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  • ShopClues – Connecting Buyers and Sellers

    Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations.

    Shoppers can choose from a wide range of e-commerce possibilities in the vibrant world of online shopping. As more and more consumers become aware of the benefits of these platforms, there has been a notable upsurge. Online businesses have a lot of room to grow in the future, as long as they can recognize and satisfy the changing wants of their customers.

    Among these platforms, ShopClues shines as a notable player. Since its founding in July 2011, this Indian online marketplace owned by Clues Network Pvt. Ltd. has been a participant in the e-commerce scene. Sanjay Sethi, Sandeep Aggarwal, and Radhika Aggarwal, the three visionaries behind ShopClues, founded the company in Silicon Valley. It is a prime example of innovation and connectedness in the digital marketplace. With a commitment to providing a unique shopping experience, ShopClues continues to resonate with customers as it evolves in this dynamic online landscape.

    In this article, let’s explore the world of ShopClues—its founders, business model, revenue model, funding, growth, and more.

    ShopClues – Company Highlights

    STARTUP NAME SHOPCLUES.COM
    Headquarters Gurgaon, Haryana, India
    Sector Online Shopping
    Founder Sandeep Aggarwal, Radhika Aggarwal and Sanjay Sethi
    Founded 2011
    Website shopclues.com

    ShopClues – About
    ShopClues – Industry
    ShopClues – Founder and Team
    ShopClues – Startup Story
    ShopClues – Mission and Vision
    ShopClues – Name, Tagline, and Logo
    ShopClues – Business Model
    ShopClues – Revenue Model
    ShopClues – Challenges Faced
    ShopClues – Funding and Investors
    ShopClues – Mergers and Acquisitions
    ShopClues – Growth
    ShopClues – Advertisements and Social Media Campaigns
    ShopClues – Awards and Achievements
    ShopClues – Competitors
    ShopClues – Future Plans

    ShopClues – About

    ShopClues is a marketplace to establish a connection between buyers and sellers in a managed environment. It offers global and domestic brands, multiple online stores from brands or retailers across various listing categories. The Company provides delivery facilities, a rigorous merchant approval process, and a safe online platform for offline merchants.

    ShopClues, the 35th company to enter the Indian e-commerce space, was founded in 2011 and has expanded to employ between 1,001 and 5,000 people in different parts of the nation. Its main office is located in Gurgaon.

    By offering a wide selection of goods, such as clothing, electronics, gadgets, kitchen appliances, accessories, and home decor, this online marketplace makes buying easier. User-friendly features like cash on delivery and a variety of payment methods are provided by ShopClues. Through social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp, users may quickly share their best discoveries with their peers. They also get alerts about interesting sales, discounts, and promo codes, which improves their entire shopping experience.

    ShopClues – Industry

    The Indian e-commerce sector is expected to reach a valuation of USD 112.93 billion by 2024, indicating a notable trajectory of growth as per the analysis report of Mordor Intelligence. The market is expected to develop at a robust annual rate (CAGR) of 21.5% between 2024 and 2029, with a target market size of USD 299.01 billion at the conclusion of the forecast period. This upward trajectory is ascribed to various factors, including the widespread adoption of smartphones in India, a growing population of tech-savvy consumers, and greater internet usage.

    ShopClues – Founder and Team

    Founded in July 2011, ShopClues was envisioned by co-founder Sandeep Aggarwal, accompanied by Sanjay Sethi, the co-founder and CEO, and Radhika Aggarwal, the co-founder and Chief Business Officer (CBO). Together, they set the stage for ShopClues to make its mark in the world of e-commerce.

    Radhika Aggarwal (Co-Founder and CBO) Sanjay Sethi (Co-Founder and CEO) and Sandeep Aggarwal (Co-Founder), Left to Right
    Radhika Aggarwal (Co-Founder and CBO) Sanjay Sethi (Co-Founder and CEO) and Sandeep Aggarwal (Co-Founder), Left to Right

    Sandeep Aggarwal

    Sandeep Aggarwal is the co-founder of ShopClues.com. With academic achievements, including a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Business, a Master’s in Finance Education from Devi Ahilya University, and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis, Sandeep has held significant roles such as Associate at Kotak Securities, Senior Financial Consultant at Charles Schwab, and Senior Manager at Microsoft Corp.

    His expertise extended to serving as Equity Analyst at Citigroup Investment Research, Vice President and Senior Internet Analyst at Oppenheimer & Co, Managing Director and Senior Internet Analyst at Collins Stewart and Mangaing Director and Senior Internt Analyst at Caris and Company. Notably recognized as the visionary co-founder of ShopClues.com, he is also the Founder and CEO of Droom.in, showcasing his leadership in shaping successful ventures across different industries.

    Sanjay Sethi

    Sanjay Sethi, the Founder & CEO of Shopclues.com, is an alumnus of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, where he pursued Software Technology and Computer Science. His academic journey also includes a BTech in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi.

    Prior to joining the fast-paced world of e-commerce, Sanjay had a number of notable positions, such as Senior Director of Products at eBay Inc., Dev Manager at TradeBeam Inc., and Junior Manager at Steel Authority of India Ltd. Sanjay Sethi, who has a broad professional background and a solid technological basis, has been instrumental in forming Shopclues.com’s success and driving its expansion and innovation in the e-commerce space.

    Radhika Aggarwal

    Radhika Aggarwal, the co-founder and CBO of ShopClues, is a highly accomplished entrepreneur with a robust educational background. She has a post-graduation degree in public relations and advertising and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. Radhika participated in a Stanford University executive program, which allowed her to expand her expertise even more.

    After over 14 years of working in the US, Radhika Aggarwal has accumulated a wealth of experience in a variety of industries, such as retail, lifestyle, e-commerce, and fashion. Her experience includes positions in strategic planning at Goldman Sachs and marketing at Nordstrom in Seattle. Radhika’s leadership at ShopClues is greatly influenced by her diverse experience and strong academic background.

    ShopClues – Startup Story

    Established in 2011, ShopClues made a bold entry into India’s burgeoning e-commerce sector. Founded by the trio of Radhika Aggarwal, Sandeep Aggarwal, and Sanjay Sethi, the platform rapidly gained prominence in a competitive market. Radhika Aggarwal, breaking barriers, became the first Indian woman to join the Unicorn club, contributing significantly to the company’s success. With prior experience running FashionClues, a content platform for NRI women, Radhika brought invaluable insights to the venture.

    With its headquarters located in Gurgaon, ShopClues entered the Indian e-commerce market as the 35th company. By concentrating on helping tier 2 and tier 3 merchants with product sales and brand development, the platform distinguished itself. ShopClues made history by achieving a $1.1 billion valuation in just few years, earning it a coveted place in the Unicorn Club in 2016.

    Even with the company’s commercial successes, there were personal changes. According to a 2017 news source, Radhika and Sandeep Aggarwal, the founding couple, separated. They were previously husband and wife. Nevertheless, ShopClues kept growing under the co-founders’ capable direction. The story of ShopClues not only highlights company successes but also the dramatic personal and professional obstacles its founders had to overcome.

    ShopClues – Mission and Vision

    ShopClues embarked on its mission with the goal of bringing the vibrant
    bazaars of India online, focusing on serving consumers in tier 2 and
    tier 3 cities    .
    The vision accompanying this mission is to become the largest and most
    customer-centric e-commerce company in India    .

    ShopClues Logo

    The ShopClues logo represents the two strongholds of the brand ‐ comprehensiveness and trust, while bringing a contemporary, simpler, and stronger vibe to the brand. It perpetuates our image as the most accessible online shopping partner for the real India.

    ShopClues – Business Model

    ShopClues is an online business-to-consumer marketplace that gives shopkeepers, retailers, and small companies a venue to offer their goods to a wide range of online customers. The platform earns income from successful transactions by charging a small selling service fee, which incentivizes sellers by eliminating the need for upfront setup costs.

    Company sets itself apart with an intuitive platform that provides email and hotline service for vendors. To help its merchants, the organization makes use of cutting-edge technology, marketing know-how, and analytics that facilitate decision-making. Strict merchant approval procedures guarantee the legitimacy of the products, and buyer protection initiatives like the ShopClues Surety Program make buying easier and encourage recurring business.

    FirstCry Success Story – Business Model | Owner | Revenue | Funding | Competitors
    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 the organization it is based on. The 90′s kids would have never thought that when they become parents, they’ll be
    able to shop the …
    StartupTalkyRishabh Rathi

    ShopClues – Revenue Model

    Some of the prominent revenue sources of ShopClues are:

    Commission Fees: It is the main source of income. Each transaction made through the ShopClues website results in a commission charge being paid by the sellers.

    Merchant Listing Fees: Sellers who wish to feature their products on the platform are charged listing fees.

    Advertising and Promotion: ShopClues also makes money by advertising, earning extra money in the process.

    ShopClues – Challenges Faced

    A year on, Sandeep was talking about profitability for the startup. “ShopClues has earned gross revenue of Rs 12 crore since its inception. We are targeting Rs 100 crore by December 2012 and a GMV of $1 billion by 2016. We also feel that we would be the first Indian e-commerce company to reach profitability. By Q4 2012, we will be fully profitable,” Sandeep said.

    But in 2013, ShopClues suffered a big blow as CEO Sandeep Aggarwal was arrested by the FBI in San Jose in relation to an insider trading case in his previous job. The company’s responsibilities came down to Sanjay Sethi, who took over as CEO.

    While Aggarwal returned to India in 2014, over the next few months, he was asked to step away from his duties, and he was allegedly sidelined by the other co-founders.

    Despite the healthy funding track record, ShopClues had steadily lost momentum by 2017 and 2018, as orders dried up and dropped to under 30K per day.

    Further, in July 2019, the company laid off nearly 150–200 employees. The majority of the layoffs were said to be in the operations team.

    ShopClues – Funding and Investors

    ShopClues has raised a total of $257 million in funding over 12 rounds.

    Here are the funding details:

    Date Round Amount Lead Investors
    Sep 19, 2019 Venture Round Rs 8 crore CluesNetwork
    Aug 10, 2018 Venture Round $ 16 million –
    Feb 20, 2018 Venture Round $1 million Unilazer Ventures
    Dec 31, 2017 Series E – –
    May 9, 2017 Debt Financing $ 7.7 million InnoVen Capital
    Jan 12, 2016 Series E $100 million GIC
    Jan 19, 2015 Series D $100 million Tiger Global Management
    May 1, 2014 Series C $15 million Helion Venture Partners, Nexus Venture Partners
    Mar 19, 2013 Series B $10 million Helion Venture Partners, Nexus Venture Partners
    Jan 1, 2012 Series A $4 million –

    ShopClues – Mergers and Acquisitions

    ShopClues acquired Momoe on July 15, 2016 for around $10–$12 million. Momoe is a Bengaluru-based startup focused on mobile payments’ systems.

    ShopClues – Growth

    From its humble beginnings in 2011, ShopClues has evolved into a major player in the Indian e-commerce landscape, carving a distinct niche for itself. Boasting a whopping 100 million visits annually and a seller base exceeding 5 lakh, ShopClues has witnessed phenomenal growth as of 2016.

    ShopClues’ ascent is not merely marked by numbers; it is a testament to its role as the ultimate platform for small sellers across India. The platform’s extensive marketplace reaches 32,500 pin codes, facilitating the delivery of products far and wide. With 100 million monthly visits, a network of over 6 lakh merchants, an impressive 8.5 crore+ SKUs, and a staggering 50,000 crore+ worth of listed merchandise, ShopClues stands as a thriving hub for the exhibition and sale of diverse products.

    This growth trajectory demonstrates ShopClues’ dedication to offering small merchants a strong platform and emphasizes the company’s noteworthy influence on the Indian e-commerce business.

    Financials

    ShopClues Financials
    ShopClues Financials
    ShopClues Financials FY20 FY21 FY22
    Operating Revenue Rs 89.1 crore Rs 115.1 crore Rs 59.9 crore
    Total Expenses Rs 148.7 crore Rs 174.3 crore Rs 111.7 crore
    Profit/Loss Loss of Rs 51.5 crore Loss of Rs 58.1 crore Loss of Rs 50.2crore
    Cash from Ops Deficit of Rs 27.4 crore Deficit of Rs 28.3 crore Deficit of Rs 26.6 crore

    Expenses Breakdown

    ShopClues Expenses Breakdown FY21 FY22
    Transportation Costs Rs 49.4 crore Rs 30.7 crore
    Employee Benefits Rs 62.8 crore Rs 27.6 crore
    Advertising Promotional Rs 41.3 crore Rs 24.8 crore
    Others Rs 20.8 crore Rs 28.6 crore

    EBITDA

    ShopClues FY21-FY22 FY21 FY22
    EBITDA Margin -45.44% -72.03%
    Expense/Rs of Op Revenue Rs 1.51 Rs 1.86
    ROCE – –

    ShopClues – Advertisements and Social Media Campaigns

    ShopClues Campaign

    ShopClues has launched a great campaign named ‘Mall Nahi Market.’ Their goal is to transform online shopping into an enjoyable experience akin to going shopping. In the advertisement, a contented consumer finds deals, much like we might at a real market. ShopClues guarantees a wide selection and affordable rates. It resembles an online marketplace where customers may browse and take advantage of deals.

    ShopClues – Awards and Achievements

    ShopClues won several awards; below are the details:

    2016:

    • Gold Award at APAC Effie Awards for Ghar Wapsi campaign (David vs. Goliath category).
    • Marketing Campaign of the Year at CMO Asia Awards.
    • Award for Consumer Insight at CMO Asia Awards.
    • Bronze winner in Film 12B Retail Advertising category for Ghar Wapsi Sale – Bhains Ki Aankh campaign at Abby Awards.
    • Award in Search Marketing at 6th India Digital Awards function.

    2015:

    • Silver at Effie India Awards for Ghar Wapsi Campaign.
    • Advertising Campaign of the Year by Indian e-retail Awards for TVC, From Ding to Dong.
    • Coolest Start-Up in India by Business Today.
    • Interactive – Remarketing and Retargeting at DMA Asia ECHO Awards.

    2013:

    • Featured in Red Herring Asia Top 100 Winners List.
    • Best e-Commerce Site of the Year award by Global Youth Marketing Format Social Media Summit and Awards.
    • ‘Best e-Retailer of the Year – Value for Deals’ title by Franchise India at 2nd National Indian e-Retail Awards.

    ShopClues – Competitors

    The top competitors of ShopClues are:

    Flipkart Online Shopping – Latest News, Subsidiaries, Owner, Business Model
    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 the organization it is based on. Don’t you think online buying and selling has become an essential part of our
    lives? Youth and adu…
    StartupTalkyRishabh Rathi

    ShopClues – Future Plans

    ShopClues is gearing up to introduce renowned international brands to the Indian market.

    Gambhir, the Managing Director and Board member of ShopClues, stated, “Our rebranding exercise will unfold over the next 10 months.” He added that ShopClues currently fulfills approximately 1,000 cross-border orders daily, facilitated through Qxpress, the logistics arm of Qoo10. Gambhir also mentioned that ShopClues aims to scale this number to around 12,000 orders by 2024″, as reported on September 23, 2023.

    FAQs

    Is ShopClues an Indian company?

    Yes, ShopClues is an India-based company that provides a managed marketplace connecting buyers and sellers online.

    Where is ShopClues head office?

    ShopClues head office is in Gurgaon, Haryana, India.

    Who is the CEO of ShopClues?

    Sanjay Sethi is the CEO of ShopClues.

    How does ShopClues earn money?

    ShopClues is a business-to-consumer shopping platform. They earn money on the service fee for every successful transaction.

  • Top 12 B2C Ecommerce Websites Dominating the Indian Market

    ‌‌From Amazon to Pepperfry, the eCommerce industry thrives in India, especially in B2C eCommerce companies. In fact, India is ranked first in the fastest-growing eCommerce market globally, with an estimated market value of $16.6 trillion by 2022.

    B2C means business-to-consumer, which refers to the business model where the companies directly sell their products to consumers. The market offering B2C services has gained speed in recent years. According to the report by Grand View Research, the B2C eCommerce industry is set to reach a valuation of $7.65 trillion by the year 2028.

    This brings us to the article’s primary content, top B2C eCommerce companies across India. So, let’s get started.

    List of top B2C eCommerce companies in India

    Amazon
    Flipkart
    FirstCry
    Paytm Mall
    Snapdeal
    Myntra
    1mg
    LimeRoad
    Shopclues
    Pepperfry
    BookMyShow
    Nykaa

    Amazon

    Founded 2013
    Founders Jeff Bezos
    Headquarters Seattle, Washington (USA)
    Category Ecommerce
    Website amazon.in

    Amazon Website
    Amazon Website

    When it comes to B2C eCommerce websites, Amazon tops the list. The company was initially started in the United States as an online bookstore and was later converted into a marketplace for other products. Initially, it was created as a platform where customers could purchase books on a wide range of subjects.

    With time, Amazon grew into an eCommerce site with monthly visitors of over 322.54 million, as per the 2010 data. And it became widely popular in the Indian eCommerce industry. Today, the company reached out to a total of 89 percent of the Indian audience.

    Flipkart

    Founded 2007
    Founders Sachin Bansal, Binny Bansal
    Headquarters Bengaluru, India
    Category Ecommerce
    Website flipkart.com

    Flipkart Website
    Flipkart Website

    Founded by two former Amazon employees, Binny Bansal, and Sachin Bansal, in 2007, Flipkart is a well-known privately hosted eCommerce website in India. After its highest acquisition of 16 billion in 2018 by Walmart, Flipkart now comes under the ownership of Walmart. The company owns 39.5 percent of the market share of the Indian eCommerce industry, with the most significant competition from none other than Amazon.

    Flipkart gained massive popularity due to its Big Billion Days Sale, where it reached a large audience base by offering huge discounts on its merchandise of all categories. With a solid online presence, Flipkart is considered one of the best eCommerce websites following the B2C business model.

    FirstCry

    Founded 2010
    Founders Amitava Saha and Supam Maheshwari
    Headquarters Pune, India
    Category Online Baby Products
    Website firstcry.com

    FirstCry Website
    FirstCry Website

    FirstCry is considered the best eCommerce platform for babies and children’s merchandise, following a B2C business model. The product quality and variety offered by FirstCry are excellent and worth all the praise. It provides more than 200,000 products from over 5,000 manufacturers. FirstCry was introduced in 2010 by Amitava Saha and Supam Maheshwari.

    In addition to its eCommerce platform, Firstcry also operates physical stores across the country, which allows customers to experience its products before making a purchase.

    The website has also launched its own private-label brands to offer quality products at affordable prices. FirstCry has over 400 outlets across India, covering cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and many more.

    Paytm Mall

    Founded 2016
    Founders Vijay Shekhar Sharma
    Headquarters Bengaluru, India
    Category Ecommerce
    Website paytmmall.com

    Paytm Mall Website
    Paytm Mall Website

    Yes, you heard it right. Paytm isn’t limited to digital payments and financial services; it has also expanded to eCommerce. In 2016, Paytm introduced an online shopping platform based on the B2C business model, Paytm Mall.

    From all kinds of clothing to exclusive gadgets to home furnishing, you can find everything at Paytm Mall. As per the reports published by findly, Paytm Mall is estimated to receive 60 million orders in a month.

    Paytm Mall offers high-quality products at affordable pricing. Plus, you can use different coupons for discounts and cashback offered by Paytm Mall.

    Snapdeal

    Founded 2010
    Founders Kunal Bahl, Rohit Bansal
    Headquarters Gurgaon, India
    Category Ecommerce
    Website snapdeal.com

    Snapdeal Website
    Snapdeal Website

    With an estimated monthly visitor count of 56.41 million, Snapdeal is considered an eCommerce giant with a B2C business model. It’s an online shopping platform with various products from different categories such as electronics, clothing, home decor, books, beauty, and many more. Among these, Snapdeal’s electronic category is the largest shopped one.

    This eCommerce platform was launched in 2010 and has attracted top investors such as Softbank, Alibaba Group, and Foxconn.

    Myntra

    Founded 2007
    Founders Mukesh Bansal, Ashutosh Lawania, Vineet Saxena, Sankar Bora, and Raveen Sastry
    Headquarters Bengaluru India
    Category Ecommerce
    Website myntra.com

    Myntra Website
    Myntra Website

    Myntra is among the premier fashion, lifestyle, and home eCommerce platforms with a B2C business model. It has around 48.03 million monthly visitors. It earned impressive profit and popularity after the acquisition of Jabong.com, its competitor in the market.

    Myntra is known for its fantastic collection of high-end fashion from top brands all around the globe and as per 2012 data, Myntra added more than 350 Indian and Foreign brands to its manufacturer’s list. Plus, it has many private clothing labels, such as HRX and Moda Rapido, which are exempted from expansion vastly.

    The website is also a fashion retailer with a wide range of products from international to local brands in all sections.

    Estimated Retail Ecommerce Sales in India in Million US Dollars from 2016-2022
    Estimated Retail Ecommerce Sales in India in Million US Dollars from 2016-2022

    1mg

    Founded 2013
    Founders Prashant Tandon, Gaurav Agarwal, Vikas Chauhan
    Headquarters Gurugram, India
    Category Healthcare
    Website 1mg.com

    1mg Website
    1mg Website

    1mg is categorized as an Indian online pharmacy founded in 2015 by Prashant Tandon, Gaurav Agarwal, and Vikas Chauhan. 1mg offers a wide range of healthcare products including medicines, healthcare devices, health supplements, personal care products, and more. The website features products from over 3,000 brands and has over 2 lakh products available on its platform.

    1mg also provides features such as online medicine ordering, diagnostic tests booking, and wellness package booking to provide a comprehensive healthcare experience to its customers. In addition to healthcare products and services, 1mg also provides health-related content through its blog and social media channels.

    LimeRoad

    Founded 2012
    Founders Prashant Malik, Manish Saksena, Ankush Mehra, and Suchi Mukherjee
    Headquarters Gurugram, India
    Category Fashion Ecommerce
    Website limeroad.com

    Limeroad Website
    LimeRoad Website

    Headquartered in Gurugram, LimeRoad is a pretty famous fashion and clothing eCommerce website following B2C business models. The company was founded in 2012 with the specification of online shopping. It was founded by Prashant Malik, Manish Saksena, Ankush Mehra, and Suchi Mukherjee.

    In its initial three funding rounds, the company raised 50 million USD. LimeRoad is the first-ever women’s social shopping platform in India. It also offers a wide range of categories dealing with men, women, and kids.  

    Shopclues

    Founded 2011
    Founders Sandeep Aggarwal, Radhika Aggarwal and Sanjay Sethi
    Headquarters Gurugram, India
    Category Online Shopping
    Website shopclues.com

    Shopclues Website
    Shopclues Website

    Shopclues is another online shopping company based in Gurugram, Haryana, India, founded by Radhika Aggarwal, Sandeep Aggarwal, and Sanjay Sethi in 2011. With revenue of above $40 million and 1080+ employees, the company has established a strong image in the marketplace. It’s a privately owned company that specializes in online shopping.

    ShopClues operates on a marketplace model where it connects buyers and sellers on its platform. The website has over 5 crore products from 9 lakh+ merchants across 3,300+ categories. Apart from the regular products, ShopClues also offers several exclusive features like Sunday Flea Market, Wholesale, and IndiMarket which showcase products from small and medium-sized businesses in India.

    Pepperfry

    Founded 2011
    Founders Ambareesh Murty & Ashish Shah
    Headquarters Mumbai, India
    Category Home Decor and Furniture
    Website pepperfry.com

    Pepperfry Website
    Pepperfry Website

    Pepperfry is a popular eCommerce B2C website in India that primarily focuses on home decor and furniture. The website was launched in 2012 by Ashish Shah and Ambreesh Murthy. Pepperfry has become one of the leading online shopping destinations for furniture and home decor in India.

    They offer products from over 10,000 sellers and has over 1.2 lakh products available on its platform. It also has more than 100 outlets across 57 cities in India. The website also has a feature called “Studio Pepperfry” which is a concept store where customers can get a hands-on experience with the products before making a purchase.

    BookMyShow

    Founded 2007
    Founders Ashish Hemrajani, Parikshit Dar, and Rajesh Balpande
    Headquarters Mumbai, India
    Category Online Ticket Booking
    Website bookmyshow.com

    BookMyShow Website
    BookMyShow Website

    BookMyShow is a popular eCommerce B2C (business-to-consumer) website in India that primarily focuses on providing online ticket booking services for movies, events, and other entertainment activities. The website was launched in 2007 by Ashish Hemrajani, Parikshit Dar, and Rajesh Balpande.

    BookMyShow offers a range of services including movie ticket booking, event ticket booking, sports event ticket booking, play and theater ticket booking, and more. The BookMyShow website features listings of events, movies, and activities happening in various cities across India. They also provide reviews and ratings of movies, events, and activities to help customers make informed decisions.

    Nykaa

    Founded 2012
    Founders Falguni Nayar
    Headquarters Mumbai, India
    Category Cosmetics, Beauty, Personal Care
    Website nykaa.com

    Nykaa Website
    Nykaa Website

    Nykaa is a popular eCommerce B2C website in India that primarily provides beauty and wellness products to its customers. It was launched in 2012 by Falguni Nayar. Nykaa offers a wide range of beauty and wellness products including makeup, skincare, hair care, personal care, fragrance, wellness, and more.

    The website features products from over 1,500 brands and has over 2 lakh products available on its platform. It also provides content related to beauty and wellness through its blog and social media channels.

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    StartupTalkySejal Raval

    Conclusion

    In conclusion, with the massive adaptation of machine learning, consumers are getting more personalized services from B2C eCommerce companies. The best thing about B2C websites is the level of convenience and security they provide consumers.

    It shows products based on the previous purchasing history of the users to fulfill their unique needs. These above-mentioned B2C eCommerce websites are truly extraordinary with their services and products. And because of this only, the competition within the eCommerce industry is relatively high, which is also the reason for its growth.

    FAQs

    Which is India’s number 1 eCommerce company?

    Flipkart is considered India’s number 1 eCommerce company with 39.5% of the market share from the Indian eCommerce industry.

    Is Zomato a B2C?

    Yes, Zomato is a B2C company.

    Who is the father of eCommerce in India?

    K Vaitheeswaran is considered the father of eCommerce in India.

    What are B2C website examples?

    Some of the B2C website examples are Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, LimeRoad, Pepperfry, Shopclues, 1mg, Snapdeal, Paytm Mall, Firstcry, etc.

  • The Future of Ecommerce Industry in India

    With growing internet penetration and disposable incomes, the people of India are experiencing a massive change in their shopping habits. People from all fronts are using their smartphones to buy products and items. With the big three — Amazon, Walmart, and Alibaba, entering the Ecommerce sector of India, the market is slowly maturing and expanding its footprint to the most remote locations across the country. This market for Ecommerce in India is further estimated to witness another transformation with the spread of the all-new ONDC concept that is still new in its approach and promises to make ground-breaking changes.

    According to an analysis, the Ecommerce Industry in India grew from 4% of the total population in 2007 to around 40% in 2017, clearly indicating the rise of the internet era in the world’s fastest-growing economy. The growth of the Ecommerce market in India is expected to further be registered at around $188 billion by 2025. This industry would again rise to reach $350 billion by 2030, as per the latest statistical reports. This internet boom is directly proportional to the emergence of Ecommerce in India and other internet-based domains.

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    This post analyzes the current scenario and the future of Ecommerce in India.

    Ecommerce Industry In India
    Growth Of Amazon In India
    Growth Of Flipkart In India
    Other Ecommerce Players In India

    Ecommerce Industry In India

    Projected Ecommerce Revenue of India from 2017-2027
    Projected Ecommerce Revenue of India from 2017-2027

    This success story started in 2007 with the inception of India’s most successful startup, Flipkart. Initially, companies found it tough to encourage people to shop online but with advancing technology, logistics, and payment methods supported by various offers and sales, people slowly drifted to this convenient mode of online shopping. Internet penetration and easily available data, fuelled by the low costs were and continue to be the most prominent factors encouraging this trend.

    Ecommerce in India is expected to touch $200 billion by 2025 from the figure of around $40 billion in 2017. The internet economy, on the other hand, is expected to hit $1 trillion by 2030, majorly riding on the Ecommerce wave. Seeing this potential, Amazon, Walmart, and Alibaba started heavily investing in India and building a strong presence. Various domestic players like Snapdeal, Shopclues, Infibeam, etc. are also a part of this organized and exponentially growing Ecommerce segment in India. Though some of them might not be standing tall enough at the present moment, they always have a chance to bounce back though. Also, as a result of the domain of Ecommerce being broad enough to nourish many other subdomains, the Indian ecosystem of Ecommerce has seen the growth of both men and successful women entrepreneurs, with many more opportunities ahead.      

    Growth Of Amazon In India

    Annual Net Sales Revenue Worldwide of Amazon from 2004 to 2021
    Annual Net Sales Revenue Worldwide of Amazon from 2004 to 2021

    Amazon expanded its footprints in India by promising to invest $5 billion, and until now it has pumped in more than $6.5 billion. These investments are being used for expanding its portfolio by bringing various sellers onto its platform, building and leasing warehouses for storage, improving logistics, offering heavy discounts to acquire new customers, and foraying into new verticals like grocery and payments wallet.

    In 2017, Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos stated that Amazon’s app was the most downloaded shopping app in India. Moreover, the company’s loyalty program—Amazon prime—was adopted in India at a much faster rate than in any other country. Its international losses as of April 2018 were $622 million and the revenue was $14.08 billion, whereas a year back the figures were, $481 million and $11.06 billion respectively. Amazon.com had $469.80 billion in revenue in 2021. Amazon is also focusing on improving its smart AI-based speaker, Amazon Echo. Alexa, Amazon’s voice-controlled personal assistant, is being trained to understand and focus on the Indian dialect and vernacular languages.

    Amazon now has options for Hindi, Tamil, Telegu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, and Marathi on its website and app to conquer customers from tier-2, tier-3, and rural areas where English is not widely used or taught. With a growing focus on improving customer service through setting up various fulfillment centers and faster logistics, Amazon is working to counter its local competitor Flipkart which was bought by Walmart and Paytm Mall. It is going to provide drone-based delivery very soon. With its increasing investments despite heavy losses, Amazon strongly believes that today’s investment of Re 1 will yield returns of Rs 100 tomorrow.

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    Growth Of Flipkart In India

    Revenue of Flipkart Private Limited between Financial Years 2014 and 2022
    Revenue of Flipkart Private Limited between Financial Years 2014 and 2022

    On the other hand, Flipkart is a successful domestic Ecommerce player in India. Initially, it had its share of struggles in bringing sellers and buyers on its platform while dealing with the challenges of logistics and maintenance of warehouses. But with grit and hard work, Flipkart has been successful in bringing a revolution that changed the face of the startup ecosystem in India.

    It was the first Ecommerce company to introduce the system of cash on delivery, being mindful of the reluctance people faced while using their cards online. It also accomplished the task of setting up its own logistics unit, Ekart, along with various warehouses for storage and faster deliveries. Just like Amazon, Flipkart’s founders also started their startup by selling books online and slowly scaled their startup to various segments. It has also acquired various startups like Myntra and Jabong in the fashion segment, and PhonePe to delve into the mobile wallet industry. As of FY2017, it held around 45% of the total market in India, with losses of about Rs 8771 crores and revenue rising by 29% to Rs 19,854 crores. Though the market share figures changed slightly, Flipkart still maintained a lead over its counterpart Amazon in terms of market share, which was reported to hold 31.9% market share over the US-based Amazon, which held 31.2% of the market share in 2020.  

    Flipkart also launched its smartphone segment under the name ‘billion’, and also forayed into the electronics segment under the name MarQ. It is even venturing into the untapped potential behind the furniture segment. The basic reason behind launching an in-house brand is to attain profitability; many experts say that in-house brands will ultimately become the backbone of Ecommerce. Success was not easy for Flipkart. Ideas like trying to turn Flipkart into a mobile app completely didn’t go down with customers, and there were other failure stories as well.

    Flipkart was acquired by the American-based supermarket giant Walmart for $16 billion in 2018. This led to a growth in Flipkart’s valuation, which reached $21 billion. This deal was a win-win situation for both as Walmart got a 77% stake in expanding itself into the world’s new Ecommerce battleground, and Flipkart got ammunition in the form of investment and equity to counter Amazon. It eventually began to launch numerous programs like the loyalty program, and Flipkart Plus, where users are provided with free delivery and points. It also has a Flipkart affiliate program where you can become a partner and earn money. These points can be further used to redeem offers on platforms like Bookmyshow, Zomato, Hotstar, etc.

    Flipkart launched its refurbished marketplace, 2gud.com, after parting ways with eBay India. With the competition getting tougher every day accompanied by growing market size, it remains to be seen whether Flipkart will be able to maintain its supremacy. No matter what, Indians will always be proud of Flipkart as it changed the way for the average Indian shop.

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    Other Ecommerce Players In India

    The third dimension of Ecommerce in India is Paytm Mall and other small players. After the fall of Snapdeal, Paytm Mall (started in 2017) was quick enough to conquer the third spot in the industry. Focusing on its Online to Offline model (O2O model), which allowed consumers to avail of online discounts and offers in Offline partner stores, it established a niche in this particular segment.

    Alibaba and Soft Bank invested $356 million in the company. Alibaba took a stake of 28.34% and Soft Bank 19.86%. After this valuation of the company reached $2 billion. It reported annual gross sales worth around $3.5 billion in FY18 and earned operating revenues of $102.97 million in FY19. It reported $34.72 million in revenue from operations and a $17.48 million loss in FY22.

    Short-term visions, lack of experience, and strategic setbacks led to the fall of the company. Alibaba and Ant Financial sold their stake at just $5.17 million and backed out of the company. According to reports, its valuation dropped from $3 billion to $13 million in March 2022. Paytm Mall can make a comeback through ONDC.  

    Another small and promising player was Shopclues, which had been successful in attracting customers from Tier-3 and Tier-4 towns, clearly indicating its difference in thinking from Flipkart and Amazon. It consisted of various small sellers on its platform, selling quality goods at a cheaper price. This business model attracted people from various rural areas who had low disposable incomes compared to their urban counterparts. According to a ROC 2018 filing, it was revealed that Shopclues’ revenue increased by 60% to Rs 180.3 crores, and losses came down by a massive 40% to Rs 332.65 crores. It also hinted at profitability in the coming quarters. However, the promising unicorn, which turned the fourth Indian unicorn startup in January 2016, led by Radhika Ghai Aggarwal and Sandeep Aggarwal, headed only towards nothing.    

    Conclusion

    Many people from the industry feel that the current Ecommerce ecosystem in India (consisting of both the marketplace and inventory type) is less than 5% of its actual potential. With this industry growing exponentially, many small and big players feel that there are more horizontals and verticals which are yet to be explored and organized. Myntra, IndiaMart and Nykaa are among the fastest-growing Ecommerce players in India. The Ecommerce segment will be imperative in pumping up the Indian economy and boosting employment rates.

    FAQs

    What is the future of Ecommerce in India?

    As per predictions, the Indian Ecommerce market will increase by 21.5%, reaching $74.8 billion in 2022, and it will reach $350 billion by 2030.

    What is the present scenario of Ecommerce in India?

    Ecommerce has transformed the way business is done in India. The Indian Ecommerce market is expected to grow to US$ 200 billion by 2026 from US$ 38.5 billion as of 2017. Much of the growth for the industry has been triggered by an increase in internet and smartphone penetration.

    What is the market share of Ecommerce in India?

    Growing at an exponential rate, the market value of the Ecommerce industry in India is approximately $88 billion in 2022.

    Which is the biggest Ecommerce company in India?

    Amazon India is the biggest Ecommerce company in India.

    What are examples of the Ecommerce industry?

    • Amazon
    • Flipkart
    • Snapdeal
    • Myntra
    • Shopify
    • Nykaa
    • Alibaba Group

  • Why ShopClues Failed? | Case Study Behind the Downfall of the Once Unicorn Startup in India

    India’s long history of promising and successful eCommerce startups also includes some well-known crashes too. ShopClues, an online shopping marketplace venture is a great example here as it rose to great heights before facing a hard fall. The startup tasted success so well that it even acquired the status of India’s fourth unicorn in 2016. But it couldn’t maintain its status for long as a series of events contributed to its downfall. This article will go through the reasons behind ShopClues’s failure.

    The Rise of the Ecommerce Platforms in India
    ShopClues – An Overview
    Why ShopClues Failed?

    Why are Indian Startups Failing?

    The Rise of the Ecommerce Platforms in India

    The advent and wide use of the internet have ensured at least one element – the ability to create branching platforms. In this manner, most aspects of the pre-internet era have transformed to become more accessible and attainable. One such facet is the marketplace.

    The traditional physical marketplace has been replaced almost completely by an online space for selling and buying. Contrary to the belief almost 30 years ago, eCommerce spaces are here to stay and thrive at it. There are various reasons why the eCommerce marketplace is booming throughout the world. These include:

    • It covers almost all borders and distances to bring products to a marketing platform.
    • It ensures more widespread access to products that were previously closed off to people because of geographical distances, low awareness, lack of access, etc.
    • It promotes and employs a greater amount of employees than any traditional selling platform.

    These are some of the many reasons why eCommerce conglomerates like Amazon, eBay, Joi, Nykaa, etc., have created a successful space for eCommerce to flourish in most parts of the world.

    In recent years, the Indian market has opened up multiple avenues to small businesses looking to transform into sustainable eCommerce businesses. The country also promotes established online commercial platforms. Therefore, eCommerce platforms like Amazon India, Snapdeal, Flipkart, Nykaa, Myntra, and more, have gone on to see great success in the Indian subcontinent.

    However, these successes are balanced by major businesses that have failed to sustain themselves and secure a long-term future. One such company is ShopClues. Its rise and crash have been among well-noted cases in the eCommerce world.

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    ShopClues – An Overview

    ShopClues Financials for FY2019 and FY2020
    ShopClues Financials for FY2019 and FY2020

    ShopClues is an online marketplace, similar to Snapdeal and Amazon India. The eCommerce platform was founded 11 years ago in July 2011 by Sanjay Sethi, Sandeep Aggarwal, and Radhika Aggarwal. Owned by Clues Network Pvt. Ltd., the headquarters are situated in Gurugram, Haryana, India. The brand served the interests of the Indian consumerist client as an online shopping space.

    The brand operates under the banner of ‘Made in India.’ At a time when Indians were beginning to look for ways to reduce dependency on China for goods and materials, platforms like ShopClues came to the forefront. People saw these online establishments as the perfect solution to a more patriotic and unified image of India. ShopClues certainly profited off of this value, offering goods made in India as well as foreign products at considerable discounts. Moreover, instead of focusing on large urban metro cities, the brand concentrated on selling basic and practical products related to cleaning, kitchen, apparel, electronics, and other items to Tier II and Tier III cities. Within two years of its existence, ShopClues boasted one million active users.

    As a result, the brand saw major investors like Tiger Global, Helion Ventures, and Nexus Venture Partners invested in ShopClues. According to Forbes India, the brand possessed a value of $1.1 billion in 2016 and therefore, acquired the status of a unicorn startup in India.

    With such success, where did the brand go wrong? How did ShopClues lose such a massive chunk of its revenue in later years? Let us go on to find out the answers.

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    Why ShopClues Failed?

    The success of an eCommerce venture goes beyond selling its products. From rival companies to internal affairs, a lot more goes behind the brand’s capability of running operations smoothly. Sustaining a project as well as ensuring a stream of profits at the end of every fiscal year is not as easy as it sounds. ShopClues also faced many hurdles that led to its downfall. Below, we are going to take a look at some of the most prominent issues ShopClues had to deal with and ended up failing disastrously:

    Aggressive Rival Tactics

    When ShopClues came about and gained traction in the Indian consumerist sector, eCommerce businesses were a thing of rarity. Its founders took advantage of this in 2011 and began to market its products accordingly. However, by 2014, Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart began to focus their attention on establishing online shopping platforms in India.

    Whereas Flipkart was seen as only an online bookstore and Amazon as a western organization. Both began to aggressively market themselves to remove rivals. This affected the growth and consolidation of ShopClues, which became the small fish surrounded by sharks. New rivals with better and more refined marketing skills overpowered any model ShopClues could produce. This was one of the reasons behind the failure of ShopClues.

    False Branding

    The company also suffered losses in terms of its offerings. In 2011, the vision was to bring urban goods to sub-urban and rural spaces that lacked the opportunity to access the same. However, complaints from consumers began to stream in that the products were fake. The Luxottica Group, the owner of Ray-Ban, alleged that ShopClues had been selling Ray-Ban products under fake labellings. The accusation prompted the Delhi High Court to pull up the Indian brand for selling the products despite previous warnings. This adversely affected the image of ShopClues among the public.

    Poor Quality Products

    Alongside fake products, reports also came in that the brand was dealing people with poor-quality products. Despite the low costs and exciting offers, the products were not up to par. Many users complained of scams and dupes perpetrated by the company. People did not receive their goods or refunds on time. The customer support option was unavailable to most pleas for help. This created bad blood among users towards the brand and affected ShopClue’s image.

    Internal Scandals

    Multiple scandals rocked the company over and over. The founder and CEO of ShopClues, Sandeep Agarwal, was charged with insider trading allegations in 2013. Consequently, Aggarwal was arrested in the United States where he accepted a plea bargain on the accusations and pleaded guilty. He resigned from the post of CEO of ShopClues the same year.

    2017 saw a stormy year for the brand internally. Sandeep Aggarwal blamed Radhika (his estranged wife) for forcing him out of the company. Subsequently, the couple split up and continued to spar publicly over voting privileges and charges of fraud. Aggarwal then made a humiliating Facebook post regarding his wife and also filed a case of criminal defamation against Sethi and Radhika. He accused them of downplaying his contribution as the creator and founder of ShopClues. All such scandals among the founders created a false image of the platform in the public eyes.

    ShopClues - Negative Reviews and Scandals
    ShopClues – Negative Reviews and Scandals

    Migration of Consumers

    With a clear lack of invigorating and innovative business foundations and adaptability, ShopClues was slated for failure when the big names came into the fight. Platforms like Amazon and Flipkart started gaining popularity and trust among the consumers and ShopClues did not have an adequate plan to retain its consumer base, leading to a collective exit of many consumers towards other platforms.

    Extreme Cost-Cutting Measures

    Due to continued failures, ShopClues decided to undergo extreme measures to save costs. Hundreds of employees were regularly laid off every year after 2016. In fact, more than 200 employees were laid off in 2017 itself. ShopClues’ expenses decreased by a whopping 60% between 2018 to 2020. The financial year of 2018 saw Rs. 363.4 crores in expenses which went down to Rs. 278 crores in 2019. 2020 saw a further dramatic decrease of Rs. 148.6 crores.

    ShopClues shortened its budget for ads and promotions down to 80% in 2018. It further slashed costs to 60% in 2019. The shipment cost dropped completely down to 100%. There were no reports of transport or charges for hiring in the fiscal year of 2020, so it is assumed that these costs were also slashed.

    Conclusion

    ShopClues had all the makings of being a successful eCommerce platform with viability. However, various factors like competition, a lack of business initiatives, and unclear modules of operation left the company in the dust. Its internal affairs and state of handling procedure also had a hand in ShopClues becoming a redundant business that was once a shining avenue.

    FAQs

    Is ShopClues an Indian company?

    Yes, ShopClues is an Indian company founded by Sandeep Aggarwal, Radhika Aggarwal, and Sanjay Sethi in the year 2011. The company has its headquarters in Gurugram, Haryana, India.

    Who acquired ShopClues?

    ShopClues was acquired by Singapore-based Qoo10 in a stock deal in the year 2019 for a valuation between 70 to 100 million USD.

    Is ShopClues a failure?

    ShopClues had many reasons that led the startup towards its failure. These include false branding, rival tactics, internal scandals, and the lack of trust among the customers.

    Is ShopClues unicorn?

    ShopClues acquired unicorn status in the year 2016 with a valuation of around $1.1 billion, making it the fourth unicorn startup in India. However, the company could not hold this valuation for long and ultimately got sold to Qoo10 at a valuation between $70-$100 million.

  • Vanity Wagon – A Reformative Platform for Natural and Organic Beauty Products

    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 Vanity Wagon.

    The love for organic beauty and personal care products is increasing in India. With people becoming aware of the long-term damage that chemical-containing beauty products can cause, the demand for organic and natural products is increasing like never before. This has instigated the emergence of many organic and natural care brands that claim to be chemical-free.

    In the presence of too many choices, it has become tough for consumers to choose genuine products. To solve this confusion and to ensure that the consumers choose only genuine organic beauty and personal care products, Vanity Wagon was started. The vanitywagon.in picks and collects just the best organic beauty wagon and personal care products for you.

    Company Highlights

    Startup Name Vanity Wagon
    Headquarter Gurugram, Haryana
    Founder Naina Ruhail, Prateek Ruhail & Sahil Shrestha
    Sector Natural Beauty & Personal Care
    Founded 2018
    Website vanitywagon.in

    Vanity Wagon – About
    Vanity Wagon – Organic / Online Beauty Industry in India
    Vanity Wagon – Founders & Team
    Vanity Wagon – Name & Logo
    Vanity Wagon – How It All Started?
    Vanity Wagon – Business Model
    Vanity Wagon – User Acquisition
    Vanity Wagon – Growth
    Vanity Wagon – Funding & Investors
    Vanity Wagon – Startup Challenges
    Vanity Wagon – Competitors
    Vanity Wagon – Advisors & Mentors
    Vanity Wagon – Future Plans

    Vanity Wagon – About

    Vanity Wagon Slogan

    The vanitywagon.in is a Gurugram-based startup founded in the year 2018. It is a one-stop platform to buy genuine organic beauty products for beauty and personal care. Vanity Wagon offers the products included in the platform that are toxin-free, harmful chemical-free, cruelty-free, and completely safe.

    Our belief is to create a shopping experience that is not only par satisfaction but also through an informed choice. We impart a large amount of information on our products and also on the general adoption of organic products in one’s life. We want to grow as a platform that is informative, trustworthy, and fun.

    What is Vanity Wagon?

    Vanity Wagon app is India’s First Natural Beauty Market with its headquarters in Gurugram. It offers all categories of products like Bath and body, skin-care, hair-care, makeup, men’s care, mom and baby care, beauty products, wellness products, and gifting options. The best part is that all the products available in Vanity Wagon are organic and natural.

    According to some Vanity Wagon reviews has also established itself as an informative platform, where they share detailed information about various beauty products, beauty advice from experts, and the various benefits of switching to organic products.

    One of the experiments that we did was with our own forum wherein we interact with individuals daily and not only reply to their queries but also post some legitimate–core information on organics and the natural personal care industry. The forum started as a pilot project but with the response, we realized how many information gaps existed in the market and decided to take it on as a long-term project.

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    Vanity Wagon – Organic / Online Beauty Industry in India

    According to Red Seer Consulting, the Indian online beauty market is currently pegged at $150 million. The market size is growing 10 times per year and is expected to reach $1.6 billion by 2025.  The Vanity Wagon tracking and interface are easy to use on both the website and app.

    The market size of organic beauty wagon products is currently $42 million. The global market value for natural cosmetics and beauty products is expected to make shift from 30 billion dollars in 2021 to 50.5 billion dollars by 2027. Vanity Wagon believes in sustainable beauty and stands firm in its mission to educate the audience and deliver what’s best for them in the long run.

    Vanity Wagon – Founders & Team

    Naina Ruhail, Prateek Ruhail & Sahil Shrestha
    Naina Ruhail, Prateek Ruhail & Sahil Shrestha

    Vanity Wagon’s founders are Naina Ruhail, Prateek Ruhail, and Sahil Shrestha.

    Naina Ruhail is an established media influencer and professional make-up artist in India. She completed her MBA in 2012 and then went on to specialize in beauty & skincare with her education at the London School of Styling and the London School of Makeup. She has 7 years of professional experience in marketing and brand building.

    Prateek Ruhail is an MBA from the University of Oxford with a Dean’s Commendation Award. He has 3 years of Project Finance (Legal) and 4 years of Business Management experience. His area of expertise is business strategy and core management. He also has led mega infrastructure project financings, thereby understanding the nuances of financial management in India.

    Sahil Shrestha has an educational qualification in management and technology. Post completion of his MBA in 2012 he went on to work in different facets of operations. He is one of the main Vanity Wagon founders, as he leads the operational vertical, bringing the best of his experiences onboard.

    The idea was thought of by Naina post her stint in London, UK. The market research and study showed tremendous industry growth and also a promise for a brand like Vanity Wagon to create a niche space for itself.

    That being said Prateek and Naina went on to initiate the set-up of Vanity Wagon India when Sahil Shrestha (the operational team leader) jumped in and went on to complete the founding team.

    Vanity Wagon Logo

    The team wanted the startup name to focus on two strong points – ‘An Indian woman’s beauty box’ and ‘pan India coverage’. The initial names were around beauty and organic and natural. Several names came up, however, nothing was strong enough to focus on our two strong points – ‘An Indian woman’s beauty box’ and ‘pan India coverage’.

    The Vanity Wagon logo and name are based on a beauty box that holds a Woman’s care needs and we want to build the whole personal care space of a Woman’s life with organic–natural products. Hence came the idea of the Vanity Wagon website.

    Most often women in India would refer to their beauty arsenal by the term Vanity Kit. Further, the Wagon symbolizes the team traveling from household to household, city to city, and reaching every nook and corner of India, while servicing the personal care needs of an individual.

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    Vanity Wagon – How It All Started?

    The idea was taking form while Naina was learning beauty & skincare at the London School of styling and London School of Makeup. She noticed that in the UK shopping for organic and natural beauty care products was easy, as dedicated platforms were offering just organic and natural beauty and personal care products. However, in India the beauty and personal care market is fragmented.

    Besides, the market research and study showed tremendous industry growth and also a promise for a brand like Vanity Wagon India, to create a niche space for itself. The idea was validated when the first stage of research was conducted about the beauty market in India.

    The organic beauty market with the fast growth of over 52% proved that the consumers of India were making the switch and a marketplace like Vanity Wagon would just make it easier.

    With the idea in place, the question in mind was how to go about launching the market, which brands to keep initially, which products and categories to target, and what consumer base to work on.

    With several social surveys, A&B testing, and market research the team went on to finalize all these and a point to start from. Assembling the tech team, the base work for the portal – tech, design, graphics, was put in place and the idea was executed with a turnaround time of 4 months.

    The launch of the Vanity Wagon website was led across all metro cities in India simultaneously with all the buzz that could be created. With a launch event for the media, blogger collaborations, and social media launch strategy in place, Vanity Wagon went live for India in 1 go and started servicing over 10000 pin codes on Day 1.  

    Vanity Wagon – Business Model

    Vanity Wagon’s business model works on an upfront discount – inventory-driven model. There are many ways that you can avail Vanity wagon coupon code and offers.

    Vanity Wagon – User Acquisition

    Vanity Wagon Homepage
    Vanity Wagon Homepage

    The first 10 customers came in very early for Vanity Wagon. With a pre-launch plan in place, the company gathered tremendous traction before it went live and the first 10 customers were acquired fairly quickly (in 2 days).

    Vanity Wagon heavily relies on customer-centric promotions. It uses social media platforms and also paid and owned media to reach out to the target audience. As said by Prateek, owned media is working remarkably well for Vanity Wagon India.

    One of the first campaigns we did worked well for us, owing to the team’s approach to it and the concept – ‘What Organic Means to You’.  We did this campaign with bloggers, a few household women, and the real users out there. The idea was to understand what we need to do to make organics popular and the whole campaign was really helpful. With over 100 ideas on what organics can mean we knew which notes to hit and doing so earned great success in the short term post the campaign.

    Vanity Wagon – Growth

    Vanity Wagon operates out of Gurugram (Corporate Office) and warehouses at present in Delhi With revenue growth of 100% month on month, the company is destined for great success in the long term.

    Starting with a limited brand base, it now boasts over 151 brands including some top players in Natural Beauty such as MyGlamm, Ruby’s Organics, Indulge Essentials, Raw Nature, and Biotique.  

    The User-base continues to grow steadily at 50-70% month on month and is driven by multiple sources online and offline Vanity Wagon works closely with every customer and runs to create a communal feeling wherein every user freely converses with our experts and benefits in every possible way even if there is no transaction involved.

    Vanity Wagon – Funding & Investors

    Vanity Wagon funding is bootstrapped and is working towards raising early-stage investment in FY 19-20. The shareholders at present are the founding members.

    The cash flow for the vanitywagon.in funding has been fairly consistent with great support from our family and friends too. We have managed to create the right buzz in the market and are getting rewarded for that each day with our growing user base and repeat customers – Prateek

    Recently in January 2021, the company raised over $200,000 in a seed round that included investors like Agility Venture Partners, Alfa Ventures founder Dhianu Das, actress Anita Hassanandani and angel investor Sanjay Nagi. The most latest funding was raised in October 2021 by the seed round.

    The total amount raised by Vanity Wagon is $934k.  The Vanity Wagon funding is said to be used to expand its global footprint, onboard more brands, and fulfill a larger consumer base.

    Vanity Wagon – Startup Challenges

    According to Prateek, the biggest challenge for the Vanity Wagon app is to make the users switch. With so many nice-smelling, beautifully packed chemical products on the market, the majority of the user base is content with buying products that a celebrity endorses. Natural products are comparatively newer to the space of mainstream beauty and are slowly making their place in the market.

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    Vanity Wagon – Competitors

    There are many platforms offering beauty and platforms online. Some of the Vanity Wagon competitors are the Nykaa platform, Purplle platform, and Dermstore platform.

    While all other platforms offer all sorts of beauty and personal care products that may or may not be natural, Vanity Wagon’s USP is a dedicated platform for just natural and organic products.

    Vanity Wagon reviews talk about the platform creating a space where an individual only has natural options be it in makeup, skincare, bathing essentials, or wellness. Everything on the portal is non-harmful chemical driven and makes it easy for a consumer to get hooked on clean beauty.

    All our competitors motivate us primarily being Nykaa, having done so well in the last few years. They have gone on to create a community for beauty and we look to do that for natural beauty.

    Vanity Wagon – Advisors & Mentors

    Vanity Wagon India has advisors from different fields and tangents including – tech, marketing, and business strategy.

    Col. A S Ruhail (Retd.) with a distinguished career in the Indian Army went on to successfully establish an educational venture. His core being strategy and business implementation, the Vanity Wagon website closely associates with him on major strategy standpoints and benefits in every way possible.

    Mr. Mayank Kumar (IIM Lucknow) has a successful enterprise and advises Vanity Wagon on the technical growth plans and strategies.

    Mr. Vaibhav Jain is a successful entrepreneur – marketer and angel investor. He offers his support in marketing and brand-building initiatives for Vanity Wagon.

    Vanity Wagon – Future Plans

    The platform claims to have sold over one lakh products and registered 5 times more growth since 2019. Vanity Wagon has great plans for growth in the future-

    • The company wants to serve customers through an omnichannel strategy, thereby aiming to open 15 stores by the end of 2022.
    • Vanity Wagon are targeting to have more than 200 brands associated with them by the end of 2022.
    • The company is planning to ship Indian Organic beauty products to 5 offshore territories and they are currently planning to start with Singapore and then move forward with other APAC countries.
    • The company is also planning to take over several brands to increase its business. The brands that are unable to fit the market due to money issues but have great potential in their products are on the target list of vanity wagons.

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    Conclusion

    Vanity Wagon is a platform started by three individuals for the betterment of people. Vanity Wagon is a platform that promotes the growth and sale of nontoxic products. They promote the clean beauty marketplace. The beauty products that are available on their site all fulfill the criteria set by the Vanity Wagon team. Some of the basic information about vanity wagons is shared above.

    FAQs

    What are clean beauty brands in India?

    Clean beauty brands sell products that are in harmony with our body and health and does not have any toxic chemical in them. Some of the most well-known clean beauty brands in India are Butterfly, FAE Beauty, Blur, etc.

    Does Vanity Wagon sell original products?

    As per the reviews collected by Vanity Wagon, the products sold by them are 100% original. Vanity Wagon is also known as the best platform to sell clean beauty products that do not cause any toxicity to the body and health.

    Is brand Myglamm chemical-free?

    Yes, the products made by Myglamm consist of no toxic chemicals in them. They are made with 100% free toxic formula.

    Is MartiDerm cruelty-free?

    Yes, all the products made by Martiderm are cruelty-free as they are not tested on any animal as well as there is no harm done to any animal in their production.

    Who are the competitors of Vanity Wagon?

    The competitors of Vanitywagon are Nykaa, Purplle, and Dermstore.

  • List of Startups funded by Nexus Venture Partners

    The startup ecosystem has grown over the past few years because many venture capital firms are investing in the early stages of upcoming startups. One such homegrown early-stage investing firm is Nexus Venture Partners, which was founded by successful entrepreneurs Suvir Sujan, Sandeep Singhal and Naren Gupta in 2006.

    The firm has its main headquarters in Menlo Park, California with head offices in Bengaluru and Mumbai in India. It is a pioneer of investing in global technology products and technology-led business for India. Nexus focuses on funding startups in the industries such as Enterprise Technology, Consumer Internet, Healthcare, Consumer, Business Services, Media, Software, Big Data Analytics, Data Security, Fintech, DevOps, Open Source, Education, Commerce, Gaming, Cloud, SaaS, Agribusiness, Rural Sector, Energy, Etc.

    Nexus is an early partner firm and believes in being the first institutional investment in the seed or the series A rounds. The firm also has long term commitment and work closely with the startups they invest in. Nexus Venture Partners has over $1.5 billion in AUM, after partnering with many entrepreneurs from both America and India.

    So far the firm is known to have invested in 294 companies and has over 65 exits. According to Venture Intelligence, Nexus has earned more than $500 million in exits by 2020. Nexus’s core identity has been its success in software deal-making, unlike other Venture Capital firms that only choose to fund successful consumer’s internet unicorns.

    The firm also prefers to invest in companies from India or global markets and may also invest in companies located outside India with a focus on American based companies with technologies that are relevant for India and its emerging markets.

    Snapdeal
    Shopclues
    Delhivery
    Unacademy
    Olx
    Zolostays
    Pratilipi
    Rapido
    Yolobus
    Druva
    Postman
    Frequently Asked Questions

    Here are some of the startups funded by Nexus Venture Partners

    Snapdeal

    Snapdeal Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups
    Snapdeal Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups

    Snapdeal is a well-known e-commerce company in India, which was founded by Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal in 2010. The company has its headquarters based in New Delhi and has recently grown to become one of the largest online marketplace in the country.

    Snapdeal is different from other e-commerce sites because its sellers offer good quality merchandise, customers get to pay value for money which is similar to local markets in metro cities. The website has over 500,000 sellers that sell fashion and home products to customers from 3,700 towns and cities across India.

    The company raised over $12 million in its first funding from Nexus Venture Partners and Indo–US Partners in 2011. Three years later, Snapdeal raised $133 million from eBay, Kalaari Capital, Nexus Capital Partners, Bessemers Venture Partners, Intel Capital and Saama Capital in 2014. The last investment made by Nexus Venture Partner to Snapdeal was in 2017 where the company raised funds Rs 113 crore from the firm.

    ShopClues

    Shopclues Logo| Nexus Venture funded startups
    Shopclues Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups

    ShopClues is one of the top online marketplaces in India, that was founded in 2011 by Sanjay Sethi, Sandeep Aggarwal and Radhika Aggarwal. The company has its headquarters in Gurgaon and its parent company is Clues Network Pvt Ltd. ShopClues was said to be valued at $1.1 billion in 2015 as it was backed by top investors like Tiger Global, Helion Ventures and Nexus Venture Partners, among others.

    In 2019, Qoo10 a Singapore based company acquired Shopclues for 470 million. Shopclues is the country’s first online Managed Marketplace that connects buyers & sellers online while offering a trusted and safe online shopping environment to customers in over 9000 cities across India.

    The company secured over $10 million in their Series B round of funding from Helion Venture Partners, Nexus Partners and Netprice.com in 2013. According to the company, the funds were used to scale their business, increase the website’s product catalogue and expand their reach to their target audience.

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    Delhivery

    Delhivery Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups
    Delhivery Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups

    Delhivery is the leading supply chain services chain company in India that was founded by Sahil Barua in 2011 and has its headquarters in Gurgaon. The aim of the company is to become the operating system for commerce in India, with the help of advanced infrastructure, logistics operations and cutting-edge technology.

    Delhivery so far claims to have delivered over 500 million shipments, in 230 cities across the country. The company aims to provide products and services in order to help improve the lives of consumers, small businesses, enterprises.

    They provide services such as transportation, warehousing, freight, reverse logistics, cross-border and technology services and has over 500,000 sellers and over 10,000 customers. The company raised over $5 million in its series B funding from Nexus Venture Partners in 2013. These funds were said to have been used to further expand its customer base.

    Unacademy

    Unacademy Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups
    Unacademy Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups

    Unacademy is one of the top EdTech companies in India that was founded in 2015 by Gaurav Munjal, Roman Saini, and Hemesh Singh. The company has its headquarters based in Bengaluru, Karnataka, and started out as a YouTube channel from 2010 to 2015.

    Currently, Unacademy claims to have over 18,000 educators that offer free and subscription-based live classes along with preparation materials for professional and educational entrance exams.

    As of 2020, the EdTech startup was valued at $2 billion. Unacademy raised over $4.5 million in their Series A funding from Nexus Venture Partners and Blume Ventures, Girish Mathrubootham, (the CEO of Freshdesk), and Ananth Narayanan (the CEO of Myntra) in 2017.

    The company used these funds to strengthen its base of educators from 200 to 2000. Unacademy again secured over $50 million in their Series D funding round from existing Venture capital firms like Steadview Capital, Sequoia India, Nexus Venture Partners and Blume Ventures.

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    Olx

    Olx Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups
    Olx Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups

    Olx short for Online Exchange is a popular Dutch online marketplace that was founded in 2006. The company is owned by Naspers (South African media group), has its headquarters in Amsterdam and operates in over 45 countries.

    Olx allows its users to buy and sell from a wide range of products and services such as electronics, fashion items, furniture, household goods, and vehicles like cars & bikes. In India, Olx has launched special services like Olx Autos (in 2020) and Olx Cashmycar (2018).

    Olx is not only popular in India, but also has a strong foothold in countries like Spain, Portugal, Mexico, South America, China, and the Philippines. Olx secured over $5 million in its initial stages of funding from Nexus Venture Capital in 2009.

    Zolostays

    Zolostays Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups
    Zolostays Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups

    Zolostays is a Bengaluru based company that provides services for co-living and accommodation options especially to students and young professionals. The company was founded by Snehas Choudary, Dr Nikhil Sikri and Akhil Sikri in 2015 and is available in more than 10 cities across India.

    Zolostays provides many budget-friendly unique services like good quality food, carefully curated living space, dedicated support team, free maintenance and zo-tribe events. Currently, the company claims to accommodate 40,000 Zolo properties and is aiming at reaching 200,000 beds by December 2022.

    Zolostays has raised $56 million in its Series C funding from Investcorp, Nexus Venture Partners, Mirae Assets and Trifecta Capital in 2020. It had also earlier raised $40 million from Nexus Venture Partners, Olympia Developers, Patni Computers Family Office and Mirae Asset. The company will be using these funds to strengthen its technology and AI-driven operating platforms.

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    Pratilipi

    Pratilipi Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups
    Pratilipi Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups

    Pratilipi is a self-publishing e-platform that offers content in ten different Indian languages which are Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, English, Urdu, Punjabi and Odia. Pratilipi was founded by Ranjeet Pratap Singh, Prashant Gupta, Rahul Ranjan, Sahradayi Modi and Sankaranarayanan Devarajan in order to promote Indian languages.

    The company was launched in 2014 with its headquarters based in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The platform currently claims to have over 2 crore users and allows its users to publish or read their original works such as stories, poetry, essays and articles. Pratilipi secured over $1 million seed funding from Nexus Venture Partners in 2016.

    In 2020, the platform went on to raise Rs 76 crore in their Series C funding round led by Tencent with participation from Omidyar Network, Bennett Coleman, Shunwei Capital and Nexus Venture Partners.

    Rapido

    Rapido Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups
    Rapido Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups

    Rapido is a well-known online bike taxi and logistics service providing a platform in India that was founded by Aravind Sanka, Pavan Guntupalli, and SR Rishikesh in 2015. The company has its headquarters in Bengaluru, Karnataka and currently operates in over 100 cities across India.

    In 2018, the company had over 15,000 registered riders and more than an average of 30,000 rides per day. By 2019, Rapido has 1 crore registered users and had also created over 500,000 jobs in India. Rapido has over 15 million customers and 25 million app downloads, as of 2021. Recently, the company has also launched on-demand auto-rickshaw hailing services in 14 cities across the country.

    Rapido raised over $11.2 million in its Series A round of funding from Nexus Venture Partners in 2019. In its Series C round of funding, Rapido raised $43 million from Westbridge Capital, Nexus Venture Partner, Pawan Munjal Family Trust, Everblue Bangladesh LLC, Motherson Lease Solutions, Everblue Bangladesh LLC, Motherson Lease Solutions, Konark Trust, MMPL Trust in 2021.

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    Yolobus

    Yolobus Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups
    Yolobus Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups

    Yolobus is an intercity bus aggregator that has its headquarters in Gurgaon, Haryana and was founded in 2019. The company provides its users with world-class bus facilities that cover over 250 routes across India.

    All their busses have facilities Wi-Fi, CCTV Cameras, and GPS tracking, their customers can also choose from options such as a fleet of sleeper, luxurious sleeper buses, and AC/Non AC buses, built-in washrooms, etc.

    In 2020, Yolobus raised $3.3 million in their Series A funding round from Nexus Venture Partners and India Quotient. The company will use these funds to ramp up their services, technology, customer, crew safety and sanitization. It will also enhance safety measures as in the times of Covid 19, people are wary of travelling intercity.

    Druva

    Druva Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups
    Druva Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups

    Druva is a cloud backup and data protection based firm that has its headquarters in Sunnyvale, California with offices in Greenwich, New York, Hong Kong, London, San Francisco and Mumbai. The company was started in 2008 by Jaspreet Singh, Milind Borate, and Ramani Kothandaraman in Pune, India.

    Druva is a leader in providing services like SaaS-based data protection and management products to both companies and government agencies. The company aggregates the data of the enterprise data from endpoints, data centers, and cloud workloads for backing it up or restoring, compliance monitoring, security, and other uses, etc.

    So far the company has over 750 customers and is known to protect over 300,000 endpoints worldwide. Druva secured $130 million from Sequoia Capital India and Nexus Venture Partners in 2019. Druva is a pioneer as it has created an industry-first application known as InSync that instantaneous automates backups for laptops.

    Postman

    Postman Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups
    Postman Logo | Nexus Venture funded startups

    Postman is a popular collaboration platform for API Development that was founded by Abhinav Astana, Ankit Sobti and Abhijit Kane in 2014. The company has its headquarters based in San Francisco, California and claims to be used by over 13 million developers and 500,000 organizations worldwide.

    The platform helps in simplifying every aspect of building an API and streamline collaboration so the users can create better APIs. Postman raised $150 million in their Series C round of funding from Global venture capital, Insight Partners, CRV and Nexus Venture Partners in 2018.

    The company had also been funded by the Nexus Venture Partner in two other rounds first was $1 million in 2015 and $7 million (Series A round funding) in 2016.

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    Conclusion

    Nexus Venture Partners is one of the leading early-stage investment firms that has helped many Indian startups to grow into unicorns today. The firm has been the most successful in funding software companies, rather than consumer internet unicorns that other venture capital firms prefer investing in.

    Over the years, Nexus Venture Partners has earned nearly $500 million exits. Despite being termed as a software investor, the firm is currently investing in a wide variety of industries.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is Nexus Venture Partners?

    Nexus Venture Partners is one of the first homegrown Venture capital firms and is a pioneer of investing in global technology products and technology-led business for India.

    Who is the founder of Nexus Venture Partners?

    Nexus Venture Partners was founded by Suvir Sujan, Sandeep Singhal and Naren Gupta in 2006.

    What are the industries in which Nexus Venture Partners fund?

    The industries in which Nexus Venture Partners fund are Enterprise Technology, Consumer Internet, Healthcare, Consumer, Business Services, Media, Software, Big Data Analytics, Data Security, Fintech, DevOps, Open Source, Education, Commerce, Gaming, Cloud, Saas, Agribusiness, Rural Sector, Energy, etc.

    What are startups funded by Nexus Venture Partner?

    The startups funded by Nexus Venture partners are Postman, Druva, Yolobus, Rapido, Pratilipi, Zolostays, Unacademy, Olx, Delhivery, Shopclues, and Snapdeal among others.

  • Radhika Ghai Aggarwal: Co-founder and CBO of ShopClues

    Radhika Ghai Aggarwal is the current Chief Business Officer (CBO) and Co-founder of the e-commerce ShopClues, which was established in 2011 with just 10 team members. She is the first woman Co-founder in India, whose company entered the Unicorn Club. Radhika’s husband was Sandeep Aggarwal, who founded ShopClues with her and Sanjay Sethi. Sandeep served as the CEO of the company before resigning in 2013. Soon after that, Sanjay Sethi was made the CEO of the company, and he is currently continuing with the same designation.

    Radhika Aggarwal- Biography

    Name Radhika Ghai Aggarwal
    Nationality Indian
    Education Washington University
    Profession Entrepreneur
    Position CBO & Co-founder, ShopClues

    Radhika Aggarwal- Personal Life
    Radhika Aggarwal- Early Life
    Radhika Aggarwal- Education
    Radhika Aggarwal- Professional Life
    Radhika Aggarwal- Women and Employee Empowerment
    Radhika Aggarwal- ShopClues
    Radhika Aggarwal- Kindlife
    Radhika Aggarwal- Awards
    ShopClues- Competitors

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    Radhika Aggarwal- Personal Life

    Radhika Ghai Aggarwal was born to an Army family. Her father was employed in the Indian Army and her mother was a dietician by profession. She got married to Sandeep Aggarwal, whom she met during her college days. However, the couple eventually got divorced in 2017. Their relationship started turning bitter when Sandeep was arrested by the FBI in 2013.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation charged Sandeep Aggarwal for insider trading. Sandeep worked as an analyst at the US-based Collins Stewart before he started the dotcom venture. This was when he was involved in leaking non-public information to a former SAC Capital portfolio manager. Sandeep was arrested by the FBI in San Jose, California after which he resigned from the company, giving way to Sanjay Sethi, another Co-founder of the company to become the CEO of ShopClues. The couple eventually saw their way to separation.

    Radhika Ghai Aggarwal currently lives in Gurgaon, Haryana, as per her Twitter profile.

    Radhika Aggarwal- Early Life

    Being an Army ward, she grew up in ten different cities including Pathankot, Ahmednagar, and Jodhpur, and attended several schools throughout her childhood. Traveling to new places gave her the opportunity to meet new people and adapt to the formidable change, which further helped in running a business without getting affected by daunting changes and challenges.

    Perseverance is yet another quality that she learned while growing up. Her attitude of not giving up helped her in standing against all odds in the startup world.

    Radhika actively helped her father, who started his health club after he left the Army at the age of 45, in 1992. She served as a fitness trainer during the early days of her father’s entrepreneurship venture. This way she also earned her first-ever pay cheque of Rs. 400. Following her father’s entrepreneurial mind, she founded her very first advertising agency in Chandigarh in 1997. Though the entrepreneur in her was also there, founding her advertising agency happened primarily due to the dearth of options available there in Chandigarh, as she would like to put it.

    Radhika Aggarwal on her success mantra

    Radhika Aggarwal- Education

    Radhika Aggarwal completed her graduation and eventually went for an MBA in 1999 after ending her brief stint as the founder of an advertising agency. Radhika pursued an MBA from Washington University, in St. Louis, US. She also holds another post-graduation degree in advertising and public relations. Furthermore, Radhika also participated in an executive program at Stanford University.

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    Radhika Aggarwal- Professional Life

    Radhika Aggarwal started her career in the marketing field at Goldman Sachs in 2001. However, the very next year she left the company to join Nordstrom, headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Along with strategic planning, she also learned the inverted pyramid structure there and studied how it works in reality. Nordstrom was a company where the customers were prioritized.

    “Even the CEO would be seen on the floor being a shoe runner, just to understand the needs of the customer better. The entire company and its ethos revolve around this concept. It helps you understand what the customer wants,” recalled Radhika.

    It was Nordstrom that founded the base of learning in her professional career, which was deemed to add an extra edge later while working on her startup.

    She stayed with Nordstrom till early 2006 after which she took a pregnancy break. However, indomitable as her spirit was, Radhika rose up rather quickly from her break and resumed her career with Abhivyakti Infotech, where she worked as a marketing strategist.

    With the start of the next year, Radhika started Fashion Clues in 2007, a fashion and lifestyle website that focused on the people of South Asia and the US, which she began to manage single-handedly.

    Brimming with experience, Radhika decided to found another startup with her husband, Sandeep and Sanjay Sethi. She had quite an experience, close to 14 years by then, which she garnered while working at Nordstrom and during her stay in the US when she amassed considerable experience in diverse sectors like e-commerce, fashion, lifestyle, and retail. Radhika founded her e-commerce venture ShopClues with her husband, Sandeep Aggarwal, and Sanjay Sethi in 2011. She reportedly started with a team of 10 members. However, gradually the workforce kept on increasing as the company rose in popularity. Shopclues emerged as a unicorn company in January 2016, India’s fourth unicorn company. She currently serves as the CBO and Co-founder of Shopclues.

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    Radhika Aggarwal- Women and Employee Empowerment

    Radhika was once asked that whether she has been able to change the convention towards women employees across the industry she had served. On this, the Co-founder and CBO of Shopclues replied:

    “The best way I deal with this is to avoid gender-based discrimination in the first place. At ShopClues, we empower a good worker and we provide equal opportunities that can help maximize potential. If you’re an able worker, gender doesn’t even come into the picture. At ShopClues, we have women leading our vibrant community of merchant partners. Our women employees know I have their back, and that they are at par with our male employees, with many of them in the leadership team.”

    Radhika Aggarwal encourages women to share their opinions, voice out their challenges and any other issues that bother them. She is known to have discussions with her women employees at the cafeteria, which helps her keep a track of her women employees and their grievances to address them duly.

    Furthermore, Shopclues follows a no-door policy in the office, where there are no designated cabins differentiating the co-founders and the employees. Both Radhika and Sanjay sit with their employees, which helps them maintain a strong bond with their employees.

    Radhika Aggarwal- ShopClues

    ShopClues Logo

    ShopClues was founded in July 2011 and is currently headquartered in Gurgaon. This was 2 years before the emergence of Amazon India. The company served as an Indian online marketplace and saw a steady rise in popularity, revenues, and funding. It once became the only choice for millions of Indians. Seeing the potential in Shopclues, the company saw funds pouring in Tiger Global, Helion Ventures, and Nexus Venture Partners. It also successfully registered a GMV of $400 million in 2015.

    Being valued at $1.1 billion, Shopclues achieved unicorn status between late 2015 and early 2016 and was recognized as the 4th Indian unicorn company, which was in talks for an IPO. However, destiny had it the other way round, as the Co-founders of the company were caught in an ugly spat, following which the revenues of Shopclues started to slow down, while the losses started to pile up. The company’s revenues increased by a feeble 5% in FY17, in contrast to the steady 50% with which it had been growing. Besides, the losses stood at around Rs 332 crores by then. Though the company started to cut costs, advertising expenses, and expenses on its employees in 2018, the competition was on a rise with Flipkart, Amazon, Paytm, and others, which were growing at dizzying speeds.

    It also planned again for an IPO in 2018 but it didn’t materialize. Furthermore, the company saw too many exits, firing of employees, coupled with the loss of a legal fight with L’oreal. All of these beat Shopclues down and its troubles to thrive became public. The rumors of a possible merger or sale were also doing the rounds. After talks of mergers with Snapdeal and ebay.in were dissolved, Shopclues was finally acquired by the Singapore-based Qoo10, which acquired the company in an all-stock deal.

    Radhika Aggarwal- Kindlife

    Radhika Ghai Aggarwal, Shopclues Co-founder has started Kindlife.in, her next venture, as of September 6, 2021. Kindlife is deemed to be a marketplace for organic products spanning across a range of categories.

    The website of the brand is equipped with different spaces, pages, and forums of varying topics like nutrition, grooming, wellness, and others along with a list of products that can be bought.

    According to the website of Kindlife, Alphacama is registered as the parent entity for the brand and Vidit Jain is listed as the director. Deltacama Pvt Ltd and Zetacama Pvt Ltd are two other entities incorporated by Ghai where Jain also serves as a director for the other two entities along with Ghai.

    Radhika Aggarwal- Awards

    Radhika has been conferred with numerous awards and recognition in her professional life. Here are some of the prestigious awards that she has won in 2016:

    • Outlook Business Woman of Worth at Outlook Business Awards
    • Woman Entrepreneur of the Year at Entrepreneur India Awards
    • Exemplary Woman Entrepreneur of the Year at CMO Asia Awards
    • CEO of the Year Award at CEO India Awards

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    ShopClues- Competitors

    It was obviously not a cup of tea to build an e-commerce website from scratch, especially with a good amount of competition that was already in a rage back then. ShopClues was established when Flipkart and Snapdeal were already in the business and had raised a considerable amount of money and popularity. Jabong was also founded in the same year along with ShopClues.

    As of now, September 8, 2021, the competitors of ShopClues further multiplied with Flipkart and Snapdeal already cementing their positions as homegrown eCommerce giants along with Amazon India, which emerge together to be nothing less than household names in eCommerce. Some other competitors of Shopclues include Jabong, Myntra, Naaptol, HomeShop18, Yepme, and more.

    Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

    What is ShopClues net worth in FY20?

    ShopClues has an operating revenue of INR 89 Crores in FY20, the year that ended on March 31, 2020.

    Is ShopClues a unicorn?

    ShopClues became India’s fourth unicorn firm valued over a billion dollars at $1.1 billion in January 2016 within just 5 years after its launch.

    Is ShopClues an Indian company?

    Yes, ShopClues is an Indian company headquartered in Gurugram, India.

  • 10 Successful Startups Led By IIT-Grads

    Do you also get goosebumps when you hear the word “IIT”? Do you also see IITians getting special treatment in social circles (among your family, relatives, friends, neighbours, etc)?

    Here, I’ll provide additional reasons to back the statement above. IIT is among the most respected educational institutions in India ever. It has had students who have made an immense impression on students all over the world. It is, without doubt, eminent and highly productive.

    IIT is the ideal choice for students who want to study engineering. It is famous for producing the top engineers in the world and there are plenty of IIT graduates who chose another path than they had planned to take. They became entrepreneurs and set up their own startups in the marketplace. Although they’re not experts in their sector, they’re making waves. Let’s take a look at 10 successful startups led by IIT-Grads.

    1. OLA
    2. Flipkart
    3. Quikr
    4. Acadboost
    5. Zomato
    6. Khetify
    7. InMobi
    8. Housing.com
    9. Shopclues
    10. Snapdeal

    Conclusion
    FAQs

    1. OLA

    OLA is an Indian multinational ride-sharing company offering services that include a vehicle for hire and food delivery. Founded by Bhavish Aggarwal, a Computer Science and Engineering graduate of IIT Bombay in 2008. He began his career with Microsoft, where he worked for two years, filed two patents, and published three papers in international journals. In January 2011, he co-founded Ola Cabs with Ankit Bhati in Bengaluru.

    OLA - Successful Startups
    OLA – Successful Startups

    Now, OLA has a turnover of $320 million and is valued at $6.2 billion in worth. It has over 6000 employees working and is currently available in 169 cities in India. It has expanded in countries like Australia and New Zealand in 2018 and the UK, it started its Auto Rickshaw service in 2019.

    OLA Success Story – Full Form, Story, Founder, Business Model, Funding History, Team, News
    ‘Ola’, the company needs no introduction. The first Indian cab aggregatorcompany, Ola has made availing cab services a smooth experience. Owned by ANITechnologies Pvt. Ltd., and formerly known as OlaCabs, Ola was started in Dec2010 by two IIT Bombay [/mumbai-startups/] graduates. Ola serves as an…
    StartupTalkyShubham Kumar

    2. Flipkart

    Founded by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal in 2007, it is one of the most popular e-commerce in India. Both Sachin and Binny are alumni of IIT Delhi. The two wished to offer Indians an online store that was created in India which led to the making of what we all now know as Flipkart.

    Flipkart Online Shopping Platform
    Flipkart Online Shopping Platform

    Flipkart, which initially started as book sales, expanding into other product categories such as electronics, fashion, and lifestyle products. In August 2018, US-based retail chain Walmart acquired a 77% controlling stake in Flipkart for $16 billion, valuing Flipkart at around $20 billion.

    Flipkart Online Shopping – Latest News, Business model, Founder, Subsidiaries.
    Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified informationon different startups and organizations. Don’t you think online buying and selling has become an essential part of ourlives? Youth and adults rely on the internet to buy stuff at affordable priceswith amazing return…
    StartupTalkyRishabh Rathi

    3. Quikr

    Quikr is an Indian online marketplace and classified advertising company, based in Bangalore, India with listings in over 1000 cities in categories such as mobile phones, household goods, cars, real estate, jobs, services, and education. It provides a platform for users to buy or sell goods and services from each other. Other services offered include a missed call service and instant messaging. Quikr was founded by Pranay Chulet and Jiby Thomas in 2008. The CEO of the company Pranay Chulet grew up in Rajasthan and completed his Chemical Engineering from IIT Delhi.

    Quikr | Co-Founder | Pranay Chulet

    4. Acadboost

    Acadboost is started by Kalpit Veerwal, an IIT Bombay student. He has completed his 3rd year of Computer Science Engineering from IIT Bombay and founded AcadBoost Technologies Pvt Ltd in his second year. It is an EdTech startup that aims to provide the correct mentorship to students from experts in various fields of education – ranging from competitive exams like JEE, NEET, CAT, GATE to college.

    AcadBoost Online Learning Platform
    AcadBoost Online Learning Platform

    5. Zomato

    After graduating from IIT Delhi, Deepinder Goyal took up work at a company Bain & Co, where he met Pankaj Chaddah, and the duo then started a delivery service Zomato in 2008. Zomato is an Indian multinational restaurant aggregator and food delivery company that provides information, menus, and user reviews of restaurants as well as food delivery options from partner restaurants in select cities. As of 2019, the service is available in 24 countries and in more than 10,000 cities.

    Zomato - Online Food Delivery App
    Zomato – Online Food Delivery App

    Zomato shares made a strong stock market debut on 23rd July 2021, listing at ₹116 apiece on the NSE. Zomato shares surged 53%  over the IPO price of ₹76. With the listing, Zomato entered the club of India’s top 100 listed companies with a market capitalization of over ₹90,000 crores. The company’s shares got listed at ₹115 apiece on the BSE.

    Zomato Success Story – Delivering Delicious Happiness to Your Doorsteps!
    There were days when we used to call different restaurants to place orders andagain call up for corrections and directions and reservations. Then came inapplications like Zomato who reversed the whole scenario and made it extremelysimple for the consumers. Deepinder Goyal and Pankaj Chaddah found…
    StartupTalkyRishabh Rathi

    6. Khetify

    Khetify is an urban farming venture in New Delhi, India founded by IIT Kharagpur graduates Kaustubh Khare and Saahil Parekh that build farms in urban spaces and enable people to grow chemical-free, fresh food. The aim of the startup is to promote food sustainability to city dwellers.

    Khetify Logo
    Khetify Logo

    Claiming that 16,000 sq km of rooftop space is being wasted in urban cities, Khetify aims to promote the use of this unutilized space to develop small rooftop farms.

    7. InMobi

    Founded by Naveen Tewari, an IIT Kanpur graduate. InMobi is an Indian multinational mobile advertising technology company, based in Bangalore. Its mobile-first platform allows brands, developers, and publishers to engage consumers through contextual mobile advertising. In 2008, it was enhanced from SMS-based services to mobile advertising and rebranded as InMobi. It is now competing with giants like Google and Facebook for data-driven mobile advertising. InMobi is one of the top 5 players in the US, China, Southeast Asia, and India. Also, Softbank has invested $200 million in it.

    InMobi Logo
    InMobi Logo

    8. Housing.com

    Housing.com is founded by Rahul Yadav, an IIT Mumbai alumnus. Housing.com is a Mumbai-based real estate search portal that allows customers to search for housing based on geography, number of rooms, and various other filters. Rahul Yadav was featured in the list of Forbes 30 under 30 young Entrepreneurs. He is known as the bad boy of an Indian startup, gaining comparisons from Steve Jobs. And fun fact, he was once fired from a company.

    Housing.com Logo
    Housing.com Logo

    NoBroker Success Story – Business & Revenue Model | Founder | Valuation | Wiki | Owner
    Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified informationon different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by the organization it is based on. Anything that has to do with real estate, specifically as a purchaser, isconvoluted and often, a…
    StartupTalkyChayanika Goswami

    9. Shopclues

    Founded by Sanjay Sethi, an alumnus of IIT Delhi who previously worked in the US in the field of e-commerce marketplace, online payments, and operations. After serving as a key to establishing eBay in India, he started his own company Shopclues, along with Sandeep and Radhika Aggarwal. ShopClues provides unstructured categories of home and kitchen, fashion, electronics, and daily utility items at wholesale rates. In 2019, the company was acquired by Singapore-based Qoo10 in an all-stock deal valued at approximately US$70 million, representing one of the largest valuation meltdowns for an Indian-based startup.

    Inspiring words of ShopClues Co-Founder- Radhika Aggarwal

    10. Snapdeal

    FYI Snapdeal wasn’t an e-commerce company till 2008, but then it was founded by Rohil Bahl and Kunal Bahl, the former has a Wharton degree while the latter has an IIT Delhi, graduation degree under their belt.

    Snapdeal Logo
    Snapdeal Logo

    It is now one of the most popular e-commerce websites in India, with over 3,00,000 sellers, over 3 Crore products across 800+ diverse categories from more than 1,25,000 regional, national and international brands and retailers and a reach of 6,000  towns and cities among the country.

    Snapdeal Company Profile – Catering to 400 million Value-Conscious Indian Consumers!
    How easy have our lives been ever since e-commerce portals came into action! Oneof these, Snapdeal makes online shopping a boom with its coupons and vouchersfor the consumers. Founded by Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal in February 2010, Snapdeal is an Indian e-commerce company based out of New Delhi.…
    StartupTalkyRishabh Rathi

    Conclusion

    Hope this list of successful Indian businesses that are helmed by IIT graduates helped you gain an understanding of some successful IITians.

    FAQs

    Which are the top successful startups led by IIM grads?

    • Redbus. in
    • Naukri.com
    • TaxiForSure
    • MakeMyTrip
    • Reddif.com
    • Travel Triangle
    • First Cry

    Which IIM is best for entrepreneurship?

    • IIM Ahmedabad
    • IIM Bangalore
    • IIM Calcutta
    • Indian School of Business, Hyderabad
    • S P Jain Institute of Management and Research

    Which IIT is best?

    • IIT Madras
    • IIT Delhi
    • IIT Bombay
    • IIT Kanpur
    • IIT Kharagpur