Set Shop, Go

If you are an entrepreneur devoid of a robust online retail presence, you are losing out on a substantial source of revenue. Although listing on popular marketplaces such as Amazon and Flipkart seems like an obvious proposition, it is expensive, and does not assure you of a prominent presence - which to an entrepreneur or a start-up is of paramount importance.

Wouldn't it be ideal if you had your own online store, a Facebook page, and presence across online marketplaces? Sounds unattainable, but it is not really. Enter e-commerce enablers - from providing free domain names to making your products easily discoverable on the World Wide Web, their services mean (good) business.

Varidhi Arora, Founder of Gadget Protect, is a recent beneficiary of one such DIY e-commerce enabler. Her company, that manufactures cases and accessories for gadgets, would sell 160 pieces every month through offline channels. Her business has more than doubled - over 400 orders a month - after she built her own online store. Her e-commerce enabler offered ready-to-use templates for her website, even facilitated a payment gateway, and provided delivery and courier support for a monthly fee. "Apart from convenience, being on the e-commerce platform has helped in getting brand recognition," says Arora.

Entrepreneurs and start-ups are resorting to e-commerce enablers such as Zepo and Shopmatic that help individuals in setting up their own online stores or marketplace using their software-as-a-service (Saas) platform. One can start by creating a domain name and access a full suite of services offered - enabling payments and shipping, search engine optimisation, managing social media pages, listing on popular marketplaces such as Amazon and Flipkart, and more - for a monthly fee. Some offer customised solutions, too.

Choose your enabler, and get started.