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Diwali, the festival of lights, is just around the corner, and it's time to start thinking about the perfect gifts for your loved ones. One of the best gifts to give is something that is used frequently and makes life easier. It might be a good idea to go with something like a smartwatch or a Bluetooth headphone as they offer a lot of features without burning a hole in your pocket. Here's a list of some of the best <keyword id="22647823" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tech-gifts" source="keywords">tech gifts</keyword> you can consider for this festive season for your friends and family. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 5G If you are in the market for a powerful and reliable Android smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 5G is an excellent option. It features a 6.8-inch Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset coupled with 12GB RAM and up to 1TB of internal storage. It features a quad camera setup at the back and comes with a 12MP front camera. It is powered by a 5,000mAh battery and comes with 45W charging support. <keyword id="20052997" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="OnePlus-12" source="keywords">OnePlus 12</keyword> The OnePlus 12 is a good option if you are looking for a flagship device without burning a hole in your pocket. It features a 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. The device offers up to 16GB RAM and 512GB of internal storage. It features a triple camera setup at the back and comes with a 32MP selfie camera. Powering the OnePlus 12 is a 5,400mAh battery with 100W fast charging support. iQOO 12 The iQOO 12 is another value-for-money flagship device that is aimed at users looking for a camera-centric device. The iQOO 12 features a 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and offers up to 16GB RAM and 512GB of internal storage. The device comes with a triple camera setup at the back and features a 16MP selfie camera. It is powered by a 5,000mAh battery with 120W fast charging support. Apple iPhone 13 If you are looking to purchase an iPhone without burning a hole in your pocket, the iPhone 13 is currently available at a discounted price. The iPhone 13 features a large 6.1-inch Super Retina display and is powered by the powerful A15 Bionic chipset. The device features a dual camera setup at the back consisting of a 48MP primary camera and is equipped with a 12MP selfie camera. OnePlus Watch 2R Keeping track of your health and wellness is important and these is where smartwatches come in. The OnePlus Watch 2R is a good option that offers good fitness tracking while providing a decent battery life. The Watch 2R runs on runs on WearOS 4 and RTOS. It offers sensors such as an Acceleration sensor, Gyroscope sensor, Optical heart rate sensor, Ratio Optical pulse oximeter sensor, Barometer and more. Noise Twist Go If you are looking for a more affordable option, the Noise Twist Go is worth considering. It features a 1.39-inch circular display. The watch comes with over 100 sport modes and offers continuous heart rate tracking and sleep tracking. The watch is available in several strap options, including metal, silicone and more. OnePlus Buds 3 The OnePlus Buds 3 is a good option if you are looking for reliable TWS earphones at an affordable price. The earphone comes with a 10.4mm + 6mm dynamic driver that delivers powerful bass. It comes with a low latency mode and offers a battery life of up to 44 hours. It offers quick pairing for easy pairing and allows you to quickly switch between devices. Sony WF-C500 Sony is another popular name when it comes to audio products. The Sony WF-C500 is a good option if you are looking for reliable true wireless earbuds. It comes with a compact form factor and fits snugly in your ear. The earbuds come with IPX4 water resistance support, allowing you to use them outdoors and during workouts. It offers a 20-hour battery life and a 10-minute charge offers an hour of playback.

Diwali gifting made easy – best tech gifts to give this festive season

<ul><li><keyword id="19901323" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Zomato" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Zomato" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Zomato">Zomato</keyword> has increased the platform fees to ₹10 per order.</li><li>The <keyword id="20299300" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="platform-fee" source="keywords">platform fee</keyword> is charged on each order irrespective of the order value or Zomato Gold membership.</li><li>With this, the platform fees has increased by five times within a year.</li></ul> The festive season is here and you are more likely to order food and sweets from apps like Zomato and Swiggy. Anticipating a rise in food orders, Zomato has hiked the platform fee from ₹6 to ₹10 and has renamed it to the “Festive season platform fee”. “This fee helps us pay our bills to keep Zomato running. To maintain services during festive rush, it has increased slightly,” a notification on the Zomato app said. <div type="image" title="Zo" msid="114496613" hostid="261" sizebytes="39238" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Festive season platform fee on Zomato&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Zomato introduced platform fees in 2023, which began at ₹2 per order. This was then increased to ₹3 and then to ₹5 in April 2024. In July 2024, the fee was increased to ₹6 per order. Now, the platform fee has been increased to ₹10, marking a five-fold increase in just a year. The platform fee is different from other charges levied on orders such as GST, delivery charges and restaurant charges. Customers are required to pay this charge irrespective of Zomato Gold membership. Zomato recently approved a fundraising of ₹8,500 crore via a qualified institutional placement (QIP). This is aimed at boosting its cash reserves after its recent acquisition of ticketing business from Paytm. <h2>Zomato share price surges</h2>Zomato’s share price increased by 2.3% on Wednesday after the increase in platform fees. The company’s shares were trading at ₹262.25 at 11:50. The company’s share price has increased by over 140% in the past year. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/upi-refund-scam-to-digital-arrest-scam-here-are-most-common-online-scams-in-india/articleshow/114428011.cms">UPI refund to digital arrest scam, here are some online scams you need to be aware of</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/best-credit-cards-for-online-shopping-in-india/articleshow/114354358.cms">Best credit cards for online shopping this festive season</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/the-ola-electric-saga-are-surge-in-complaints-and-declining-market-share-a-wake-up-call-for-bhavish-aggarwal/articleshow/114120828.cms">The Ola Electric Saga: Are surge in complaints and declining market share a wake-up call for Bhavish Aggarwal?</a>

Diwali gift from Zomato – Platform fee increased to ₹10 ahead of the festive season

<keyword id="188" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="diwali" source="Orion">Diwali</keyword>, the festival of lights is just around the corner and deciding the best gift for your loved ones may not always be easy. There are a lot of things that you can give to your friends and family. In this post, we look at some of the best tech gifts that you can give as a gift, ranging from high-end smartphones to affordable wireless headphones that will make their life easy. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Smartphones" comment="subhead" text="Smartphones">Smartphones</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="OnePlus 9" comment="subhead" text="OnePlus 9">OnePlus 9</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B089MT34QG" comment="amazoncard" text="B089MT34QG">B089MT34QG</cmsannotation> The OnePlus 9 is a great gift for a smartphone enthusiast. It features a 6.55-inch Full HD+ Fluid AMOLED display and is powered by the Snapdragon 888 chipset. It comes with a triple camera setup at the back and a 16MP selfie camera. The device is powered by a 4,500mAh battery and offers 65W fast charging support. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G" comment="subhead" text="Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G">Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B08VB57558" comment="amazoncard" text="B08VB57558">B08VB57558</cmsannotation> The Galaxy S20 FE 5G is a great device for Samsung fans and offers a premium experience without burning a hole in your pocket. It features a 6.5-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display and is powered by the Snapdragon 865 chipset. It features a triple camera setup at the back and comes with a 32MP selfie camera. The device is powered by a 4,500mAh battery with 25W fast charge support. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="iQOO 7 5G" comment="subhead" text="iQOO 7 5G">iQOO 7 5G</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B085J1RJV6" comment="amazoncard" text="B085J1RJV6">B085J1RJV6</cmsannotation> The iQOO 7 5G is another device worth considering if you are looking to gift a smartphone. It features a 6.62-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display and is powered by the Snapdragon 870 5G chipset. The device sports a triple camera setup at the back and comes with a 16MP selfie camera. It is powered by a 4,400mAh battery with 66W fast charge support. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Wearables" comment="subhead" text="Wearables">Wearables</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Apple Watch SE" comment="subhead" text="Apple Watch SE">Apple Watch SE</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B08J6HRBLH" comment="amazoncard" text="B08J6HRBLH">B08J6HRBLH</cmsannotation> The Apple Watch SE is an excellent gift for iPhone users and comes with a host of health and smart features. It features a retina display and is powered by the S5 dual-core SiP. It offers heart rate detection, sleep tracking, activity tracking and fall detection. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Samsung Galaxy Watch 3" comment="subhead" text="Samsung Galaxy Watch 3">Samsung Galaxy Watch 3</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B08FN4Q6VZ" comment="amazoncard" text="B08FN4Q6VZ">B08FN4Q6VZ</cmsannotation> The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is another great smartwatch and is suitable for Android users. It comes with a circular AMOLED display, a leather strap and a rotating bezel. The watch offers heart rate tracking, sleep tracking and blood oxygen monitoring. It can also track activities such as walking, cycling and swimming among others. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Realme Smart Watch 2 Pro" comment="subhead" text="Realme Smart Watch 2 Pro">Realme Smart Watch 2 Pro</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B094Y495LQ" comment="amazoncard" text="B094Y495LQ">B094Y495LQ</cmsannotation> The Realme Smart Watch 2 Pro is a good affordable smartwatch and comes with a host of features. The device comes with a large display and silicone watch straps. It offers heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen monitoring, sleep tracking and activity tracking. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="OnePlus Smart Band" comment="subhead" text="OnePlus Smart Band">OnePlus Smart Band</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B07XY9BZPM" comment="amazoncard" text="B07XY9BZPM">B07XY9BZPM</cmsannotation> The OnePlus Smart Band features a 1.1-inch AMOLED display and allows you to track your heart rate, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), sleep and activity. It promises a battery life of up to 14 days on a single charge and comes with IP68 water and dust resistance. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Oppo Smart Band" comment="subhead" text="Oppo Smart Band">Oppo Smart Band</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B08WRZMD2D" comment="amazoncard" text="B08WRZMD2D">B08WRZMD2D</cmsannotation> The Oppo Smart Band features a 1.1-inch AMOLED display and allows you to track your heart rate sensor, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), sleep levels and activity. It comes with an extra strap in the box and promises a battery life of up to 12 days on a single charge. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Audio devices" comment="subhead" text="Audio devices">Audio devices</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro" comment="subhead" text="Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro">Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B08SKDXKZF" comment="amazoncard" text="B08SKDXKZF">B08SKDXKZF</cmsannotation> The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro is an excellent gift for audiophiles who wish to listen to music on the go. It comes with an 11mm woofer and 6.5mm tweeter in each earbud and offers active noise cancellation. It is IPX7 certified for water resistance, making it an excellent option for using outdoors. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Realme Buds Q2" comment="subhead" text="Realme Buds Q2">Realme Buds Q2</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B091GDFM2W" comment="amazoncard" text="B091GDFM2W">B091GDFM2W</cmsannotation> The Realme Buds Q2 is equipped with a combo of 10mm bass boost drivers and a large crystal polymer diaphragm that ensures powerful bass and clear sound. It comes with active noise cancellation and offers a battery life of up to 28 hours on a single charge. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z Bass Edition" comment="subhead" text="OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z Bass Edition">OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z Bass Edition</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B092ZJVB6Z" comment="amazoncard" text="B092ZJVB6Z">B092ZJVB6Z</cmsannotation> The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z Bass Edition is a good option if you are looking for a reliable neckband. It comes with a 9.2mm driver that delivers powerful bass. It comes with a low latency mode and offers a battery life of up to 17 hours on a single charge. It offers quick pair for easy pairing and allows you to quickly switch between devices. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Realme Buds Wireless 2 Neo" comment="subhead" text="Realme Buds Wireless 2 Neo">Realme Buds Wireless 2 Neo</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B0999NNBPV" comment="amazoncard" text="B0999NNBPV">B0999NNBPV</cmsannotation> The Realme Buds Wireless 2 Neo is equipped with an 11.2mm dynamic boost bass driver and features a lightweight design. The neckband comes with a low latency mode for gaming and offers environmental noise cancellation. It supports fast charging and delivers 120 minutes of playback with 10 minutes of charging.

Best Diwali tech gifts for your loved ones

<ul><li>This festive season witnessed a substantial 40% rise in <keyword id="1174724" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dining-out" source="Orion">dining out</keyword> <keyword id="49370" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="experiences" source="Orion">experiences</keyword>. </li><li>Leading up to <keyword id="188" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="diwali" source="Orion">Diwali</keyword>, there has been a 137% increase in jewellery sales. </li><li>99% of respondents acknowledged the utility of AI in <keyword id="6368952" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shopping" source="Orion">shopping</keyword> experiences. </li></ul>Diwali is possibly the biggest festival in India and expenditures rise for every household around this time as people indulge in gift shopping as well as other planned activities. The Diwali Trends Report by Razorpay, a payments solutions provider, which focuses on purchasing trends and patterns of two months leading up to Diwali in 2022 and 2023, reveals some interesting insights. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Dining out gets a new meaning" comment="Subhead" text="Dining out gets a new meaning">Dining out gets a new meaning</cmsannotation> Enhancing the festive spirit, indulging in dining out and relishing culinary adventures have become a part of seasonal traditions. This surge in the 'dine and delight' trend resulted in a 48% surge in restaurant transactions in 2023, indicating the rise of dining out during Diwali. This festive season witnessed a substantial 40% rise in dining out experiences. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Health is wealth" comment="Subhead" text="Health is wealth">Health is wealth</cmsannotation> Indians have taken their self-love and self-care to a new level by investing in themselves like never before. It wasn’t just about indulging in tempting sweets and flavorful snacks; there was a notable focus on physical health and dietary wellness. Indians have adopted a healthier lifestyle, resulting in a 137% surge in dietitian consultations and a 42% boost in fitness equipment sales. A significant 20% of all expenditures on fitness and dietitians in 2023 occurred during the festive season. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Shifts in shopping habits and AI adoption" comment="Subhead" text="Shifts in shopping habits and AI adoption">Shifts in shopping habits and AI adoption</cmsannotation> Initiating their gift searches predominantly through online ads (33%) and brand websites/apps (31%), closely followed by physical stores (28%), shoppers expressed their evolving preferences. Additionally, 99% of respondents acknowledged the utility of AI in shopping experiences. Key uses included finding the best price for a product (44%), discovering gift ideas (43%), and seeking information about found products (39%). This data underscores AI's significance in shaping the future of retail, emphasising the need for businesses to leverage AI technologies for a more seamless and personalised shopping journey. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Fashion and jewellery have new takers" comment="Subhead" text="Fashion and jewellery have new takers">Fashion and jewellery have new takers</cmsannotation> Although Diwali celebrations may have witnessed some changes, the essence of this festive period remained deeply rooted in India's rich culture and traditions. There has been a surge in sales: a 137% increase in jewellery sales, a 32% uptick in sales for fashion and lifestyle brands, and a 56% increase in sales for women’s clothing during the 2023 festive season. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="A Diwali of experiences" comment="Subhead" text="A Diwali of experiences">A Diwali of experiences</cmsannotation> Rather than focusing solely on shopping extravaganzas, Indians diverted their investments towards exploring new destinations, signalling a desire for experiences. In its transformed form, Diwali has evolved into a festival of <keyword id="6354692" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="travel" source="Orion">travel</keyword>, evident in a twofold increase in expenditures on flight tickets and a 35% increase in spending on holiday accommodations. Says Rahul Kothari, Chief Operating Officer, Razorpay said, “ It is a remarkable feat to see how Indians have widened their horizons from investing solely in physical goods to now also investing in gaining immersive and invaluable experiences.” <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Sales suge during Diwali" comment="Subhead" text="Sales suge during Diwali">Sales suge during Diwali</cmsannotation> Insights released by Criteo, the commerce media company, on online retails sales, traffic, consumer behaviour and preferences during Diwali 2023 also shows some interesting trends. The pivotal deal days from October 8th to 15th had a major impact, driving a 26% increase in sales and an 8% surge in website traffic compared to the September 17th to 30th average. Diwali served as a major catalyst, witnessing a 72% surge in online sales on November 10th, just before the festival. The two-week run-up to Diwali (October 29th to November 11th) showcased impressive statistics, with a 49% average sales increase, a 35% traffic surge, and up to a 22% rise in conversion rates. Notably, in contrast to the same pre-Diwali period in 2022, online retail sales soared by a substantial 39% in 2023. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Consumer behaviour and shopping trends" comment="Subhead" text="Consumer behaviour and shopping trends">Consumer behaviour and shopping trends</cmsannotation> Early preparation for the holiday season was evident as consumers engaged in product exploration approximately 18.3 days prior to making purchases during the peak period. From July to September 2023, a considerable 74% of holiday shoppers had already considered their gift choices, and over 50% had made holiday purchases. Intentions to spend more were prevalent, with more than a third of shoppers indicating they would spend "much more" than the previous year, both in physical stores and online. Says Taranjeet Singh, Managing Director, Enterprise, APAC, Criteo, “According to Criteo, 34% of shoppers who were new buyers during the two weeks approaching 2022 Diwali made at least one additional purchase from the same retailer between November 2022 and March 2023, showcasing the possibility of acquiring new customers and turning them into repeat customers during this season.”

From investing in experience, to using AI as a shopping guide – India’s changing Diwali expenditure patterns

Diwali, the festival of lights is just a few days away and it’s the time of the year to give gifts to your friends and family. If you are looking to give a gadget as a gift, there are several options to choose from, including smartphones, smartwatches, fitness bands and Bluetooth earphones. To help you buy a gift, we have compiled a list of the best gadgets to gift this Diwali. Smartphones <bulletContentEmbed name="B08L8DV7BX" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B08L8DV7BX_head"> <div type="image" title="Apple iPhone 11" msid="79163085" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B08L8DV7BX</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B08L8DV7BX_body"><bulletContentRow name="B08L8DV7BX_9501732021750940"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Apple iPhone 11</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Apple iPhone 11 features a 6.1-inch HD+ LCD display and is powered by the Apple A13 Bionic chipset coupled with 64GB of internal storage. It features a dual camera setup at the back and a 12MP selfie camera. The device is powered by a 3,046mAh battery with 18W fast charge support. It is IP68 certified for water and dust resistance.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B085J17VVP" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B085J17VVP_head"> <div type="image" title="OnePlus 8T 5G" msid="79163089" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B085J17VVP</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B085J17VVP_body"><bulletContentRow name="B085J17VVP_3750791190950188"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">OnePlus 8T 5G</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The OnePlus 8T 5G is the latest offering from OnePlus. It features a 6.55-inch Full HD+ Fluid AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass protection and a 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the Snapdragon 865 chipset and features 8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It sports a quad camera setup at the back and a 16MP selfie camera. It comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor. It is powered by a 4,500mAh battery with 65W fast charge support.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B0844516K1" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B0844516K1_head"> <div type="image" title="Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus" msid="79163103" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B0844516K1</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B0844516K1_body"><bulletContentRow name="B0844516K1_1404088330324095"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus sports a quad camera setup consisting of a 12MP primary camera, a 64MP telephoto sensor, 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera and a 0.3MP TOF camera. It features a 10MP selfie camera. The device features a 6.7-inch Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED display and is powered by an Exynos 990 chipset. It is equipped with a 4,500mAh battery with 25W fast charge support. It comes with an excellent display that comes with HDR10+ support.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B085J1J32G" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B085J1J32G_head"> <div type="image" title="Samsung Galaxy M51" msid="79163114" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B085J1J32G</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B085J1J32G_body"><bulletContentRow name="B085J1J32G_1326648306018714"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Samsung Galaxy M51</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Samsung Galaxy M51 is the latest from Samsung and is equipped with a huge 7,000mAh battery with 25W fast charge support. It features a 6.7-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED Plus display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It is powered by the Snapdragon 730G chipset and comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It features a quad camera setup at the back and a 32MP selfie camera. It features a glasstic back that gives it a premium look without adding too much weight.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B086977J3K" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B086977J3K_head"> <div type="image" title="OnePlus Nord 5G" msid="79163128" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B086977J3K</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B086977J3K_body"><bulletContentRow name="B086977J3K_1215758922175576"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">OnePlus Nord 5G</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The OnePlus Nord 5G is part of the company’s new Nord lineup. It runs on Android 10 based OxygenOS and features a 6.44-inch Full HD+ Fluid AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset coupled with 12GB RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It features a quad camera setup at the back and a 32MP selfie camera. It comes with 5G SA/NSA support and is powered by a 4,115mAh battery with Warp Charge 30T fast charge.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B089MS6FB8" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B089MS6FB8_head"><div type="image" title="OPPO F17 Pro Diwali Edition" msid="79184987" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B089MS6FB8</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B089MS6FB8_body"><bulletContentRow name="B089MS6FB8_0044926468631508"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Oppo F17 Pro Diwali Edition</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Oppo F17 Pro Diwali Edition features a 6.43-inch Full HD+ display and is powered by the MediaTek Helio P95 chipset coupled with 8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It features a quad camera setup at the back and a dual selfie camera setup. It is powered by a 4,015mAh battery and comes in a gift box with a complimentary 10,000mAh power bank and a back cover</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B077PWJ8RS" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B077PWJ8RS_head"> <div type="image" title="Redmi Note 9 Pro Max" msid="79163119" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B077PWJ8RS</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B077PWJ8RS_body"><bulletContentRow name="B077PWJ8RS_5773750203426511"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Redmi Note 9 Pro Max</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max features a 6.67-inch Full HD+ LCD DotDisplay with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection and is powered by a Snapdragon 720G chipset. The device features a quad camera setup at the back and sports a 32MP selfie camera. It is powered by a 5,020mAh battery with 33W fast charge support. The device features a quad camera setup at the back and sports a 32MP selfie camera.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> Smartwatches <bulletContentEmbed name="B08J6KZDRS" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B08J6KZDRS_head"> <div type="image" title="Apple Watch Series 6" msid="79163178" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B08J6KZDRS</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B08J6KZDRS_body"><bulletContentRow name="B08J6KZDRS_6868805306166655"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Apple Watch Series 6</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Apple Watch Series 6 features an always-on 1.57-inch LTPO OLED display with Sapphire Crystal glass protection and is powered by a dual-core Apple S6 chipset. It features an optical heart rate sensor, electrical heart sensor, blood oxygen sensor, accelerometer and gyroscope. It allows you to manage calls, send SMS and play music directly from the watch. It features a waterproof design, allowing you to wear your smartwatch while swimming to measure different activities.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B08FN4Q6VZ" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B08FN4Q6VZ_head"> <div type="image" title="Samsung Galaxy Watch 3" msid="79163187" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B08FN4Q6VZ</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B08FN4Q6VZ_body"><bulletContentRow name="B08FN4Q6VZ_2157450406321920"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Samsung Galaxy Watch 3</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 features a circular 1.4-inch Super AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass DX protection and is powered by an Exynos 9110 chipset. It features an accelerometer, heart rate sensor, gyroscope and offers 8GB of internal storage. It comes with fall detection functionality that sends an SOS to your emergency contacts. It uses red LED and infrared rays to measure your SpO2 levels, allowing you to monitor the oxygen saturation in your bloodstream.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B08HK4QNXM" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B08HK4QNXM_head"> <div type="image" title="Oppo Watch" msid="79163207" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B08HK4QNXM</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B08HK4QNXM_body"><bulletContentRow name="B08HK4QNXM_8566848068116884"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Oppo Watch</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Oppo Watch features a 1.8-inch AMOLED display and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset and Ambiq Micro Apollo 3 chipset. It features 1GB RAM and 8GB of internal storage. It features an optical heart rate sensor, ambient light sensor, 3-axis accelerometer sensor, gyroscope and geomagnetic sensor. It offers up to 24 hours of battery life on a single charge.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B085VLB9QV" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B085VLB9QV_head"> <div type="image" title="Huawei Watch GT 2e Sport" msid="79163239" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B085VLB9QV</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B085VLB9QV_body"><bulletContentRow name="B085VLB9QV_7682903622907964"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Huawei Watch GT 2e Sport</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Huawei Watch GT 2e Sport is powered by the Kirin A1 chipset and features an ambient light sensor. It features a 1.39-inch AMOLED colour display. It comes with a stainless-steel frame and is available in three colour options. It comes with a heart rate sensor and a SpO2 sensor. It offers 85 custom workout modes and 15 professional workout modes. It can store up to 500 songs and allows you to connect a bluetooth headset.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> Fitness Bands <bulletContentEmbed name="B07WQX8JL4" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B07WQX8JL4_head"> <div type="image" title="Honor Band 5" msid="79163253" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B07WQX8JL4</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B07WQX8JL4_body"><bulletContentRow name="B07WQX8JL4_6431465556935501"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Honor Band 5</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Honor Band 5 features a 0.95-inch AMOLED touch screen display. It is equipped with a pedometer, 6-axis accelerometer, gyroscope, infrared sensor, SpO2 monitor and a PPG heart rate sensor. It can show the time, oxygen saturation levels in the bloodstream, heart rate, steps taken and app notifications. It is 5 ATM water resistant and can be used while swimming. It has a battery life of up to 14 days.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B08GXC2NTX" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B08GXC2NTX_head"> <div type="image" title="Mi Smart Band 5" msid="79163280" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B08GXC2NTX</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B08GXC2NTX_body"><bulletContentRow name="B08GXC2NTX_0698871701068061"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Mi Smart Band 5</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Mi Smart Band is the latest offering from Xiaomi and features a 1.1-inch AMOLED display with 2.5D scratch-resistant glass. It features a tri-axis accelerometer, gyroscope and a heart rate sensor. It can show the time, steps taken, heart rate, app notifications, call alerts and more. It comes with 5ATM water resistance, allowing you to use it while swimming. It features a 125mAh battery that offers up to 14 days of battery life on a single charge.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> Bluetooth Headphones <bulletContentEmbed name="B07Q6153FQ" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B07Q6153FQ_head"> <div type="image" title="Apple AirPods" msid="79163310" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B07Q6153FQ</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B07Q6153FQ_body"><bulletContentRow name="B07Q6153FQ_8955606156132750"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Apple AirPods</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Apple AirPods are the most popular earbuds from the iPhone-maker. These earbuds are powered by the Apple H1 headphone chip that ensures fast wireless connection to your devices. They offer a battery life of up to five hours on a single charge and this can be increased to up to 24 hours with the charging case.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B086CSGV2N" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B086CSGV2N_head"> <div type="image" title="OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z" msid="79163322" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B086CSGV2N</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B086CSGV2N_body"><bulletContentRow name="B086CSGV2N_2636512751359692"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z is equipped with a 9.2mm dynamic driver and super bass tone for a good sound experience. It can last 20 hours on a single charge and is equipped with Warp Charge that can provide 10 hours of music playback with just 10 minutes of charging. It is an excellent option if you are looking for an affordable wireless headphone.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B07WNXS613" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B07WNXS613_head"> <div type="image" title="Sony WI-XB400 Wireless Headphones" msid="79163385" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B07WNXS613</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B07WNXS613_body"><bulletContentRow name="B07WNXS613_2240291898486367"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Sony WI-XB400 Wireless Headphones</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Sony WI-XB400 also features a neckband-less design, with both the earbuds being connected by the wire. It promises to offer extra bass for a deep, punchy music experience. It comes with an in-line mic and supports HD voice for an enhancing calling experience. It also supports Google Assistant. It offers 15-hour battery life and promises to offer 1 hour of playback with a 10-minute quick charge.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B084MXFPYQ" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B084MXFPYQ_head"> <div type="image" title="Samsung Galaxy Buds+" msid="79163397" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B084MXFPYQ</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B084MXFPYQ_body"><bulletContentRow name="B084MXFPYQ_0524329871723166"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Samsung Galaxy Buds+</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ combine great audio quality, long battery life and solid build quality in a compact package. Thanks to AKG tuning, these earbuds deliver rich treble and bass, which is easily noticeable when you listen to a wide range of songs. The in-call audio quality is amongst the best out there thanks to the adaptive triple mic system.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B08CVMVW3X" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B08CVMVW3X_head"> <div type="image" title="OnePlus Buds" msid="79163429" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B08CVMVW3X</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B08CVMVW3X_body"><bulletContentRow name="B08CVMVW3X_8380373028383090"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">OnePlus Buds</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The OnePlus Buds is a truly wireless offering from OnePlus. It is equipped with a 13.4mm dynamic driver that enables rich tones and deep bass. It comes with customizable buttons that allow you to manage calls and control media playback. It offers a battery life of up to 30 hours on a single charge. It comes with fast charge support, offering 10 hours of usage with just 10 minutes of charging.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed>

The ultimate Diwali tech gifting guide

<ul><li>It’s not too late to buy the perfect gift for Diwali</li><li>Move away from the usual, and give these <keyword id="31834" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali-Gifts">Diwali gifts</keyword> to your family or friends. </li><li>Here’s a list of things you can look up online for under ₹5,000. </li></ul>Diwali is right around the corner and if you are still looking for that perfect gift to give your loved ones, it’s not too late. Step away from the usual diyas, gold or silver coins or chocolates, and turn to online shopping and find something unique. Here are a list of hatke gifts you can give for under ₹5,000 <div type="Slideshow" msid="71721523" hostid="261" title="Top quirky Diwali gifts you can give your loved ones under ₹5,000" firstImageMsid="71721525" slideCount="10"></div>

Top quirky Diwali gifts you can give your loved ones under ₹5,000

<ul><li>While the first half of the year was so unusual and unprecedented that the ad industry took a nosedive to as low as -60%, research studies have shown that the consumer sentiment is picking up and so are ad spends. </li><li>Diwali has brought an opportunity for brands to reconnect with their consumers, woo them again and remind that we are all in this together. </li><li>And Indian brands have not disappointed. From Mondelez and BYJU’s to HP, brands have made beautiful advertisements as a tribute to the working class that continues to struggle. </li><li>We reached out to experts to discuss their favourite ads from this Diwali and some of the reasons that make them special. So, here is a listicle compiling the best ads of this year. </li></ul>Diyas and rangolis, food and family, gifts and greetings – this is what makes Diwali truly special. It is also an advertising carnival which brings up an opportunity for brands to reconnect with consumers as the market sentiment improves. Brands pour in big monies on traditional mediums to reach out to consumers at a larger scale. Every year, categories like FMCG, apparel, auto, e-commerce and consumer durables become the biggest spenders during Diwali. However, 2020 is unusual. Coronavirus still hasn’t left our country and people continue to be cautious about stepping out. So, this Diwali won’t be about bursting crackers on the street and meeting your family to exchange sweets. It will all be virtual, about being there for each other in tough times and celebrating small victories while maintaining a safe distance. So this year, brands have looked beyond family and home. After spending the first half of the year jobless, locked inside four walls, there are many who won’t get to celebrate the festival of light in its true spirit because they would be busy searching for small opportunities to support their family. The ironman, painter, watchman, delivery personnel and many other Indians will continue working, some bound by their circumstances and others by their duties. COVID’s economic disruption has adversely impacted the collective optimism for festivities. Yet, all it takes is the determined optimism of hope and celebration to cheer someone. Therefore, many brands decided to shine a spotlight on these heroes who go unnoticed. They urged consumers to support different sectors of our society who have been badly impacted by COVID-19. Common themes of togetherness, compassion, positivity, generosity, uplifting each other and supporting small businesses, emerged this year and took over the advertising canvas. Brands reminded their audience to help bring light and joy not just inside their homes but also outside their lives by sharing a little part of their happiness. After all, that's what festivals are all about. So like this unusual year, we decide to do something different. We reached out to experts to find out their favourite advertisements and the reasons why they loved them. Here is what they had to say about creativity this Diwali: Ronita Mitra, Founder and Chief Strategist, Brand Eagle Consulting: Most brands have been warm, telling stories of togetherness and bonding with family, friends and neighbours. In that sense, all brands are playing their role in uplifting the sentiments of consumers, encouraging them to enjoy the festive season once again. However the campaign that stands out for me is the Cadbury's campaign. The brand has weaved in "togetherness and inclusiveness" into the very heart of the campaign idea. and gone beyond merely producing an engaging ad with a well told, warm story. The Cadbury's brand has taken the idea of togetherness to a different level by involving and doing something meaningful for a segment of society that has been badly impacted by Covid - the local neighbourhood retailers. It has played the role of a truly responsible, inclusive brand that believes growth is sustainable when the eco system grows together. The idea entails high level execution effort in terms of integrating the gathering database with advanced technology to make the idea come alive in a real way for every consumer. The campaign is an inspiring coming together of idea, execution and technology at every stage from conceptualization to the hyper personalised media plan. <div type="Youtube" id="So16ZBPK6mo" title="This is not just a Cadbury ad" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/So16ZBPK6mo/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Roshan Abbas, Founder &amp; MD, Geometry Encompass: I just saw a lovely HP Print ad on DiwaliDilWali, it was beautiful and emotional. A follow up to their earlier campaign 2 years ago on supporting local sellers, it brings together the beauty of innovation, emotion and has a fabulous performance by Seema Pahwa. While everyone is harping on supporting small sellers the route and product integration is what makes this different. <div type="Youtube" id="2uA1r8gaRik" title="#YeDiwaliDilWali" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2uA1r8gaRik/mqdefault.jpg"></div> <keyword id="247533" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Karthik-Srinivasan">Karthik Srinivasan</keyword>, Social Media Expert and Independent Brand Consultant: I have seen a few Deepavali/Diwali ads and so far liked 2 of them more than the others. Both have the same theme, of not stopping the kind of work/purchases that we do during Deepavali because of the pandemic. Whether that sells consumerism or is coated as restarting the seller-buyer ecosystem is a different question. The first one is by Birla White, a brand that doesn't really have a say in Diwali, but brings itself very contextually and meaningfully into the Diwali discussion. This is by Autumn Grey. <div type="Youtube" id="FKnAmnyf_eo" title="Deewarein Sajengi Tabhi Toh Tyohaar Ki Rangat Badhegi" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FKnAmnyf_eo/mqdefault.jpg"></div> The second is a surprise since it is not from India! This ad is for the Malaysian bank, RHB that features Tamilians (Malaysian Tamils) and Tamil language, by FCB Kuala Lumpur. The theme is very similar to the Birla White story in that both use the father-daughter dynamics for emotional appeal. <div type="Youtube" id="gaUtaD-uzyg" title="RHB Deepavali 2020: Light In a Time of Darkness" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gaUtaD-uzyg/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Heeru Dingra, CEO, WATConsult: Out of all ads that seem to have gone live so far, Phillips’ Diwali campaign ‘Khushiyon Ki Ladi’, weaves a very beautiful and relevant story for the audience. Instead of approaching the festival directly, they took the viewers on a journey showcasing an interlinked chain of festivities, which surrounds all of us. With very relatable scenes like receiving a delivery, or purchasing sweets at a store, the video basically taught us the economy and dependency that businesses have on each other. With its smooth story narration and the ingrained feel good factor, the campaign did what it set out to do – make us associate Diwali with a feeling of community and interconnectivity. <div type="Youtube" id="GGd_g9MT0oY" title="Philips | #KhushiyonKiLadi" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GGd_g9MT0oY/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Vishnu Srivastav, Vishnu Srivastav, Creative Head, DDB Mudra South: My favourite Diwali campaign this year is ‘Not Just a <keyword id="3275564" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cadbury-Ad">Cadbury Ad</keyword>’ by Cadbury. A large brand using its large platform to help other businesses in need. What could capture the Diwali spirit and Cadbury’s ethos of spreading cheer better? It’s data driven advertising with a deeply human impact. Janhavi Iyer, Associate Director- Content Strategy, Gozoop: The Not Just a Cadbury Ad by Cadbury definitely caught my attention this year. Not only is it supported by the use of sound media technology with the pin-code based personalization but it also meets one of the most important criteria for a great ad and that is actionability. With Covid leaving small and local businesses suffering, Cadbury’s ad was not just on brand but its simple message of buying local capitalized on the predominant sentiment of the nation, at a time when it was needed most. This year, as I stepped outside to shop for Diwali, I went to all my local stores, a conscious action sparked by a simple and insightful campaign. I’d also give a shout out to Oppo’s Be The Light campaign. From a storytelling perspective, the short film struck all the right chords without pushing the product too much, making it a delight to watch. <div type="Youtube" id="KHxc8QkSwiQ" title="OPPO F17 Pro - #BeTheLight To Spread The Light | Diwali'20" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KHxc8QkSwiQ/mqdefault.jpg"></div>

Experts share their favourite Diwali campaigns from 2020

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Kathy Gallagher is the CEO of Quintessentially Asia Pacific, a concierge company for VIPs.</li><li>She's organized Christmas trees with edible decorations and turned a mansion into a haunted house. </li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kathy Gallagher, CEO of Quintessentially Asia Pacific. It has been edited for length and clarity. Before I became a holiday planner, I had an exciting role in Hong Kong working for Deloitte. I had been with the Global Financial Services team for more than 10 years in London and Hong Kong, and I worked with great clients. But I found myself wanting to make a switch in my career to follow one of my passions, whether that was travel, art, food or wine. I was always making lists of restaurants I wanted to visit around town and my friends would come to me to ask where they should go for dinner, buy a birthday gift, or go on holiday. When I was offered the position at the VIP concierge company Quintessentially in August 2017, I knew I had found my perfect fit. I could now turn my passion into a full-time job.<h2>Quintessentially, which launched in the UK, has offices across the globe</h2>Our clientele includes movie stars, musicians, Fortune 500 companies, and royalty.<div type="image" title="The entrance to a Quintessentially Christmas event" height="3840" width="5760" msid="96379329" hostid="261" sizebytes="976080"></div>They trust us not only to arrange their daily lives, but their biggest events — whether that's celebration parties on private islands or parties to mark the arrival of a newborn, which we've done with the help of a six-figure budget. But we're also asked to organize their holiday parties. <h2>We take our holiday parties to the next level</h2>It's not unusual for us to be given a multimillion-dollar budget to arrange a festive party. Venues can be anything from heritage buildings to a racing circuit on a frozen lake in Scandinavia. However, whether the party is small or large, we will still make it memorable. One Christmas, a client in Singapore asked if we could arrange a festive fine-dining supper for around 80 people. The room featured a supersized Christmas tree, which looked like something you'd find in a mall. <div type="image" title="Edible Christmas baubles by pastry chef Janice Wong" height="737" width="1104" msid="96379331" hostid="261" sizebytes="79862"></div>At the end of the evening, we told guests that the decorations on the tree were in fact edible and created by the award-winning pastry chef Janice Wong. As soon as we told the guests that the edible decorations were their leaving gifts, they immediately got up from their chairs, and started running to the tree to get the best ornament. Someone described the rush as looking "like a shopping mall on Boxing Day."We always focus on the details, and that included organizing real reindeer as a surprise for the younger guests of a Christmas party at the recently renovated 18th-century Heckfield Place. <h2>When we're planning a party, we start with the host </h2>Whether we're creating a holiday party for a VIP or a Fortune 500 company, the process is always the same — you start with the host. To create a bespoke experience, you have got to tailor it to that individual or business. <div type="image" title="Reindeer at for younger guests at a party at Heckfield Place" height="2400" width="1600" msid="96379333" hostid="261" sizebytes="229276"></div>We then focus on curating a guest's journey from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave, whether that's personalizing the name badge with hand calligraphy or doing hotel drops of boxes of personalized tea, if they're staying for a couple of nights. Personalizing the experience is the real differentiator. It stops it from becoming mainstream. We will start with a mood board and may be given a theme by the host. We're never afraid of a theme becoming tacky, as it's all about execution.<h2>Luxury doesn't need to be gilded and dripping in gold</h2>We can organize parties that are luxurious and extravagant, but our VIP clients are more interested in something that is unique. A client recently wanted to create a celebration dinner party for her friends, so we organized a private supper made from 3D printed food. <div type="image" title="projection mapped performance pieces curated for the Chinese New Year event CNY Performance" height="4912" width="7360" msid="96379335" hostid="261" sizebytes="4563882"></div>The chef created an entire five-course menu for the evening, which was printed in front of the guests. Luxury now isn't just about Michelin-starred restaurants. Luxury is about connoisseurship and experiences; it can equally be about a celebrated street food vendor catering for the party. <h2>Our holiday parties take place all year round </h2>As we have offices across the globe, we organize holiday parties all year round. For a Diwali party in India, we took over a palace and filled it with large-scale sand sculptures that were backlit and told the story of Diwali. For one Chinese New Year party, we made sure the festivities had the right energy by hiring two feng shui masters to act as consultants, and for another Chinese New Year party, we added a fully articulated dragon to the festivities that breathed smoke. <div type="image" title="A private client event around Chinese New Year featuring a fully articulated smoke-breathing dragon" height="884" width="1179" msid="96379338" hostid="261" sizebytes="120662"></div>With just three weeks' notice, a corporate client asked if we could arrange a Halloween party for them in London. In this time frame, the team not only sourced an empty mansion, but installed a ghost train. Party guests could board the train and walk through the carriages. We also had more than 50 performers dressed as zombies and a 12-piece band — all dressed as skeletons — had Halloween goers hitting the dance floor. <h2>Privacy is the key word for our clients </h2>Since the pandemic, we've seen a rise with our VIP clients in intimate events. Ultra-high net worth individuals want to bring the experience home in a private or more intimate space. If they choose to celebrate in a high-end hotel, they will book the entire floor and invite 20 of their friends. Recently, we were asked by a client to rent out an entire island in the Maldives for a celebration with family and friends. The 30 guests arrived by seaplane or private jet. Each night, we gave them a different dining experience, including being seated around a dining table sculptured out of sand. <h2>When it comes to parties, we take care of everything — from invitations to security and goodie bags</h2>Our clients have asked us to hand-deliver invitations white-glove style, as they want their guests to have the experience of unboxing the invitation at their door. <div type="image" title="The decor from a private client’s Diwali celebration in Singapore" height="4160" width="6240" msid="96379340" hostid="261" sizebytes="1098610"></div>Goodie bags can also be on the level of an Oscar winner's goodie bag. We've had some people gift Dior jewelry to their guests, and another client gave their guests limited-edition prints. <h2>When it comes to organizing a party, we'll pull out all the stops for our guests</h2>However, our general rule is everything needs to be legal and moral. When we're putting together a plan, we will try to find a solution to everything. If it wasn't the guest's first choice, we will come up with a second or third that will be equally as good, if not better. If it's a dinner party, I will arrive on the site a couple of hours ahead of time. But if it's a large event that involves staging and photography areas, I will be on site 48 hours before. As the planning has all been done beforehand, we focus on execution on the day itself. We have a playbook, and we just follow it. <h2>The key to being part of our team is thinking ahead</h2>You need to think of plans A, B, and C, because you need to be prepared in all instances. We look for people who are solution-focused, creative in their approach, and obsessive over the finer details. We want to create an experience they won't get anywhere else.

I plan parties for the ultrawealthy. We get multimillion-dollar budgets to source real reindeer, fire-breathing dragons, and gift bags filled with Dior jewelry.

<keyword id="188" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali">Diwali</keyword>, the festival of lights is deeply connected with the religious and spiritual sentiments of people in India. Celebrated in a highly unique and enthusiastic way, Diwali is so dear to children and elders alike for the several charms the day holds for all. People eagerly await Diwali and wish to make the most of the day for the prosperity of the home, wealth, health and happiness. If you wish to reap the benefits of Diwali celebrations, there are few dos and don’ts prescribed by the tradition. Closely following this list can ensure you get the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi in abundance for yourself and your sweet home. <keyword id="8263972" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="dos-for-diwali-puja">Dos for Diwali Puja</keyword> During <keyword id="31818" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali-Puja">Diwali puja</keyword>, set up the altar in the north-east direction of the home or business place. The idols placed in the puja must face the east direction. Those who perform puja must sit facing the north direction. Light the main puja lamp with ghee. The count of the lamps kept in the puja must be 11, 21 or 513. In the southeast corner of the home, place a mustard or sesame oil lamp and keep it lit throughout the Diwali festival. Keep the house and business premises neat, clean and well lit during the Diwali celebrations. Goddess Lakshmi likes clean places and blesses the homes and business sites that are maintained well. Abstain from disputes, quarrels and disagreements in the house or business during the puja. Let all the members of the family participate in the pujas. Remember, this is the best part of all your lives and it is important to suspend all your other activities during the puja focusing mainly on worshipping Goddess Lakshmi. When you involve in the puja as a family, you will see harmony, peace, hope and happiness filling the household or business place. Place valuables like gold, silver, jewels and others in the puja. This act can bring good luck. It is also auspicious to place the things, account books and other materials connected with your education or business in the puja. Don’ts for Diwali Puja Never borrow money or lend money during the Diwali celebrations. Never give things to others after sunset. Though charity is a good thing to do during Diwali festival, never give away anything during the pradosh kaal or the two hours’ time immediately following the sunset. Do not gift items like leather goods, sharp edged items, and crackers to anyone during the festival. In case it becomes a must to give any of these items, give them along with sweets. Never cook or consume non-vegetarian foods in home, abstain from taking alcohol during Diwali. Throughout the night of Diwali puja, never leave the puja place unattended so that the lamp you light burns with a continuous supply of ghee or oil. Do not clap while singing Lakshmi aarti. Never shout or sing loudly during the puja since Lakshmi abhors loud noise and will get offended with such activities. Do not sweep the puja area or the house immediately after the puja as this act can cancel the merits and benefits received from the puja.

The dos and don'ts rule during diwali puja time and day

<ul><li>For this <keyword id="188" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali">Diwali</keyword>, <keyword id="2200852" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mondelez-India">Mondelez India</keyword> has launched what they call the most generous ad ever. The brand is reaching out to 1800+ local retailers, across 260+ pin codes, whose businesses are promoted locally through the latest Cadbury Celebrations ad and manifest the message of ‘Iss Diwali Aap #KiseKhushKarenge? </li><li>The ad leverages technology and AI to create India’s first hyper-personalised ad wherein during this ad, these stores will be featured against the product category for specific pin codes in Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Indore, Ahmedabad and Lucknow.</li></ul>With an aim to turn this Diwali into the sweetest celebration of all times, Mondelez India, the makers and bakers of some of India’s iconic snacking brands are ready to once again brighten up the festive vibes with Cadbury Celebrations and the launch of the ‘Iss Diwali Aap #KiseKhushKarenge?’ campaign. The company will further add sparkle to the festivities, with eCommerce-exclusive premium pack, Oreo Moments and Cadbury Cocoa’s #TheSweetestDiwali activation. Commenting on the efforts, <keyword id="1825451" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anil-Viswanathan">Anil Viswanathan</keyword>, Senior Director, Marketing (chocolates), Insights and Analytics, Mondelez India, said, “Throughout festivities exchanging gifts and sweets holds a significant emotional value and embarks the beginning of a new era, and it makes us extremely proud about the fact that we humbly found a place in this small, yet important tradition. Moreover, this year, than any other warrants for acts that signify new beginnings and the potential of goodness in an imperfect world, and our recent Cadbury Celebrations campaign infuses this thought at the back of evoking generosity. Banking on the proposition of ‘Iss Diwali Aap #KiseKhushKarenge’, we are putting our best foot forward to inspire people to do what’s right this time by acknowledging people who helped us in difficult times. Whether it is weaving in ‘Mithaas’ into special occasions or adding a shimmer of cheerfulness to the joyous festivities, our much-loved snacking products have become an intrinsic part of every celebration and therefore, this year we’re furthering this effort by expanding our eCommerce premium portfolio to provide more choice to our consumers, along with many exciting initiatives across our brands, beyond just chocolates.” <div type="Youtube" id="So16ZBPK6mo" title="This is not just a Cadbury ad" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/So16ZBPK6mo/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Continuing the legacy of ‘<keyword id="10221664" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="kuch-achha-ho-jaye">Kuch Achha Ho Jaye</keyword>, Kuch Meetha Ho Jaye’, Mondelez India is taking a step further and leading by example by creating the most generous ad ever by reaching out to 1800+ local retailers, across 260+ pin codes, whose businesses are promoted locally through the latest Cadbury Celebrations ad and manifest the message of ‘Iss Diwali Aap #KiseKhushKarenge? The ad leverages technology and AI to create India’s first hyper-personalised ad wherein during this ad, these stores will be featured against the product category for specific pin codes in Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Indore, Ahmedabad and Lucknow. The ad beautifully captures this by showcasing an Indian family rejoicing the occasion of Diwali wherein the woman of the house gifts something to every member of the family which is bought from the local stores. Ending it on a celebratory note and a thought-provoking message – ‘When all of us support our local stores, all of us can have a Happy Diwali’. Thus, putting the spotlight on the act of generosity. <div type="Youtube" id="3xo02IWsK1w" title="Not Just A Cadbury Ad Campaign Video" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3xo02IWsK1w/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Someone watching in Golf Course Road, Gurgaon will receive and see this ad: <div type="Youtube" id="IINV8D6wyDc" title="DX-TEST- This is not just a Cadbury ad" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IINV8D6wyDc/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Someone watching in Mahalakshmi will see this ad: <div type="Youtube" id="4abjNU9m-f0" title="DX-TEST- This is not just a Cadbury ad" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4abjNU9m-f0/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Someone watching in Powai will see this: <div type="Youtube" id="YLrd_JbMLLw" title="This is not just a Cadbury ad" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YLrd_JbMLLw/mqdefault.jpg"></div> This message is further being seeded through Cadbury Cocoa which is encouraging consumers to return the favour of goodness to their family members, who have always made their festivities more exuberant, with a ‘special mithai’ created using Cadbury Cocoa. Renowned personalities like <keyword id="114453" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arjun-Kapoor">Arjun Kapoor</keyword> and <keyword id="351" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Yuvraj-Singh">Yuvraj Singh</keyword> will be seen depicting the act of home-baking a special recipe for their special someone to encourage people to walk an extra mile, be extra thoughtful and for a change, make the ones around you smile and turning it into #TheSweetestDiwali. With safety becoming a non-negotiable priority for consumers, e-commerce is playing greater role in implementing contactless shopping and therefore, we are creating more digital shopping opportunities to continue redefining the joy of gifting. The seasonal offerings under the Cadbury Gifting portfolio will be available across multiple channels like e-grocers, marketplaces, e-commerce websites, hyper-local and omnichannel retailers and the company’s own direct-to-consumer website – CadburyGifting.in, so that people can partake in celebrations, unhindered.

Mondelez India's heartwarming Diwali ad is also a celebration of local retailers

<ul><li><keyword id="864887" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pepperfry">Pepperfry</keyword>’s latest ad brings a family together in a fun, playful way.</li><li>The ad is conceptualised by <keyword id="2633203" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Law-Kenneth-Saatchi-Saatchi">Law &amp; Kenneth Saatchi &amp; Saatchi</keyword>.</li></ul>Pepperfry has launched a heartwarming yet puckish <keyword id="3090852" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali-campaign">Diwali campaign</keyword> – Family times = Pepperfry times. Forging a deeper connect with its consumers, the TVC-led campaign highlights how, this year, individuals will be celebrating Diwali indoors with their loved ones and the role furniture plays in creating those moments and memories that bring the family together. The global pandemic has had far-reaching implications on people, but the one great thing it has resulted in is a much more strengthened bond with one’s immediate family. Having spent more time indoors, individuals are discovering both endearing and annoying things about them. They are indulging in nostalgic tales with ageing parents, playing with the little ones in between work calls, and making up for all the lost meals by breaking bread together every day on the dining table - all the things that couldn’t be accommodated in the previous hustle bustle and race against time. <div type="Youtube" id="vwfxT49mEVU" title="Pepperfry Diwali Sale - Kuch Apne Liye, Kuch Apno Ke Liye" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vwfxT49mEVU/mqdefault.jpg"></div> While everyone was embracing this new normal, furniture played a vital role in nurturing this bond, almost akin to a family member. The study table pivoted from silently participating in serious calls with colleagues and at other times helping cheer up a friend. The dinner table, which used to be a 1-2 person at a time affair due to conflicting schedules, now hosts buzzing family meals. The bed has become the center of a nightly game ritual for all. This Diwali, too, while card parties and glittery garden gatherings will be missing, it will be a more intimate family affair full of love and appreciation. And once again, it is furniture that will be at the core of all conversations, meals, entertainment and celebrations. Celebrating this, Pepperfry, a brand that sparks a feeling called home, has launched its new Diwali campaign. Conceptualized by <keyword id="2409473" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="LK-Saatchi">L&amp;K Saatchi</keyword> and Saatchi, the campaign kick starts with a TVC showcasing a father-daughter duo engaging in a witty banter, fighting for that one armchair, which rests in the best WiFi spot of the house. On realizing that he is about to lose, the father calls it truce by gifting another armchair to his daughter for Diwali, placed right next to his. Thus, Pepperfry comes to rescue with its Diwali sale with an underlying narrative of ‘Thoda apne liye, thoda apnon ke liye’. Talking about the latest campaign, <keyword id="707187" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kashyap-Vadapalli">Kashyap Vadapalli</keyword>, Chief Marketing Officer &amp; Business Head, Pepperfry, said, “Pepperfry’s core proposition is to democratize the furniture category and make it an intrinsic part of people’s lives, making the brand almost synonymous to home. It has always partnered with its consumers to help create lasting memories. And this Diwali, we want to build on the connect and trust that we enjoy with our consumers. Through our Family times = Pepperfry times campaign, we aim to catalyze and encourage celebrations with family and friends in a joyful, intimate manner.” He also said – “The right furniture has come to the rescue of the - stay at home, work from home, study from home, entertain from home - Indian family over the last 7 months. Even as we look forward, all of us are acutely aware of the role that homes are playing in our lives - they are outsized, compared to earlier. In such a scenario having the right furniture to eat, work, play and relax is very important and who better than Pepperfry, the market leader, to turn to? I am excited that these films and the campaign will evoke exactly this response in the minds of consumers and drive the desired behaviours” Pepperfry has adopted a multi-pronged campaign approach, wherein the film will be aired on TV as well as digital mediums like Video Sharing platforms and social media platforms and across interesting content sides on the internet. Debarjyo Nandi, Executive Vice President, Law &amp; Kenneth Saatchi &amp; Saatchi, said, “Now that we are all working and schooling from home, we realize the importance of having the right furniture in the right spaces. The film is only a representation of today’s situation hence real and relatable, and this time we have chosen to give a unique quirky treatment to make it fun and different.”

Pepperfry's Diwali ad will remind you of all the times you fought with your loved ones for your favourite spot at home

Diwali, the festival of lights, is a vibrant festival filled with a variety of events, celebrations, rituals and pujas. Central to these festivities is the Lakshmi puja, which seeks to invite prosperity into our homes and businesses. This year, the puja will take place on November 1, 2024. Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and the consort of Lord Vishnu, blesses us during this time, bringing hope, positivity, and growth into our lives. Diwali thus becomes a refreshing and rejuvenating experience for many. Here’s a simple guide to performing Lakshmi puja at home. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Puja Preparations" comment="subhead" text="Puja Preparations">Puja Preparations</cmsannotation> Before the start of Lakshmi puja, clean your home thoroughly and decorate it. On the day of Lakshmi puja, take a bath, sprinkle Ganga Jal throughout your home and on the members of the household as a mark of purification ritual. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Set up the puja altar" comment="subhead" text="Set up the puja altar">Set up the puja altar</cmsannotation> Place a table or platform or a tripod stand and spread a red cloth over it. Place some grains in the center and draw a lotus in the center of the grains with turmeric powder. Place an image of Lakshmi, Ganesh and on the grains spread on the pedestal. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Install a Kalash" comment="subhead" text="Install a Kalash">Install a Kalash</cmsannotation> Fill a silver or copper pot with three fourths of water. Place some coins, betel nut, raisins, clove, dry fruits, and cardamom inside the pot. Place a bunch of mango leaves on the pot arranging the leaves in a circular fashion. Place a coconut on the pot to finish the set up. Place the kalash on the pedestal along with the idols and decorate it with sindhoor and flowers. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Holy bath and puja to the idols" comment="subhead" text="Holy bath and puja to the idols">Holy bath and puja to the idols</cmsannotation> Give a holy bath to the idols of Lakshmi and Ganesh with pure water, panchamrit (fruit salad in honey), sandal water, rose water and pure water to complete the cycle. Decorate the idols with turmeric powder, sandal paste and sindhoor. Decorate the idols with flowers and garlands. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="79183505" title="Happy Dhanteras 2024 messages and wishes" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Puja and offerings" comment="subhead" text="Puja and offerings">Puja and offerings</cmsannotation> Light the lamp and incense sticks. Start the puja with Ganesh worship. Then worship Lakshmi. Chant the mantras for both the deities and place the offerings in front of the deities. Some of the important offerings for Lakshmi puja include badasha, laddoos, betel leaves and nuts, dry fruits, coconut, sweets, dishes made in the home kitchen, some coins and others. Offer flowers in front of the idols accompanied by the changing of mantras. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Read the story of Laxmi" comment="subhead" text="Read the story of Laxmi">Read the story of Laxmi</cmsannotation> Listening to the story of Lakshmi is an important part of the Lakshmi puja. Let an elderly member or an interested volunteer to read the story of Lakshmi. Others must listen to the story in rapt attention with devotion. At the end of the story session, let all the members offer flowers at the feet of the deities. The story teller will get a gift of a silver coin, sweets and some presents. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Conclude the Laxmi puja" comment="subhead" text="Conclude the Laxmi puja">Conclude the Laxmi puja</cmsannotation> Sing the arati song of goddess Lakshmi and wave the camphor light in front of the idols and kalash. Say the prayers for the prosperity and welfare of the home and pray for the world too. Circumambulate the altar and prostrate in front of the deities. Distribute the puja Prasad among the attendees. You can then enjoy a special meal with your family and guests by starting with the sweets obtained as Prasad. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/diwali-gifting-made-easy-best-tech-gifts-to-give-this-festive-season/articleshow/114507927.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Diwali gifting made easy – best tech gifts to give this festive season</a>

How to perform Lakshmi puja at home

Come Valentine’s Day and people (read men) are in a tearing hurry to buy the most offbeat and perfect gifts for their loved ones at the very last moment. But most of us fail to think out of the box and the outcome is a pile of all-too-predictable <keyword id="464407" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="gift-items">gift items</keyword> that tend to infest our homes on each and every occasion – be it Valentine’s Day or Christmas, Holi or Diwali. If you want to find the most suitable gifts without the least hassle, try <keyword id="2059416" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Wishpicker">Wishpicker</keyword>, a 9-month-old, Noida-based start-up that curates and aggregates gift items &amp; gift ideas from reputed merchants and helps you find the most relevant gifts as per your choice/preference – so that you won’t have to hunt for another shop – online or offline. But unlike other gift sites, this one does not sell gifts. Once you find something suitable and decide to buy it, you will be redirected to the merchant site for making the purchase. 
 Wishpicker uses an <keyword id="2059433" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Automated-machine-learning-system">automated machine learning system</keyword> for its <keyword id="2059417" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Gift-recommendation-engine">gift recommendation engine</keyword> – so that it can identify usage patterns and come up with most <keyword id="2059425" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Relevant-gift-ideas">relevant gift ideas</keyword> based on age, relationship, occasion and other parameters. As a result, the start-up is able to maintain a conversion rate that is much higher than plain vanilla e-commerce stores. And the gift suggestions can be really exotic at times – right from buying a piece of land on the moon to getting your sweetheart’s face printed on a flower petal. Want to know more about Wishpicker and its offerings? Here is a snapshot that captures the start-up’s vision and viability. 
 
Who runs Wishpicker (www.wishpicker.com): A team of nine young enthusiasts led by co-founders Prateek Rathore and Apurv Bansal. While Prateek is a <keyword id="163598" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="computer-engineer">computer engineer</keyword> from IIT Delhi, Apurv is a <keyword id="6405797" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="civil-engineer">civil engineer</keyword> from the same institution and was Prateek’s batchmate. Prateek also holds a post-graduate degree in Management from the <keyword id="2059415" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="IE-Business-School-in-Spain">IE Business School in Spain</keyword>. The duo later roped in Tejendra Singh, a B.Tech in Computer Science from IIT Patna, as a core technology member. 
 Earlier, Apurv had worked as a consultant but finally left his high-paying corporate job at <keyword id="122749" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Bain-Company">Bain &amp; Company</keyword> in Mumbai to start Wishpicker when Prateek returned to India after finishing his management studies. The duo started working on the concept in early 2013 and Wishpicker.com went live in June last year. “Initially, we were operating from the terrace of Prateek’s parents’ flat in Delhi. But we shifted to Noida when the team grew,” recalls Apurv. 
 
What inspired the venture: Personal misadventures. Both Apurv and Prateek faced great difficulties when it came to finding the right kind of gifts for friends and families. “We were at a loss about what to buy and searching for gifts online simply stumped us. We were overwhelmed by the number of options available across the sites. Also, each site claimed it was selling the ‘best gift’ but that personal touch was somewhat missing,” reflects Apurv. “That’s when we realised that a lot of people face the same problem and we should do something about it. Wishpicker is here so that buying gifts turns out to be a happy experience instead of a harrowing one,” he adds. 
 
What’s the pitch: The name reveals the business pitch, according to the co-founders. As the site is helping people ‘pick’ the right gifts for their loved ones (that’s what you wish, don’t you?), Wishpicker is just the right name for it. And the ‘intelligent’ gift recommendation engine offers a never-before curated experience of gift-buying, helping you become a better gift giver who is both thoughtful and creative. “At Wishpicker, you will find a <keyword id="2059442" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Readymade-gifting-inventory">readymade gifting inventory</keyword> from across the Internet and you can customise your search for best-ever recommendations. That’s our USP for driving business,” explains Apurv. 
 
How it works: What we like about this site is the all-too-simple user interface in spite of a complex backend. For one, you need not register or log in and can start gift hunting right away, from a wide range of gift items, <keyword id="858869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="gift-vouchers">gift vouchers</keyword>, <keyword id="2059445" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Experiential-gifts">experiential gifts</keyword>, etc., provided by some of the best companies and brands. Gifts can be broadly searched based on age, occasion and recipient’s relationship with the giver. You can further fine-tune the search by setting up various other parameters such as personality, budget, type of gift, product category and so on. Gift recommendations are also made based on the likes and interests of the recipient on Facebook. This is a real-life reflection of his/her personality and helps you select gifts that the recipient will actually ‘like’ and cherish. Wishpicker has already tied up with 20 or so merchants/e-commerce partners, including <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword>, <keyword id="2059448" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="HappilyUnmarried">HappilyUnmarried</keyword> and <keyword id="640104" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ferns-n-Petals">Ferns N Petals</keyword>, among others. It is now planning to increase the number of tie-ups. 
 
As gifts are curated from some of the best brands, users can access the very best that is available across the Web. What’s more, you get all at one place, essentially making Wishpicker a one-stop shop for the best gift ideas. The recommendation engine, based on automated machine learning, has been internally developed by the Wishpicker team and is constantly worked upon to ensure a never-before user experience. 
 
Claim to fame: Stickiness, traction and conversion. Wishpicker wishes to be a Google for gifts and seems to be making decent progress in these three key areas, as per the numbers divulged by the company. 
 
Show me the money: <keyword id="6399165" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="revenue-generation">Revenue generation</keyword> happens through commission per sale. According to the co-founders, the site sees more than 150,000 unique visitors per month and it is growing at 80% month on month. The annual <keyword id="2059458" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="GMV-run-rate">GMV run rate</keyword> is now Rs 1.5 crore and this is expected to double in the next 2-3 months, given the current growth rate. 
 Wishpicker is self-funded till date but will be raising its first round of <keyword id="6364511" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="angel-funding">angel funding</keyword> by the second quarter of CY2014. “We put together a <keyword id="572926" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="seed-capital">seed capital</keyword> of Rs 15 lakh and we are now looking to raise under a million dollar for the next round of development,” says Apurv. The money raised will be mostly used for enhancing the technology platform and venturing further into the global market. 
 “The problem we are trying to solve – deciding what to gift and how to find it easily – is globally relevant. Moreover, we have an extremely scalable model as our platform is totally Cloud-based. So we are planning to go global in a big way soon after cracking the <keyword id="47445" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-market">Indian market</keyword>,” details Apurv. Even now, Wishpicker has a significant presence in the US, the UK and the Middle East as people from these countries send gifts to India. But in the next phase of global expansion in the third quarter of this calendar year, the UK market will be the primary focus of the start-up. 
 
Biggest challenge: There are loads of gifting sites in India but most of them work like normal e-commerce sites, instead of aggregating and curating gift information, powered by an intelligent recommendation engine. “For gifting sites, the <keyword id="5189" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="competition">competition</keyword> evolves around stickiness – it is essential to ensure that one finds the right gift for the right occasion and comes back often. But a site with a limited inventory cannot assure that and that’s where we are ahead,” affirms Apurv. 
 
He, however, thinks the biggest challenge is to build the right team. “Without a great team, your business is bound to fail. When running a start-up, you will never be short of work, and will constantly feel the need for more people. But the key is not to hire in a hurry and make sure that the candidate is not only talented and hardworking, but also gels well with the culture of the company. Because a wrong hire will push you two steps behind,” he reflects. 
 
Tips for budding entrepreneurs: There is no perfect time to start your own business. If you believe that you are solving a problem that’s affecting a large number of people and have the confidence that you can execute it with perfection, you should just go for it. Age, capital and experience are more of psychological constraints. Once you begin, everything else will fall in place.

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