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60% Meesho Products Cheaper Than Competitors’ offerings, @Meesho Founder | I Did It My Way: Ep 7

CNBC-TV182023-12-19
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💫 Short Summary

Misho is a successful e-commerce platform in India targeting tier 2 and 3 cities with 140 million users. They operate on a zero commission model, utilizing an asset-light tech-driven marketplace without owning inventory. Misho focuses on helping small businesses sell online, democratizing internet commerce, and addressing challenges like the cold start problem. They offer an organic growth strategy, reduced marketing spend, and profitability, with plans for a potential IPO. The company aims to convert offline spend to online and cater to rural and tier 2/3 city users with affordable regional brands in a specific target audience market.

✨ Highlights
📊 Transcript
Misho is a profitable e-commerce platform targeting tier 2 and tier 3 cities in India, with 140 million annual transacting users.
02:00
The platform stands out with a zero commission model, founded in 2015 to bring online shopping to small businesses in India's SMB economy.
Misho's success lies in its focus on remote areas often overlooked by e-commerce giants, carving a niche in a market dominated by metro cities.
Company operates as asset light tech-driven marketplace without owning inventory or warehouses.
03:26
Approach allows for quick expansion into different regions and categories within e-commerce.
Successfully built profitable horizontal e-commerce model by doubling revenues, reducing operating costs, and increasing logistics efficiencies.
Started as hyperlocal fashion marketplace before evolving into larger e-commerce platform with wide range of products available to millions of users in India.
Company aims to democratize Internet commerce.
The evolution of the Misho platform from version 1.0 to 2.0 with a focus on assisting small businesses in online sales.
06:10
Misho 1.0 offered storefronts for SMBs to list products, while Misho 2.0 involves suppliers uploading inventory for visibility in the Marketplace.
An algorithm is used to evaluate product performance data and determine scalability on the platform.
Feedback from reviews is shared with suppliers to aid in decision-making and improve their offerings.
The goal of Misho is to democratize internet commerce by utilizing technology to assess quality and support supplier success, making it an appealing platform for small brands to showcase their products.
Zero Commission Model for Sellers in India.
08:20
Sellers can upload products without paying fees, with revenue generated through ads and fulfillment services.
Focus is on providing visibility to suppliers while maintaining user experience.
Ads help build trust and visibility for new products, leading to increased ratings and sales.
Platform addresses challenges like the cold start problem for new products and suppliers, ensuring a competitive marketplace.
Identifying untapped market opportunities and niches is crucial for starting an e-commerce business.
11:40
Understanding the user base and finding unique spaces to fill is essential for success.
Examples like Wakefit focusing on better sleep products highlight the importance of finding niches.
Subscription-based platforms like Cuckoo FM have successfully reached smaller towns and cities, showing vast opportunities for online businesses.
Building trust in online purchases, especially in smaller towns, has been accelerated by companies like Co and the overall growth of e-commerce in recent years.
Building new businesses requires identifying white spaces in the industry.
14:17
It is essential to find a user base that loves the product and can be champions for it.
Spending time with users to understand their problems is crucial for pivoting business models effectively.
Talking to users regularly, getting feedback, and launching a minimum viable product quickly is key to testing ideas and learning fast.
Leveraging platforms like WhatsApp for initial versions and targeting tier 2, tier 3, or rural populations can lead to successful business strategies.
Importance of user-centric design in e-commerce user experience.
17:35
Emphasis on simplicity, visual appeal, and user-friendly navigation for better customer engagement.
Need to cater to diverse language preferences and utilize voice search for improved user experience.
Suggestions to keep interfaces light, easy to browse, and leverage voice search for increased user engagement.
Prioritizing accessibility in e-commerce platforms to enhance customer satisfaction and drive conversions.
Importance of leveraging AI technology in supporting multiple languages in India.
18:35
Emphasizing the need to solve relatable problems and spend time in specific domains like retail.
Highlighting the journey of going from a small town upbringing to creating a successful e-commerce platform in India.
Emphasizing the impact and value of solving significant problems in the context of e-commerce.
Transition from software engineer to business focused on societal impact.
21:50
Decision made in 2015 during India's growing startup ecosystem.
Impressive statistics: 140 million annual transacting users, $5 billion annual GMV.
Future plans include significant growth in e-commerce market due to new users from small towns and villages.
Discussion on the potential of generative AI in transforming industries and customer support verticals.
25:00
Challenges in deploying large AI models due to cost are highlighted, but advancements in hardware and software innovations are noted to address this.
Explanation of live commerce, where real-time interactions between sellers and buyers occur through video streaming.
Contrast between the success of live commerce in China and its slow adoption in India, prompting a discussion on user behavior and market trends.
Maturing Chinese market and government regulations.
27:02
Chinese users spending time on phones watching videos and playing games.
Indian companies experimenting with live commerce to engage users.
Generative AI advancements to create more engaging videos during live streams.
Future of e-commerce in India as a fair marketplace for all suppliers.
Importance of fairness and simplified experience in online marketplaces.
29:35
Technology like AR can enhance the online shopping experience.
AI plays a crucial role in personalization and recommendation systems.
Challenge of filtering relevant products from a vast catalog.
Understanding user behavior and matching supply with demand are essential for improving the online shopping experience.
Use of AI models in e-commerce for analyzing user behavior and providing personalized recommendations.
32:35
Price discrepancies between online and offline markets present a challenge for new e-commerce suppliers.
AI algorithms assist in competitively pricing products by analyzing category performance and price points of similar products.
AI is utilized for recommending products based on trends, optimizing addresses for efficient deliveries, and combating fraud in e-commerce.
AI plays a significant role in improving user experience and increasing conversions on e-commerce platforms.
AI algorithms are utilized to detect fraud, focusing on duplicate logins and image searches.
35:07
Generative AI is applied in customer support automation and content generation.
Generative AI can automate conversations, enhance product descriptions, and improve images for marketing.
Accurate and appealing product descriptions and images are crucial for capturing consumer attention in e-commerce.
The potential of AI in enhancing e-commerce experiences is highlighted.
Impact of Generative AI on Business Productivity.
38:11
Generative AI automates tasks such as photo editing, product description writing, and SEO optimization.
It transforms customer support and sales with personalized interactions and conversational commerce.
Companies are using AI-driven systems to refine user queries and provide tailored product recommendations.
The full potential of generative AI is yet to be fully realized, but its applications are already widespread and impactful in various industries.
Journey from small town to entrepreneurship.
41:56
Importance of clarity and desire to make a massive impact in building products.
Emphasis on understanding user needs by visiting remote areas and interacting directly with users.
Promotion of a user-first approach in business.
Hands-on approach and humility in relating to users as key factors in developing products for the target user base.
Misho is targeting users who have recently started purchasing online and are looking for a wider selection than local shops.
42:37
Misho's focus is on converting offline spend to online by appealing to users who trust online purchases.
The company has expanded into a new vertical called Mall, partnering with affordable regional brands like Decathlon and Boat.
This strategy has been successful, particularly for festival-oriented purchases, and has resonated with a specific target audience in rural and tier 2/3 cities.
Misho's asset-light model allows them to offer products at lower prices and reduce marketing spend.
46:00
The company does not own logistics or warehouses, relying on suppliers and logistics players in the ecosystem.
Misho has thrived in the e-commerce market without holding inventory due to the early maturity of the ecosystem.
Despite competition from Amazon and Flipkart, Misho has reduced marketing spend by 80% in the last year.
Strategic investments and the asset-light model have enabled Misho to successfully scale in the e-commerce market.
Company profitability and IPO plans.
48:10
Became profitable in July and remained profitable for two quarters.
40% year-over-year growth despite 80% reduction in marketing spend.
Focus on organic growth and efficient spending on inorganic marketing.
Utilization of brand marketing and Performance Marketing on various platforms.
Company plans to go public in the next 12-18 months for easier investment and wealth generation.
50:45
Company became profitable in July and has maintained profitability.
Entrepreneur stresses the significance of spending a decade building something meaningful and being open to new opportunities.
Conversation concludes with good wishes for entrepreneur's e-commerce journey and reminder to follow on social media for updates.