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Craftsvilla.com launches ‘Places’
MUMBAI: Craftsvilla, an online marketplace for unique Indian products, has announced the launch of ‘Places‘ – a marketplace that will help designers, artisans, NGOs and micro-entrepreneurs set up an online shop at Craftvilla.com.
Craftsvilla Places co-founder and head Sarvajeet Chandra said, “An artisan may create a wonderful product but if it is not beautifully presented, it will not entice the online shopper. Apart from presentation, convenience of on-time delivery and safe payment options also adds value to a shopper‘s overall experience.”
“Artisans and small manufacturers should focus on what they do best, creating incredible products that reflect the essence of India. Craftsvilla will manage the rest- the photos, the content and the marketing. We want to create a direct and efficient channel between the seller and the customer,” he added.
Craftsvilla Places co-founder and head of marketing Tirath Kamdar added, “CraftsVilla is an insight into the exciting merchandise that‘s produced in India. It‘s just not a place to shop but a place to experience the story behind each seller, watch videos and read blogs on trends.”
Craftsvilla has recently changed its tagline from ‘Handcrafted Luxuries‘ to ‘MarketPlace to Discover India‘. The change came about as the founders of Craftsvilla discovered the diversity of artisans and designers in India trying to reach the consumers with their products.
Craftsvilla is an e-commerce portal for unique Indian products, with more than 30,000 products on sale and consumer traffic growing at over 30 per cent per month, the company said.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
