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<keyword id="541988" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="SnapDeal">Snapdeal</keyword> shut one of its verticals last week called <keyword id="1692395" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shopo">Shopo</keyword> which featured multiple small sellers on its platform. 
 Shopo was acquired by Snapdeal in 2013 and the pre-acquisition handicraft company said in its blog post that it will be shutting down on 10th February 2017, citing reasons such as the C2C market not being robust enough for Shopo to be economically viable, although the Indian e-commerce industry is growing and P2P sales are working for platforms such as <keyword id="3241441" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kraftly">Kraftly</keyword> and <keyword id="2368386" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Roposo">Roposo</keyword>. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-what-ola-uber-have-to-say-as-protests-by-drivers-refuse-to-die-down/articleshow/57167072.cms">ALSO READ: Here’s what Ola, Uber have to say as protests by drivers refuse to die down</a> 
 <keyword id="1733986" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Saahil">Saahil</keyword> Goel, co-founder of <keyword id="1759828" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="BigFoot-Retail-Solutions">BigFoot Retail Solutions</keyword> and incidentally of its three product companies Kraftly, KartRocket and <keyword id="4178573" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ShipRocket">ShipRocket</keyword>, said ‘Kraftly, is a C2C e-commerce platform that connects indie sellers and small boutiques with a social network oriented buyer base.’’ 
 "Shop sign ups per week on our platform have increased from 1100 / week to around 2000 / week. Listings from new sellers average around 7 / seller. So listings have also jumped to 14,000 / week from new sellers from previous 7,000 / week. We will have to wait and see what the reason is, whether the registration is organic," Saahil told <keyword id="824043" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Business-Insider">Business Insider</keyword>. “But the Shopo connection is a strong possibility.” 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/watch-leader-of-drivers-union-threatens-to-intensify-protests-says-will-hamper-public-transportation-services-if-demands-are-not-met/articleshow/57205031.cms">ALSO Watch: Leader of Drivers Union Threatens to intensify protests, says will hamper public transportation services if demands are not met</a> 
 
Another fashion startup called ‘Roposo’ sees the shutdown as unfortunate as they feel that the same sellers sell on different platforms and more players are great for the market and also for teaching sellers how to sell online. 
 
Mayank Bhangadia, Co-founder, Roposo told Business Insider that they have also seen an increase in their seller activity, “The number of sellers has doubled from 4000 to 8000. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/65-of-start-ups-feel-indian-startup-eco-system-may-be-in-a-tech-bubble-report/articleshow/57205211.cms">ALSO READ: 65% of start-ups feel Indian startup eco-system may be in a tech bubble: Report</a> 
 
There’s a 60% increase in the no of products added per day on the platform 
 The time spent by users on Roposo's shop section, called <keyword id="4186585" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="roposo-bazaar">Roposo Bazaar</keyword>, has increased by 30% because of new incoming products.’’ 
Whether peer-to-peer selling is a nascent market to get into or not, the other start-ups have surely gained from Snapdeal’s loss.

Snapdeal's
Shopo Shuts Down; Roposo, Kraftly See Surge In Sellers

Shopping is a lively experience. While many do it as a stress-busting exercise, some do it because they just feel the need to buy. With the Festival of Lights just around the corner, most people are out on a shopping spree. But this Diwali could be a bit different for the majority of <keyword id="44446" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="retailers">retailers</keyword> and <keyword id="1073727" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="e-tailers">e-tailers</keyword> across the country as they engage with a tech-savvy and digitally informed crowd. 
 Interestingly, not all shoppers are geeky millennials (born after 1980) looking for the coveted Gold iPhone or the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch at mega-retailers. Instead, ‘digitally driven’ customers (who might have already done their research online) are invading every nook and cranny – right from top notch electronics outlets to sparkling jewellery stores and <keyword id="1915266" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="neighbourhood-shops">neighbourhood shops</keyword> who have stocked up on traditional Diwali ware including dry sweets, clay diyas, crackers and rangoli materials. 
 The domestic retail market in India is worth an annual $500 billion and about 45 million small merchants are now operating here. Yet, catering to a connected and high-spending consumer community is a big challenge, especially with so many big-box retailers, hypermarkets and e-commerce mammoths around. If you own a shop, a brick-and-mortar one, here are 9 quick-fix <keyword id="514572" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tech-Solutions">tech solutions</keyword> that may help you drive in more customers this shopping season – without spending a fortune on branding, marketing or revamping your current outlet/s. 
 
Push your store online – the more eyeballs you get, the better 
Unless they know you are there, people can’t find their way to your business. Setting up a digital store only takes a few minutes, thanks to numerous e-commerce enablers like the SmartStore from Bigfoot Retail, Infibeam-run Build a Bazaar and more, all of whom offer DIY solutions. Then there are online marketplaces like Amazon India and Flipkart where SMEs can register as third party sellers/franchises and business is bound to boom. 
 
Leverage the location advantage – mobile is the watchword If you are selling designer diyas or sterling silverware in Delhi, not too many in Kerala will be interested. But trust the NCR crowd to turn up for the sale if you have done some <keyword id="1915279" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="geospecific-advertising">geospecific advertising</keyword> and <keyword id="1915281" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="geofencing">geofencing</keyword>. With the world going mobile and India no exception either, apps are aplenty to help shoppers find the best local deals – be it shopping, sightseeing, movies or dinner. As most people love to keep track of deals, coupons, product information and freebies, it makes sense to leverage the location advantage and hook your local customers via mobile. 
 Local promotion will also turn big on <keyword id="6354632" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Social-media">social media</keyword>. For instance, Twitter will soon allow companies to promote tweets to people who are near specific latitudes and longitudes. You can also take a call on Big Data analytics that will give you access to demographic details, shopping patterns and social behaviour – so that you can send most relevant marketing messages. 
 
Enhance In-store experience – build a ‘physical’ Web 
This may take some time and a little investment, but works well in the long run. The mantra is to create a ‘physical’ web that replicates one’s online experience within the brick-and-mortar outlet. An amazing example is the recently launched Android Land store in Bangalore and NCR. Set up interactive kiosks for product browsing, comparisons and access to consumer reviews; provide in-store inventory search and finally, allow customers some hands-on time to understand product functionality. Put together, it will feel like a seamless navigation between Web and physical environments, done interchangeably to meet one’s shopping needs. In case you are running a hybrid model, offer a bouquet of services that will combine both online and offline features. 
 
Speed up shopping with a smile – tech tools can help 
Unlike the previous breed of shoppers, the current lot doesn’t shop by printed specs or gut feelings. In fact, you are sure to find one or the other spending ages on the smartphone or tab, comparing features and pricing. Another could be walking around the store, trying to track you via Google Maps. And those deep into social shopping could even try and get peer reviews before making a purchase. 
 
Not all shoppers will go to that extreme, but many feel irritated if they are hurried by human assistants before their personal browsing is over. Keep a discreet distance till then or better still, provide some technology touch points to speed things up. Your sales staff can be on the floor with handheld devices through which they can accept payments and assist people with product search, specs comparison and more. Or how about self-help barcode scanners like iScan that allow customers scan their merchandise? It means they need not spend time in check-out queues as their purchased items are scanned and billed automatically. 
 
<keyword id="1468988" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Showrooming">Showrooming</keyword> hurts – but this TV commercial has a solution 
We recently came across a TVC that shows a young couple hurrying out of a store (presumably to find better pricing elsewhere) and the sales person asking them back. He then displays a full price comparison on a handheld device and proves that the store offers the best deal. What the couple did is popularly known as showrooming – the act of checking out a product in a store and then buying it online for a lower price. According to a recent IBM study, it is a growing trend in the country and there is a higher incidence of showrooming in China (26%) and India (13%) than in the US (7%). 
 
Although it hurts most retailers, there are ways to curtail it – in the same way the TVC suggested. The trick lies in creating an exciting customer experience through hi-tech tools, hands-on product experience and personalised services. In brief, retailers must understand consumer interests and expectations in a bid to develop curated experience for all. And a well-aligned, multi-channel approach (Web, mobile, tab and physical store) is the way to win today’s consumers who love convenience over everything else. 
 
Cash and swipe are last-century relics – go for <keyword id="1915270" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="mobile-PoS">mobile POS</keyword> 
For small-format consumer retail, mobile payment can be a great option as it has greater acceptability among young shoppers, does away with checkout queues and helps one handle just about any transaction anywhere. Business owners can also accept payments via credit/debit cards without paying high transaction fees. You only need to pay the m-payment enabler, which is usually a small percentage of each transaction. Although Near-Field Communication (NFC) is the best bet for m-commerce till date, a whole lot of home-grown companies are now providing cost-effective software solutions/apps that can turn even a simple feature phone into a POS terminal for swiping credit/debit cards or even for some simple bank transactions. 
 
Showcase things upfront – it speaks of integrity 
That’s the best way to win customer loyalty in a highly competitive scenario. Don’t just say you are the best in the town – prove it with your products and services. Amazon is the role model here – even for those retailing offline. After all, business values like speed, efficiency and transparency can boost your venture no end. What’s more, there are cool tools to prove it to your customers as well, as e-tailing major Myntra.com has recently showcased. During its Diwali sale, the e-commerce site was offering special prizes for top spenders and had in place a real time leader board – so that customers can track their positions online and find out if they had won. Apple does the same when a deal is going in iTunes Store and the message is clear enough. A transparent model puts your customers in the driver’s seat and shows you have a cherish-worthy value system. 
 
To stay ahead of competition – re-invent your business 
Every business has its quirky moments and out-of-the-box thinking (even with some risk elements) can really get the market going for you. Take a hint from fashion e-tailer Yebhi.com or online jeweller CaratLane.com, both of whom offer a try-and-buy service and bring home the store experience. Lenskart.com has gone one step ahead – it not only offers home try-on, but will also get your eyes tested at your doorstep. 
 So think differently about your business. You should be ready to give something new to your customers every 6-8 months. <keyword id="3670298" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Small-retailers">Small retailers</keyword>, too, can think along new lines which can gain them good traction. For instance, a local grocery shop we knew in Bangalore used to mail new recipes every Sunday if people ordered from the store and that worked out fabulously. 
 
Meet your customers fast – you need to build a relationship 
That’s what Yelp’s Jeremy Stoppelman did and he did it face to face to understand what kind of people were using the revamped Yelp and what they were looking for. The company still holds these get-togethers, but you can keep things simple and do it via social media. 
 
That’s one must-not-skip strategy exercise nowadays as brands are built through storytelling and connected customers want to get involved in a meaningful way. It means they want to share their stories, opinions and insights which are both relevant to your business and a pronounced assertion of their own self. So keep your finger on the social pulse and build your business around it to ensure crowd following.

9 Tech Makeovers That
Can Lure Festive Shoppers Back To Local Stores

New Delhi, May 11 () Shiprocket, a tech-enabled logistics aggregator, on Monday said it has raised USD 13 million (about Rs 100 crore) in funding led by Tribe Capital LLC and Innoven Capital. The series C funding round also saw participation from existing investor Bertelsmann India Investments. The latest capital infusion brings Shiprocket's total funding to USD 26 million, a statement said. "The investment will be used to fuel Shiprocket's aggressive product development roadmap which includes hiring top talent across data science and engineering domains. The funds will also be focused on the company's new initiatives including its international expansions," it added. As part of the agreement, Arjun Sethi from Tribe Capital LLC will join Shiprocket's board of directors. "The boom in D2C (Direct to Consumer) brands and social selling across India has been facilitated by companies like ours who are committed to providing advanced technology and fulfillment solutions to online sellers enabling them to compete with larger brands and marketplaces," Shiprocket CEO and co-founder Saahil Goel said. This additional capital will allow the company to accelerate its strategic goals and product development endeavours by hiring top talent in key areas, he added. Launched by Bigfoot Retail Solutions in 2017, Shiprocket turned profitable in 2018-19 with an annualised revenue run rate between USD 25-30 million. Shiprocket said it processes more than 2 million monthly shipments, enabling more than 35,000 sellers to sell directly to their consumers across India. Shiprocket has previously raised USD 13 million in funding from existing investors Bertelsmann India Investments, Nirvana Venture Partners, Beenext and 500 startups who continue to back Shiprocket. The latest round gives nearly 30 times returns in five years for Shiprocket's angel investors who exited in this round, the company said. Early angels in the company include angel investor Jatin Aneja and 5ideas/Superfuel run by Gaurav Kachru and Pearl Uppal. SR DRRDRR

Shiprocket raises USD 13 mn from Tribe Capital, Innoven Capital, Bertelsmann India Investments

You Searched For "BigFoot Retail Solutions" and got 3 results

Snapdeal's Shopo Shuts Down; Roposo, Kraftly See Surge In Sellers

Tanya Dubey

9 Tech Makeovers That Can Lure Festive Shoppers Back To Local Stores

Sanghamitra Mandal

Shiprocket raises USD 13 mn from Tribe Capital, Innoven Capital, Bertelsmann India Investments

PTI

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