e-commerce
Want to be an e-retailer? Then, click here
MUMBAI: The world is moving online; today with a click of a button people can shop, pay bills and get entertained.
Every business model today is or plans to ride the digital wave, but not many have been able to crack the code. There are many who have spent lakhs to set up the online business but haven’t been able to generate the right buzz amongst its target audience or generate enough revenue to sustain the competitive market.
According to Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), the e-commerce market saw a jump of 33 per cent to Rs 62,967 crore in 2013 as compared to previous year’s Rs 47,349 crore. Also, currently, there are over 2.5 crore online buyers in the country and still counting.
To cater to this need, new online portals are launched every now and then, thus making the sector highly competitive. And like how everyone once in a while needs a godmother, Rage Communications with the launch of Ystore has just done that.
The new offering is a comprehensive e-commerce platform to enable retailers to go online with significant ease.
“The success of large e-commerce sites such as Flipkart, eBay and Amazon in India is driving interest in various categories. Retailers from almost all consumer product industries have shown keen interest. In particular, clothing, jewelry, home accessories and lifestyle product retailers are most excited and several online stores have already been launched,” says Rage Communications director JRK Rao who adds that these are also the categories that are most suited for online commerce.
It works on two business models. First, it builds a store either using the YStore platform, or any other commercially available e-commerce platform. Typically, there is a one-time fee for the design, development, and deployment of the store, followed by a nominal quarterly management fee to cover routine store maintenance functions.
The second one works on a very reasonable monthly license fee basis. A single monthly charge covers all initial set-up costs, and all future software upgrades as they are made available. This makes it relatively easy for small retailers to enter the online commerce space at minimal cost.
The 200 professionals in technology, design, user experience and business analysis provide a range of services to its clients.
It includes store-front design using pre-designed templates, or fully customised layouts, implementation of all commerce features, from the basic to the most advanced features that are offered by high-end commerce sites, creation of the initial catalog of products for sale, managing taxes, shipping charges, payment gateway for credit card and bank transactions, order tracking, gift registry, inventory, merchandising, integration with external marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay, affiliate marketing sites, and more.
Apart from that, it will also help clients to optimise performance across devices – laptops, tablets and smartphones, search engine optimisation, ongoing search marketing, database marketing, email marketing, leads management, online customer service, detailed analytics covering site traffic, user experience and sale conversions, server optimisation for efficient site performance and ongoing content and catalog management (if required by e-tailer).
The company which has offices in Chennai, Mumbai, Singapore and Sydney already has over a dozen e-commerce sites on board – using both YStore and other commerce platforms. A few among those are: soakandsleep.com –a premium bed and bath products; parisera.com – handcrafted products for women; strandofsilk.com – contemporary Indian designer wear and thejus.com – gold and multi plated gift articles among others.
As per online space watchers, there are many factors driving the e-commerce industry worldwide. Penetration of smartphones and internet amongst tier II and III cities is slated to be the main cause behind it. Ready availability of inventory at a central warehousing location and for retailers the ability to reach customers anywhere and at any time are just a few others pointed out by them.
Having said that, they also believe that apart from YStore there are many platforms, like Shopify and Browntape that help retailers sell online. “So, what’s important is how you’re able to be different from each other and how you’ve been able to master your particular niche. This is already a crowded sector, and any new entrant will need to significantly differentiate itself from the dozens of other companies who have been here successfully for years,” points out Seedfund managing partner Mahesh Murthy.
Nonetheless, researchers and analysts agree that e-commerce will continue to grow in a practically limitless manner, for a wide range of product categories. In the years to come no retailer can survive without harnessing the reach and power of the internet.
e-commerce
Insight Cosmetics partners with Pinda for homegrown beauty push
New campaign ‘Kudiye… ghar ki yaad nahi aayi tujhe?’ celebrates toxin-free, skin-first Indian formulations over imported ideals.
MUMBAI: Insight Cosmetics has just turned the beauty narrative on its head and it’s doing it with a very familiar face. The fast-growing Indian beauty brand has teamed up with Udaybir Sandhu, better known as Pinda from the hit series Dhurandhar 2, for a campaign that proudly puts “Made in India” at the centre. Titled “Kudiye… ghar ki yaad nahi aayi tujhe?”, the film taps into that deeply relatable feeling of rediscovering something better right at home, challenging the long-held notion that international always equals superior.
Instead of chasing global trends, Insight is highlighting what it does best: skin-first, ingredient-conscious, toxin-free formulations designed specifically for Indian skin tones, textures and climates. The campaign positions sattu-level honesty and performance as the new standard confident, rooted and globally competitive.
Insight Cosmetics director and spokesperson Mihir Jain said, “Insight has always believed that India doesn’t need to look outward for validation. We have the talent, the understanding, and the capability to create world-class beauty products right here. Pinda represents that same confidence rooted, real, and unapologetically Indian.”
Pinda added, “There’s real pride in representing something that’s ours. For too long, we’ve been told that better comes from outside. Insight is changing that. This is about backing what’s made for us, trusting what understands us, and owning our identity with confidence.”
The collaboration rests on four clear pillars, proudly homegrown innovation, a strict toxin-free promise, a genuine skin-first approach, and deep cultural relevance that speaks to a generation both rooted in India and globally aware.
In a market long dazzled by foreign labels, Insight Cosmetics and Pinda are quietly proving that the most powerful beauty move is the one that feels like home. The campaign doesn’t just sell products, it sells a mindset, that the best glow is the one you already recognise. And right now, that glow is proudly, unapologetically Indian.
