preferences and tastes of consumers in different cities. They may need to adapt their product offerings to suit local preferences.

    Opportunities

    1. Growing Middle Class: Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India have a rapidly expanding middle-class population with increasing disposable income. 
    2. Untapped Market Potential: Many Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India are relatively untapped by fashion brands, offering a first-mover advantage and the opportunity to establish market dominance.
    3. Rising Urbanization and Changing Lifestyles: As urbanization increases in these cities, there is a shift in consumer lifestyles and preferences. This presents an opportunity for fast fashion brands to cater to the fashion-conscious urban population.
    4. Digital Penetration: With the rise of internet penetration and smartphone usage in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, e-commerce platforms provide a cost-effective way for a brand to reach a broader consumer base and overcome distribution challenges.
    5. Localization and Customization: Brands can leverage the cultural diversity of these cities by offering localized products that align with regional tastes and preferences. Customization options can also enhance the brand’s appeal and cater to individual consumer choices.

    “Overall, while there are challenges, fast fashion brands like The Indian Garage Co., catering to consumers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India can benefit from the growing market potential, changing lifestyles, and the availability of digital platforms,” she added.

    D2C Brands Are Bridging the Gap Between Urban, Semi-urban, and Rural India

    D2C brands are using a variety of strategies to bridge the gap between urban, semi-urban, and rural India. One common strategy is to offer regional language support. This makes it easier for consumers in non-urban areas to shop online and understand the product information. Additionally, many D2C brands are partnering with local retailers to offer offline sales and customer support. This helps to reach consumers who may not be comfortable shopping online or who do not have access to reliable internet.

    Mr. Saraf said, “At Saraf Furniturе, we see our D2C brand as a bridgе that connеcts urban, sеmi-urban, and rural India. One of our kеy stratеgiеs is to leverage thе digital rеvolution in India, making our products еasily accessible onlinе. Wе hаvе invested in user-friendly websites and mobilе apps that catеr to a widе rangе of consumеrs, including thosе with limitеd intеrnеt connеctivity. Furthermore, we offer a divеrsе product rangе that catеrs to various tastеs and prеfеrеncеs, еnsuring that our furniturе appеals to both urban and rural sеnsibilitiеs. Additionally, we have established rеgional warеhousing and fulfillmеnt cеntеrs to еxpеditе dеlivеriеs to Tiеr 2 and Tiеr 3 citiеs, еnsuring a sеamlеss customеr еxpеriеncе. Our customеr support tеams arе trainеd to addrеss local concerns and prеfеrеncеs, fostеring trust and loyalty among our customеrs in thеsе rеgions.”

    Similarly, Ms. Govil also mentioned that they have a comprehensive approach that involves tailoring products to match local tastes, ensuring affordability for price-sensitive consumers in semi-urban and rural areas. Additionally, there are offline touchpoints established through our collaboration with Fashion Factory, and our digital presence spans our e-commerce website and partnerships with local online marketplaces.

    Advice for D2C Brands Looking to Expand Their Reach to Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities

    For D2C brands that are looking to expand their reach to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, it is important to understand the unique needs and preferences of consumers in these markets. It is also important to invest in regional language support and offline sales channels. Additionally, D2C brands should focus on building trust with consumers in these markets by offering high-quality products and services at competitive prices.

    Mr. Saraf also advised D2C brands targeting Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities that are looking to expand their reach.

    1. Invest in understanding thе local markеt dynamics, including consumеr behavior, prеfеrеncеs, and spеnding pattеrns. This knowledge will bе instrumеntal in tailoring your product offеrings and markеting stratеgiеs to rеsonatе with thе targеt audiеncе.
    2. Focus on building a robust and еfficiеnt supply chain network. Timеly and rеliablе dеlivеriеs arе crucial for gaining the trust of customers in thеsе rеgions. Collaborating with local logistics partnеrs can oftеn bе a wisе choicе. 
    3. Invеst in customеr еducation and support. Many consumеrs in Tiеr 2 and Tiеr 3 citiеs may bе nеw to onlinе shopping, so providing clеar guidancе on how to placе ordеrs and accеss aftеr-salеs support is еssеntial. Building trust through еxcеllеnt customеr sеrvicе is kеy to long-tеrm succеss.
    4. Bе patiеnt and adaptablе. Expanding into thеsе rеgions may takе timе, and thеrе may bе unforеsееn challеngеs. Adaptability and a willingness to itеratе on your stratеgiеs arе critical for succеss in this divеrsе and promising markеt. With the right approach and a commitmеnt to understanding and sеrving thе uniquе nееds of consumеrs in Tiеr 2 and Tiеr 3 citiеs, D2C brands can unlock significant growth opportunities in India’s hinterlands.

    With the right approach and commitment to understanding and serving the unique needs of consumers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, D2C brands can unlock significant growth opportunities in India’s hinterlands.

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  • Perfume Lounge: Bringing International Fragrance Trends to India

    Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by Perfume Lounge.

    Fragrances form an essential part of everyone’s regular care routine. The fragrance market is dominated by a number of products.

    One of the most widely used product in fragnance market is perfume. Some of the major players in the perfume industries are Dior, Estee Lauder, Armani perfumes, Calvin Klein perfumes, etc.

    One of the promising startups in the same field is Perfume Lounge. Perfume Lounge was launched by Parvesh, Dipak, and Shivam with the aim of enabling the luxury of good quality fragrances to the Indian population at a normal rate.

    Read further to know more about the Perfume Lounge startup including its startup story, business and revenue model, products and services, funding, and more.

    Perfume Lounge – Company Highlights

    Company Name Perfume Lounge
    Founded November 2022
    Founders Parvesh, Deepak and Shivam
    Headquarters New Delhi, India
    Industry Retail Health and Personal Care Products
    Website www.perfumelounge.in

    Perfume Lounge – About
    Perfume Lounge – Industry
    Perfume Lounge – Founders and Team
    Perfume Lounge – Startup Story
    Perfume Lounge – Mission and Vision
    Perfume Lounge – Business and Revenue Model
    Perfume Lounge – Products and Services
    Perfume Lounge – Customer Acquisition and Growth
    Perfume Lounge – Challenges Faced
    Perfume Lounge – Fundings
    Perfume Lounge – Competitors
    Perfume Lounge – Future Plans

    Perfume Lounge – About

    Perfume Lounge is a value-driven brand focusing on bringing good quality perfumes to India at an average rate. They develop fragrances based on the latest international trends and then make them available in India at affordable prices.

    Perfume Lounge – Industry

    The Indian fragrance market is in rapid growth due to multiple factors. Earlier, the only fragrance noted was the healing scents introduced by Ayurveda. But in current times, the use of perfumes and deodorants has given a spike to the industry.

    According to “India Fragrance (Perfume & Deodorant) Market Outlook, 2027”, the fragrance industry is projected to cross INR 20,000 crores by 2027. The total market share is $3 billion and the serviceable available market for the industry is $1.68 billion. Perfume Lounge founders see themselves getting a 5% ($84mn) share of the market in the next five years (2027).

    Perfume Lounge – Founders and Team

    Perfume Lounge was launched by the joint efforts Parvesh, Deepak, and Shivam.

    Shivam Sood

    Shivam Sood - Co-founder of Perfume Lounge
    Shivam Sood – Co-founder of Perfume Lounge

    Shivam is the co-founder and CEO of the Perfume Lounge. He is responsible for the activities revolving around marketing and management. Shivam has been friends with Deepak for a good amount of time. Moreover, he has also worked with Deepak together on a digital marketing assignment in the past. And that’s how he was introduced to the startup.

    Parvesh and Deepak

    Parvesh and Deepak are the co-founders of the Perfume Lounge who are also responsible for product development. They both have an undeniable experience in the perfume industry for over 20 years by the means of their packaging-related businesses.

    Apart from this, they have worked together on other businesses too, and share a very close friendship with each other. The prime reason in starting the brand Perfume Lounge was their experience in the same field.

    Their team also includes a few mentors. Currently, they have 2-3 Mentors and Advisors on board. Perfume Lounge is being mentored in various areas such as Raising Investment, Art & Design direction, and Creating a strong supply chain + Operations.

    Perfume Lounge – Startup Story

    Parvesh and Deepak have been closely associated with the perfume industry in India for about 20 years. They have witnessed the evolution of the industry very closely. Their experience got them the belief that it is the correct time to launch a new brand in the Indian market.

    Parvesh has one of the leading private label companies for fragrances in India with extensive experience in launching perfumery products. The initial designs and development were all done in-house through his team in collaboration with the team at Perfume Lounge.

    With the finalization of the idea, during the launching period, Parvesh and Deepak found Shivam as the best candidate to venture into this project together. Shivam carries an undeniable experience in digital marketing and managing startups. All three of them together gave rise to another value-driven fragrance brand named Perfume Lounge.

    Perfume Lounge – Mission and Vision

    Today’s youth has access to all kinds of information including what the world has to offer in personal grooming and skincare. Although people are aware of what international brands bring to the table, they cannot purchase these products because they are quite expensive. Perfume Lounge wishes to bridge this gap and introduce these popular international fragrance trends to the Indian market at an affordable price.

    They see themselves to be a major fragrance player in the next three years. With the wish to dominate the online space for fragrances through the breadth and depth of their product portfolio.

    They also see some of their brands developing into full personal care and/or cosmetics brands with expanded product lines beyond fragrances. Perfume Lounge’s vision is to be one of the leaders in fragrances and personal care in the next five years.

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    Perfume Lounge – Business and Revenue Model

    Perfume Lounge works on the business model of a digital-first brand that sells all of its products on an online marketplace. They also follow the D2C model through their website. The price range for the current product is from INR 899- INR 1499 with a gross margin close to 75-80%.

    To have an upper hand on the business process. Perfume Lounge takes the help of a few software named Slack, G business Suite, Shopify, and Asana in its system.

    Perfume Lounge – Products and Services

    Perfume Lounge Website
    Perfume Lounge Website

    Perfume Lounge is a value-driven brand that offers a wide variety of fragrances based on the latest global trends. They believe that by finding the right balance between international trends and authentic Indianness, one can offer products that are uniquely designed for the market.

    They prefer to have the most extensive product portfolio to target different subsets within their target market. It is believed that by their data-driven and consumer-centric approach one will be able to develop products that will resonate strongly with the target market.  

    Some of the popular product lines sold by Perfume Lounge are Taboo, Noww, Gin & Tonic, Designer Club, and Syndicate. They are also looking forward to introducing an extensive range of perfumes with different pack sizes.

    Perfume Lounge – Customer Acquisition and Growth

    Perfume Lounge was launched as an online platform. From there, it covered the path of getting the first 100 customers very quickly because of the help of other leading e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Nykaa, and Flipkart.

    Scaling up from the existing volume requires investment in the process of building brand awareness and also exploring all the options available for e-commerce. Perfume Lounge is currently working on the same process to build its product lines while simultaneously creating its presence across all the platforms.

    Perfume Lounge – Challenges Faced

    The biggest challenge faced by Perfume Lounge was its distribution. To overcome it, they decided to follow the digital-first strategy for the brand to build itself before actually starting with the offline distribution stores.

    Another challenge faced by them is a high customer acquisition rate on the online distribution platform. To overcome it, they are trying to build the brand continuously with a data-driven approach, especially in terms of marketing and distribution.

    Their recent most successful marketing campaign was the black Friday sale. During which, the company saw a huge spike in its sales.

    Perfume Lounge – Fundings

    In June 2022, Perfume Lounge raised an amount of 2 crores through angel investors in the Seed round.

    Date Stage Amount Investors Name
    15-06-2022 Seed INR 2 Crores Deepak Agarwal and Parvesh Bareja (Angel Investors)

    Perfume Lounge – Competitors

    Perfume Lounge sees Bella Vita Luxury, Villain, Wild Stone, Beardo, Skinn, Carlton London, Layer shot, and Engage, Man company as its competitors.

    Perfume Lounge – Future Plans

    Perfume Lounge is expanding its offline base with its own kiosks in various malls across India. They are also in talks with large distributors to expand into general trade. Perfume Lounge is also in talks with other complementary brands to collaborate for the purpose of product placement.

    They are also looking forward to launching new lines of products in the coming months while slightly expanding into the beauty and personal care space. Perfume Lounge is also looking forward to launching a different range of products starting from INR 140.00.

    Conclusion

    The perfume Lounge is Fragrance based product selling brand created with the aim of bridging the gap between the Indian population and the expensive products sold by international brands.

    The brand was started by three friends named Shivam, Deepak and Parvesh. Its vision is to become one of the major leaders in the fragrances and perfume industry in the upcoming five years.

    FAQs

    The top 5 most popular perfume brands in India are Engage, AXE, Park Avenue, Denver, and Fogg.

    Is Perfume Lounge an Indian brand?

    Yes, Perfume Lounge is an Indian-grown startup with its headquarters placed in New Delhi, India.

    Who are the founders of Perfume Lounge?

    Perfume Lounge was founded by Shivam, Deepak, and Parvesh.

  • Ayurveda at the Click of Your Smartphone: The Success Story of India Shoppe

    Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by India Shoppe.

    Digitization and E-Commerce have transformed the traditional way of business. Online shoppers Online shopping sales across India amounted to around $67 billion in 2021. Online shoppers are increasing year by year. There were 189 million online shoppers in 2021 which is expected to reach 220 million in 2025. The shopping behavior of customers has played a crucial role in the development of ECommerce retail. India Shoppe is one such E-Commerce retail platform that provides all the products for household needs. Staying bootstrapped, India Shoppe’s revenue growth has reached INR 1300 Crores.

    Read to know about India Shoppe, its founders, products and brands under it, its business model, and the story of its growth.

    India Shoppe – Company Highlights

    Startup Name India Shoppe
    Headquarters Chennai
    Industry Ecommerce Retail
    Founder Rajesh Chandan
    Founded 2013
    Website indiashoppe.com

    India Shoppe – About
    India Shoppe – Founders and Team
    India Shoppe – The Idea and Startup Story
    India Shoppe – Vision
    India Shoppe – Products
    India Shoppe – Business Model and Revenue Model
    India Shoppe – Challenges Faced
    India Shoppe – Revenue Growth
    India Shoppe – Tools Used in the Company
    India Shoppe – Achievements & Recognitions
    India Shoppe – Future Plans

    India Shoppe – About

    India Shoppe is an Omni-channel retailing company, started in Aug’13 to provide Wellness & Nutrition, Personal Health-care, Skin-care, Oral-care, Hair-care and Home-care after identifying & understanding their customers. They design & produce the products for which enough demand is created through various social media & other channels of Marketing. Recently, they have added fresh Agro-care solutions to their bouquet of products.

    India Shoppe – Founders and Team

    Rajesh Chandan is the founder of India Shoppe. Mitesh Bhandari and Viresh Mehta are the Co-Founders of India Shoppe.

    Rajesh Chandan - Founder of India Shoppe
    Rajesh Chandan – Founder of India Shoppe

    Mr Rajesh Chandan is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and a first-generation entrepreneur from Chennai and a technology enthusiast, with over two decades of hardcore exposure in various business verticals. He upgraded himself to the latest trends in business & technology, by attending various programs at ISB (Hyderabad) & IIM, (Ahmedabad). Rajesh Chandan actively conducts leadership workshops for Start-Ups, mentoring them to upscale their business. He held the position of VICE CHAIRMAN at JITO INTERNATIONAL W ING and continues as an active member of the JAIN INTERNATIONAL TRADE ORGANISATION with more than 15000+ influential (Jains as) members. Rajesh is an avid social worker associated with various organizations & rehabilitation centres. His family has donated a day-care hospital in Ayanavaram (Chennai) which is run by RYA Cosmo Foundation.

    India Shoppe Team
    India Shoppe Team

    Mitesh Bhandari is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of India Shoppe.

    Mitesh Bhandari is a young & dynamic commerce graduate from LOYOLA (Chennai) & MBA from NMIMS (Mumbai). He is a certified Chartered Financial Analyst with a decade of experience in several lines of business & off- late prominently in the Fin. Tech landscape. Mitesh Bhandari is an active investor on many alternative investment platforms, including Venture-Debt. He has more than 2 decades of experience in the business of Ferrous & Non-ferrous metals. Mitesh Bhandari also has a well-curated portfolio of leasing, and real estate assets.

    He serves as the Charter President of RCC Magnum, an organization of 100+ youth members & has been an active member of Round-Table (India), a philanthropic organization.

    Viresh Mehta is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of India Shoppe.

    Viresh Mehta is an enthusiastic leader who heads Business-Development. He is a marketing & sales specialist who focuses on the smooth functioning of an organizational supply chain and related value addition processes for the company. He has an outstanding experience of 17 years in merchandising & sourcing various consumer goods. He developed various distribution channels across India, for different FMCG Products, ensuring business growth. His strong decision-making abilities have played a critical role in handling and strategic planning of the product launches of several esteemed brands like Coorg Filter Coffee in Tamil Nadu, Detergents like Shudh, Rakshak and Samundar crystal salt from the house of industrial-giant, Tata. Understanding and engaging in public relations is a primary reason for his success. Crisis and Disaster Management at various business houses is his forte.

    Once Viresh Mehta organized a Dandiya Mela or a traditional folk-dance festival with over ten thousand participants from all ages & ethnicities, for raising student scholarships for the underprivileged.

    India Shoppe – The Idea and Startup Story

    Rajesh Chandan always wanted to start a brand, which would be more than just a business-house or a commercial- entity. He wanted it to be a part of people’s lives. That ‘want’ remained a distant dream until 2013, when he identified a dearth in a specific segment of the market & eventually, the spark grew into a flame.

    After a series of brainstorming with his peers in business, about how the global giants were becoming market leaders, online & native brands were ruling on-ground with their branches & franchises, the market in Omni-channel retailing remained unexplored. Soon, the idea started taking shape.

    India Shoppe was designed to be a lifestyle brand with a sincere focus on Tier II, and Tier III cities & towns targeting the “middle” & “upper-middle” income groups or the ‘active’ segment of society that is always aspiring for a better lifestyle.

    Rajesh went to the original ‘Shark-Tank’ to bounce his idea: My friends! Not for lack of options but this wasn’t just about, Validation of his idea but also the Sustenance of a promise!

    India Shoppe – Vision

    India Shoppe Logo

    India Shoppe has a vision to:

    • Be a large customer value creator in the market, focusing on customer service, understanding the customers, their way-of-life & identifying their requirements to improve their lifestyle.
    • Customize & develop products after market research & ensure they’re organic, healthy & easy to use.
    • Invest in new product lines & implement the latest technology to ensure they are delivered on time.

    India Shoppe – Products

    India Shoppe Products
    India Shoppe Products

    India Shoppe offers various daily-use products for individuals and the entire family. They are committed to building effective brand identity by aligning the consumers’ perception and expectations with the development of their products, with the highest standards in quality.

    India Shoppe has developed its private labels, under the brand names of:

    • “AAHAR” Food & Gourmet
    • “ELEMENTS WELLNESS” Health-Care
    • “NEUSTAR” Personal-Care
    • “ON & ON” Wellness & Nutritional-Care
    • “Mi HOME CARE” Adding a sparkle to your world
    • “INDIAGRO” Reflecting their commitment to farmers, they have scientifically researched and developed, plant & soil-care products that: help in maximizing the yield (for farmers) & are packed with nutrition (for consumers) while ensuring the quality of soil is retained.

    Their products do not contain (any) chemicals that are harmful to the body and are made of natural ingredients. They use raw materials which conform to API and in-house standards.

    Their proprietary health & wellness products are made of various nutritional ingredients & herbs, after extensive study and research. India Shoppe has experts who remain in close proximity with scientific researchers & market analysts to stay updated on developing new products or enhancing existing ones. Beginning from the sourcing of ingredients to the final Eco-conscious packaging, they ensure that their products are of premium quality.

    India Shoppe takes Conscious-Care for:

    • The People: Propose and promote a healthy lifestyle for consumers, with their products.
    • The Products: Prohibit the use of any ingredients which aren’t organic in their processes.
    • The Planet: From Products to Packaging, it is all vegetarian and eco-friendly.
    • The Past: Promoting Ayurvedic products which are preventive & also hail from this holy land.

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    India Shoppe – Business Model and Revenue Model

    India Shoppe creates a demand for its products, through active social-media campaigns and its chain of small-format retail stores & websites. Additionally, to reach a wider market, we’ve designed Pick-up Centers (P.U.C’s), in several remote locations that are mapped to their nearest store. Such P.U.C.s only purchase merchandise from the stores, they’re mapped to. It can also be explained as – H.O.: Parent, Store: Child, Store: Parent, PUC: Child.

    • Their stores maintain an online account of the respective PUCs mapped to them, based on the volumes of transactions or redemption of Pre-orders.
    • To ensure easy flow of the stocks, they are replenished from multiple warehouses, online & offline.
    • Their M.O.P is mostly through pre-orders having several types and denominations (Non-Transferable).
    • Customers carrying such Pre-orders get the merchandise at a discounted price while other customers purchase at M.R.P.
    • Customers can redeem/ purchase with dual-validation (Code & OTP) at the Store, PUC and Web-portal.
    • Their product range is further classified under different sub-categories.

    Strengths:

    • They have well-established network of 16 Warehouses, 51 Stores & 649 P.U.C’s, spread across the country,
    • They have tested & proven systems and ready-to-go processes for generating assured Sales growth.
    • They undertake periodic market research with corresponding Product-innovations.
    • They collaborate with scientific developers, manufacturers, designers, marketers & suppliers to ensure they come up with rich Ayurvedic products.
    • They build on brand re-call & consumer loyalty through Digital Marketing posts and campaigns by regularly posting engaging content on various social media platforms.
    • Their customers have been their biggest strength, as their testimonials are the hallmark of certification.

    India Shoppe – Challenges Faced

    Being an enterprise with most products based on Ayurveda, subscribing to their solutions would mean a shift into a better/healthier lifestyle. But this is the very reason most people today, resist choosing Ayurvedic medicine, which is more of preventive care, in contrast to the instant relief of western-medicine (Allopathy).

    However, the Covid Pandemic has rightfully pointed out that, instead of choosing the (so-called) ready remedies and instant reliefs, it is advisable to have a healthy lifestyle. And, going Ayurvedic, not only aids to eliminate the chances of infection but also has them equipped to battle other infections/ microbes, known & unknown.

    India Shoppe – Revenue Growth

    India Shoppe operates PAN-India. Starting in 2013-’14 from less than INR 100 CRS. to almost INR 1300 CRS. in 2021-’22. With a CAGR of 22%, their growth has continued during the Covid pandemic, even. So far, they are a bootstrapped company, running & managing with their capital & operating revenues.

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    India Shoppe – Tools Used in the Company

    Their team of developers, designers, researchers, product managers and engineers of various disciplines, work together in building a user-friendly design & well-tested interface with every aspect of the organization.

    • They have been using state-of-the-art ERP software for Finance and custom E-commerce.
    • The capacity of supply chain and logistics operations can be scaled anytime with their automated stock replenishment during peak periods (festivals/ holidays) for consistency in their deliveries.
    • With their in-house cloud-based mechanism and automation, Traffic is gracefully throttled if & when it goes beyond the given conditions.
    • Having high-performance integrations, connecting to third-party applications like the State GST portal, Supply chain Vendors and up to Last-mile deliveries.

    India Shoppe – Achievements & Recognitions

    India Shoppe has achieved recognition from the Government of India and others.

    • In the personal-care category, “Elements Wellness” was prestigiously awarded: BEST HEALTHCARE Brand by The Economic Times in 2019-‘20 & 2022-’23!
    • 7 & 14 State Governments in the country, have recognized India Shoppe as a prompt Tax-payer for 2020-2021 & 2021-2022 respectively.
    • At the peak of the Covid pandemic, when the health ministry of India advised everyone to take a spoon of Chavanprash (an Ayurvedic goo-ey preparation loaded with anti-oxidants & immunity boosters) a day, it hiked the consumption of their equivalent, On & On “Kavach Prash”.

    India Shoppe – Future Plans

    As a growing large-scale Value-Creator, they are eyeing expansion in the scale of operations, setting up more Distribution centres for easy reach & faster delivery, planning more stores & investing in new product lines & technology.

    After finding a firm footing in the local market, India Shoppe team have been exploring the possibility of expansion, especially in our neighbouring countries.

    FAQs

    When was India Shoppe founded?

    India Shoppe was founded in 2013 in Chennai.

    Who is the founder of India Shoppe?

    Rajesh Chandan is the founder of India Shoppe. Mitesh Bhandari and Viresh Mehta are the Co-Founders of India Shoppe.

    What are the products of India Shoppe?

    India Shoppe products list includes various daily household products:

    • Food Products
    • Health-Care Products
    • Personal-Care Products
    • Agro Care Products
    • Home Care Products

  • ARATA – D2C Personal Care Brand for Healthy Skin and Hair

    Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by ARATA.

    People around the globe are switching to chemical-free & non-toxic personal care products. The new trends in personal care brands show that over 40% of consumers are inclined to the products and brands that fit into their healthy lifestyle and contain wellness benefits without any chemicals.

    ARATA is an honest personal care brand that offers chemical-free, plant-based skincare products for healthy skin and hair. Read to know about its founder, products, and the startup story of ARATA.

    ARATA – Company Highlights

    Startup Name ARATA
    Headquarters New Delhi
    Industry D2C Personal Care
    Founder Dhruv Bhasin and Dhruv Madhok
    Founded 2018
    Website arata.in

    ARATA – About
    ARATA – Industry
    ARATA – Founders
    ARATA – The Idea and Startup Story
    ARATA – Name, Tagline, and Logo
    ARATA – Products
    ARATA – Business Model
    ARATA – Customer Acquisition
    ARATA – Challenges Faced
    ARATA – Most Successful Marketing Campaign
    ARATA – Growth
    ARATA – Funding
    ARATA – Competitors
    ARATA – Tools Used in the Company
    ARATA – Recognition and Achievements
    ARATA – Future Plans

    ARATA – About

    ARATA is a personal care startup that offers trustworthy and credible skin care and hair care products. The vision and mission of the Company are to make clean labels, high-performing, safe, and effective hair care solutions. Arata is an environment-friendly startup that uses not only non-toxic ingredients, for their products but its packaging is also 100% recyclable.

    ARATA – Industry

    The market and industry size is about INR 25,000 crores, which is a total addressable opportunity for hair care.

    ARATA – Founders

    The founders of Arata are Dhruv Madhok & Dhruv Bhasin.

    Dhruv Madhok

    Dhruv Madhok - Co-founder of ARATA
    Dhruv Madhok – Co-founder of ARATA

    He has completed his graduation from the University of Southern California – Marshall School of Business. Earlier he has worked with KPMG and PVR limited. He is the Director of ARATA.

    Dhruv Bhasin

    Dhruv Bhasin - Co-founder of ARATA
    Dhruv Bhasin – Co-founder of ARATA

    Dhruv Bhasin completed his Master’s in Management from the University of Surrey, and B.Sc in Business Studies from Lancaster University.

    ARATA – The Idea and Startup Story

    The idea for starting up came when (Dhruv) Bhasin’s mother was boiling flaxseeds to make a natural hair gel for him to use. He sent Dhruv Madhok a sample, and he loved it. And that’s how they realized there is an opportunity for safe styling products. They also discovered that the opportunity is significantly larger, not only limited to styling but in general hair care and other categories.

    Arata products belong in the beauty, personal care or FMCG CPG, and consumer packaged categories.

    ARATA Logo
    ARATA Logo

    ARATA means fresh and new in Japanese. The founders thought this was very apt for their brand personality.

    ARATA – Products

    ARATA Products
    ARATA Products

    The innovation and USPs are that the products are plant-based, non-toxic, vegan, cruelty-free, naturally derived, sustainable and inclusive, with a premium choice of ingredients and fragrances, product packaging, branding and design.

    ARATA – Business Model

    The business model is essentially selling the products online to the customer, directly to the consumers, on its website, and through different marketplaces.

    ARATA – Customer Acquisition

    The first hundred customers were all acquired from Google, Facebook, Instagram, and through advertising. And then, they scaled up through different marketplaces and through multiple online and digital campaigns.

    The most important thing that has worked for them to attract and retain customers is focusing on niches and having a set target audience and not being all over the place in terms of the product offering.

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    ARATA – Challenges Faced

    The biggest challenges they face can be divided into two parts.

    • One challenge was raising capital during the pandemic as it was very hard.
    • And two, essentially trying to break through the clutter of being a digital-only brand.

    So the challenge was how to look beyond performance marketing?

    And now, they are doing that by creating engaging content, having an engaging social channel, and focusing on customer retention, CRM, content creation and the likes.

    ARATA – Most Successful Marketing Campaign

    The most successful marketing campaign till now has been the launch of the Arata Advanced Curl Care range with Taapsee Pannu.

    ARATA Marketing Campaign with Tapsee Pannu

    ARATA – Growth

    ARATA revenue exceeds INR 2.5 crores per month. Its estimated annual revenue is INR 30 crores.

    And the repeats are looking strong, with more than 50% of customers coming back every year to buy for the second time and more.

    ARATA – Funding

    They have received multiple rounds of funding.  They received funding of INR3.5 crores in December, 2018. They raised INR 7 crores in 2021.

    Date Stage Amount Investors
    2021 – INR 7 Crores –
    December 2018 Seed INR 3.5 Crores –

    ARATA – Competitors

    Some of the top competitors of ARATA are:

    • Plum Goodness
    • The Body Shop
    • MamaEarth
    • mCaffeine
    • Kama Ayurveda
    • Forest Essentials

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    ARATA – Tools Used in the Company

    They use multiple software, including marketing automation, Shopify for website, and MailChimp for marketing among some.

    ARATA – Recognition and Achievements

    They have got a few awards.

    • ARATA was awarded for being the eight fastest-growing startups in the country as a DTC brand.
    • One of their bestsellers, the Super Shampoo, received the Vogue Beauty Award for the best daily use shampoo.

    ARATA – Future Plans

    Their future plans include scaling up the startup across different products & categories and building a bigger team.

    FAQs

    When was ARATA founded?

    ARATA is a D2C brand founded in 2018.

    Who is the founder of ARATA?

    Dhruv Bhasin and Dhruv Madhok are the founders of ARATA.

    Has ARATA raised funding?

    Yes, ARATA has raised a funding of INR 105 million in two funding rounds.

    Who are the competitors of ARATA?

    Some of the top competitors of ARATA are:

    • Plum Goodness
    • The Body Shop
    • MamaEarth
    • mCaffeine
    • Kama Ayurveda
    • Forest Essentials

  • WishCare – A D2C Personal Care Brand Treading on the Path of Success With Innovative Strategies

    The article is contributed by Ms. Stuti Kothari and Mr Ankit Kothari, Co- founders, WishCare.

    In this digital age, one of the most important aspects of growing your business is your eCommerce and D2C strategy. As much as choosing the right business approach is important; crafting the appropriate marketing strategies is equally essential. Successful marketing is a constantly moving, shifting, and changing machine. It should evolve with the changing dynamics of the industry and ecosystem.

    The personal care market occupies a fair share in the booming D2C segment in India. One of the notable names in the sector is WishCare, an environmental-friendly and vegan brand built on the core principle of a sustainable tomorrow. Conceptualized in 2018, the brand has grown exponentially ever since then. Successfully completing and dispatching over 2000 products every day, they have a customer base of over a million now. Behind this successful D2C personal care brand lies the strong and effective marketing strategy based on community building and creating a customer feedback loop.

    Co-Creating with Community

    Co-creating with the community is the first step of launching any new product for WishCare which is based on extensive market research and community feedback, while ensuring that it is a hit amongst its existing consumers.

    Although collecting customer feedback is standard practice, WishCare has stepped it up by innovating its product based on the collected feedback. Based on community suggestions, WishCare identifies the gaps and needs in the market, then their internal research team develops the product. The community also helps with sampling which allows the brand to leverage its feedback loop for research and development purposes. In fact, WishCare developed its Vitamin C+ Pure Glow Serum in complete collaboration with its community.

    3C Sustainable Approach

    The brand’s 3C approach – Clean (using products that are safe and natural and not harmful either to the humans or to the environment), Conscious (the brand undertakes conscious packaging. It uses packaging material that has either been recycled or can be recycled) and Caring (the brand academically adopts and educates underprivileged girl children) is its core philosophy based on the sustainability vision and this model resonates well with its customer base as well. Hence, every strategy that the brand devises, whether business-oriented or marketing focused centers around this 3C practice.

    The brand has banned a list of 100 + ingredients which are chemicals and toxic substances from using it in the production of their products. Furthermore, the brand also identifies itself as a vegan and cruelty-free brand due to its clean approach that promotes using natural ingredients. This is what the brand promises to its customers and it is this ideology that has helped WishCare earn the trust of its customers.

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    Customer First & Loyalty

    WishCare even boasts of a strong customer care team. Contrary to what anyone would believe, this customer service team is not restricted to customer care executives. In fact, skincare and haircare experts are present to connect with the customers and have one-on-one conversations. Every time, the brand launches a new product, these experts are right there to resolve the customers’ queries. This has helped the brand to create a feedback loop wherein they have been able to persuade the customers to continue their loyalty towards the brand by using the products.

    Product development based on community feedback – This team also helps us in identifying gaps in the current market and then the brand transforms it into the next product that could be launched in the market. This approach has helped the brand foster well-knit connections with the customers and also build long-lasting relationships with them.

    Conclusion

    These three strategies of creating the community feedback loop, adopting the 3C approach, and building a customer-first team have been the brand’s main pillar of success over the past 3 years since it has forayed into the personal care market that is highly fragmented and largely unorganized!

  • Carving a Niche in Men’s Grooming Industry Through Singh Styled

    The article is contributed by Mr. Charanjeev Singh, Co-Founder, Singh Styled.

    Millennials have been witnesses to the times when the term men’s grooming was unheard of. It was limited to a haircut, sometimes a head massage at a nearby hajam ki dukan (neighbourhood salon). As far as the grooming goes, if anything at all the men did, was use grooming products meant for women, for eg. the famous fairness cream or the latest cleansing facewash. As we embark into a decade where the talk about equality is rife, a men’s grooming regime is considered equally important as a woman’s. With the rise of a metrosexual man, looking impeccable has become a non-negotiable.

    From being completely unheard of to a multi-billion-dollar market, the male grooming sector has gained worldwide acceptance. The first exclusive product for men was launched in India in 2005 by an FMGC giant, which introduced the first fairness cream for men. This was the cue for other Indian players to wake up to the potential of the men’s grooming needs. What started as a monthly indulgence of a head massage at a neighbourhood barber shop is today a full-grown industry comprising categories of grooming and styling products, national and international upmarket chains of styling salons, innovations, and launches of the latest gadgets and tools that are used by men in their daily grooming regime.

    Focusing on India, the men’s grooming industry is estimated to reach $1.2 billion by 2024. A report also states that there will be growth in e-commerce sales owing to the post-pandemic culture. Currently, the men’s grooming industry in India is led by some of the major FMCG players. However, the past few years have seen a few D2C start-ups slowly making their mark by creating offerings that are niche and address specific pain points as far as the men’s grooming needs go. Let’s put a spotlight on one such start-up that has marked its consumer territory like a lion – Singh Styled, a brand that’s focused on preserving the Sikh identity.

    Birth of Singh Styled

    Charanjeev Singh, a digital evangelist from Mumbai with over 15 years of entrepreneurial experience is the brain behind Singh Styled. As a Sikh himself, he realised that there is a dearth of quality grooming essentials exclusively for the Sikh gentlemen. Also, he noticed a decline in the new generation of Sikh men not very keen on following their tradition of wearing a turban and maintaining a beard. Upon research, Charanjeev found out that the absence of bespoke grooming products was the reason preventing the grooming-conscious Sikh men to embrace their identity.

    In 2015, was born Singh Styled, a men’s grooming company exclusively for the Sikh by a Sikhs. Singh Styled is the first brand across the globe, to cater especially to the needs of Sikh men.

    ‘Singh Styled’ is dedicated to two very basic aspects of grooming for Sikh gentlemen. One being the practical aspect and the other is spiritual. A Dastaar, which is considered to be the crown, and a neatly maintained beard; the first visual of a Sikh gentleman.

    The Niche Offering

    Singh Styled is the house of high-quality turbans, beard and hair care products, and accessories. The grooming products are designed to support keeping the Sikh hair, beard, and moustache in mind.

    To keep their customers’ long hair and beard looking soft and manageable at all times, the Singh Styled team has developed its own formula for hair oil, beard oil, beard fixer, and other personal hygiene products that help Sikh men to be at their individualistic best.

    The brand’s hair care products are the outcome of their in-house research and development wing. Considering the needs of men with long hair and beard, each of the brand’s products takes around 8-12 months in formulation, testing, sampling, and re-sampling, before they are launched. The brand boasts of its rigid testing process, as it believes the amount of time and resources spent in convincing a consumer to buy a product is not worth risking if the product isn’t 100% satisfactory. Hence, they test their products across skin and beard types, cities, countries for weather, and water conditions. Products developed on this data help them bring their products to market with confidence.

    The company has invested in German cotton yarn machines to spin out premium Sikh turban fabrics that preserve colour, while being light and soft at the same time. Its aim is to t spoil its clients with choices. Recently the brand launched unique summer turban shades to bring out the cool quotient of every Singh this sunny season. The fresh new range of soothing shades included an array of pastel colours such as Flamingo, Coral Blue, Supreme Green, La Crème, Citron Green, Summer Yellow, Powdered Coffee, Grass is Greener, and Ice Grey. Additionally, the brand also boasts of launching a one-of-its-kind beard freshener – ‘Attraction’, an aqua-based unique product specifically curated for beardsmen to ensure they smell fresh and fragrant throughout the day.

    Additionally, the brand also offers carefully curated grooming kits with scientifically tested products for each step of the grooming process. These products not only speed up the regime but also ensure that kesh, beard, and skin, are all, well looked after.

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    The Platform

    The founders believed that just having the right products wasn’t enough. To fulfil the brand purpose, building a community that shares the same value that the brand carries was of paramount importance. It sets itself apart from other D2C brands, as it does not worry about launching a new range every week to compete. Today the brand’s D2C platform offers products pre-filtered as per the focused needs of its target market, thus, making the shopping process quick and convenient.

    Simultaneously, Singh Styled products are also available across all major e-commerce stores from Amazon, Nykaa, Flipkart, Bigbasket, Netmeds, and many more. This is in tandem with the founders’ policy of tapping the ever-growing online shopping market.

    Global Presence

    Singh Styled aims at being accessible to all 30 million Sikhs across the globe. It has already spread its wings across the globe and currently, it supplies to 133 worldwide destinations which include Canada, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, the Far & Middle East, and Africa.

    The latest feather in their cap is their first international store in the ‘Lion City’ of the world- Singapore. Through the Singapore store, the brand caters to the Sikhs of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Australia.

    Conclusion

    The Sikh Gentlemen have been a part of the elite beardsmen club, thanks to the Guru-gifted identity. For beardsmen, their beards are a mark of honour and an important part of their identity, and not something that is just ‘in’ fashion. With Singh Styled, the mission is to build products and solutions that can help turbaned and bearded men maintain their identity with ease, and build their own style within the purview of the faith.

  • The Pathbreaking Work Done iTokri Catering to the International Market for Handcrafted Fabrics & Artwork

    Insights shared by Mr. Nitin Pamnani, Co-Founder, iTokri

    iTokri as a brand believes in taking away the burden of sale from artisans and encouraging them to focus on their craft, ensuring that the artisans get due credit for their art by selling products under the artisan’s name on our platform. We should not forget that the artisans are the real creators and they must always have the freedom to create and grow themselves as an artist. Companies should aim to conserve and upgrade their traditional lifestyles. Artisans are an integral part of our social structure. Today, this is the responsibility of every entrepreneur and other business in India. Nowadays many brands use the technique of using the Stock & Sell Model where the goods/products physically remain with the brand when they are sold to make the best of the opportunity by connecting many artisans with their consumers where every product is quality checked.

    iTokri Team
    iTokri Team

    Working with the artisans through conducting consulting sessions where the brand’s purchase team explains the demand type from the international customers and buyers provides better analytical insights to them. Regulating the market performance and sharing them with the artisans give them an idea of various types of product categories, prices, etc. At the same time, putting in a lot of effort to understand the business demand and try to balance the consumer expectations and artisans’ work helps a lot. Focusing on art coming from across the country and not limiting it to only one or two geographical regions of India increases the worth of the collection and maintains the diversity that brands always look for which also remains a huge challenge in today’s time and age. Developing a propriety tool that helps with data modulation and building a machine learning module works well for many small businesses catering to international markets which in return helps improve purchase forecasting. This approach not only helps in forecasting demand and managing inventories but as a part of the value chain, helps the artisans to produce and understand the market demand better. It optimizes the purchased quantity leading to enhancing the production process.

    The ultimate goal is to create artisan-led crafts that support traditional artworks through restructuring and create better job opportunities for the rising generation paving the way to the international markets. An entrepreneurial approach should be taken for sustainable growth where groups, individual initiatives, and decisions do not get limited, making the collectives flexible enough to respond to market realities. To grow internationally, brands should focus on developing their e-commerce strategy to become multichannel brands, and to continue to create and introduce new products which are sustainable, modern yet comfort-driven. Also, women-led businesses are an added incentive to our economy. The increasing demand for Indian handicrafts resulting in an increase in women’s participation in a variety of roles, primarily from underprivileged strata of our society making significant contributions to the industry, has led them to become socially and financially self-independent. They get all the recognition and a fair amount compared to the market rate which helps the sellers sell their products efficaciously that builds their brand in a unique light in the process.

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    The D2C route has greatly helped current brands get a toehold across the markets where well-established brands have ruled. Long-established players, who have marked their presence over the time in offline retail and have intimidating distribution clout, are now starting to take the expeditiously growing online channels seriously to defend their overall market share. Moreover, the Aatmanirbhar Bharat movement has exhilarated Indian entrepreneurs to put made-in-India products on the global map, and this is where Indian brands are engraving a niche for themselves in the international market. The mission is to enable artwork communities to sustain their culture with systematic indoctrination and ecosystem building to create modern designs with traditional techniques for sustainable livelihoods through their craft.

  • The Future Of D2C Industry – Trends Lean Towards Data Analytics and Research

    The article is contributed by Shashank Jain, Co-founder, Strawfit (Bourgeon Foods LLP)

    Owing to a decade of technological advancement and the last few years of the pandemic, there has been a fundamental change in the way businesses and customers engage with each other. After the jolt that the traditional retail sector faced, there’s a rise in India’s currently growing direct-to-consumer phase, with D2C brands thriving as online channels have become the go-to destinations for almost every consumer. For those still struggling with the concept, Direct-to-Consumer, or D2C, is an emerging business model of a customised shopping experience where the product is provided directly to the customer by a business, bypassing any sort of middleman in between, hence being cost-efficient.

    With an estimated 700-800 D2C brands valued at over USD 100 billion by 2025, India is expected to be a hotspot for startups. A plethora of emerging service providers in India indicates the total addressable D2C market growth by over 15 times from 2015 to 2025. According to research by Statista, this total addressable market was valued at 33.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2020, which by 2025 was forecasted to grow almost threefold, making India a hotspot for startups. Currently, the segments that are growing at an ever-increasing speed in the Indian D2C market include consumer electronics and FMCG, with an expected worth of USD 43.2 billion and USD 30.8 billion, respectively, by 2025.

    The popularity of the D2C industry is booming and will continue to expand. To increase buyer-seller interaction, making purchasing more engaging, pleasurable, and long-term, brands in this space leverage certain market trends.

    Some of these trends that we recommend entrepreneurs in their operations are:

    ● Sustainable Manufacturing: Consumers are increasingly sceptical of brands that generate revenue through unethical business practices. Brands that are transparent about their business practices, from sourcing raw materials to manufacturing and supplying, generate more goodwill. Transparency creates trust, and people are more likely to buy from brands they trust. Brands that fail to build sustainability into their business models risk becoming less relevant to this new generation of consumers.

    ● Data Analytics: Until recently, brands had little access to customer data beyond surveys or third-party data. D2C enables brands to understand customers and their demands like never before, thanks to their continual personal connection with their customers through their experiences or surveys. Brands have realised that customer data is a powerful instrument that, when combined with analytics and technology, can be utilised to provide personalised experiences for customers.

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    ● Leveraging Social Media: Social networking is a strong tool for new businesses. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter can assist you in reaching an untapped worldwide audience and assist in developing a brand image in the market with existing competitors. Influencers have a strong and tailored hold on specific audiences, making them one of the newest and most powerful marketing tools. A product like a milk flavouring straw for kids, for example, can’t be directly promoted to them and is instead marketed to mommy bloggers and health bloggers. More than just following these trends, it takes a lot of work to create a solid revenue model for your business. Running a business at any stage of development is not easy. For this, it is essential to have proper planning. Here are some of the key takeaways that we believe can help these entrepreneurs make more informed decisions and develop more refined products, especially in the early stages of a business.

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    ● Bring forward a solution: Consumers are smart these days, searching for products that solve their current problems. The most common reason for a startup’s failure is a lack of market demand. You have a market need if your product solves an unpleasant, common, and repeatable problem for a large number of people. If not, then it can be easily overlooked by the customers.

    ● Focus on the product: The product you create is what makes up the face value of your brand and it’s a crucial task to make your product stand out in the market. Your main focus should be to at least give your product a competitive edge over the current competitors, so it seems like a convenient and better choice.

    ● Detailed Research: Before starting a business, thorough market research is essential. You have to research current trends, learn about the product, and understand its potential market and what your customers need. It also allows you to visualise your competition by telling you what other products and services like yours are available, customer reactions to them, their prices; etc.

    ● Financial Modelling: Managing monetary resources can be a tricky part that needs close attention. It is essential to have a well-developed financial model. From funding operations to having precise financial projections for the next few years, having a robust financial model is crucial for a business to grow. Don’t mind taking professional guidance to help you out with these things to avoid any major setback to your business.

    ● Keep trying and learning: Starting a business requires being inspired, motivated and willing to take risks. While every successful entrepreneur makes many mistakes, that doesn’t stop them from experimenting with their concepts and learning from their own and others’ mistakes. With that said, care also needs to be taken so that there is no undue waste of resources due to this experimenting.

    Conclusion

    With more people choosing to be independent buyers due to fading technological barriers, we believe that D2C is here to stay. It is an exciting time for entrepreneurs in the country to enter the market, especially with the boom in the startup culture. The times demand that entrepreneurs rethink how they interact with customers and their relationships with them. If played well, D2C can be the most powerful weapon a retail-based entrepreneur can hold.