We are publishing an interview of Ms. Hema Moolrajnai – Marketing & PR Head, Handtribe – A C2C Platform.
Please tell us about the founders
Handtribe has been founded by Arihant Singhvi and Manavika Phukan.
Arihant is from Chennai and has completed his MSc. in Marketing & International Management from Henley Business School, University of Reading. He has worked extensively in Sales and Marketing for reputed Print Media brands such as Condé Nast and World Wide Media. His last position was that of VP of Brand Solutions at SAMMS Juke Box.
Manavika Phukan is a Post Graduate in Data Science from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. As a 22 year old, she has co-founded this company right after graduating from her Bacherlor’s Degree in Economics from Xavier’s.
What is the problem you are trying to solve?
At Handtribe, we are trying to change the face of eCommerce by making it all about the people. Through our C2C platform, Small Businesses and Micro-Entrepreneurs from across the country can upload and sell their products on our website – essentially run an ecommerce website all on their own terms.
What is the uniqueness about your Startup?
As a C2C marketplace with no products or inventory of our own, Handtribe is completely defined by two things – a) the quality of our website and b) the quality of the products available on our website.
Our USP lies in the fact that we are a winning combination of both an amazingly designed website, unique products that you’ll be hardpressed to find anywhere else along with an amazing Team that is thoroughly invested in helping brands succeed online.
As the middlemen of the online commerce space, we are acutely aware of the fact that we are the interpreters of a brand’s identity and therefore provide personalised attention to brands regarding their targeting, marketing angles and PR opportunities, something that a giant eCommerce company will not be concerning themselves with. This makes us the perfect fit for innovators and entrepreneurs who want a platform that gives importance to their needs.
But this doesn’t mean that we have forgotten our Buyers. When we say that we have products available exclusively on our website – we mean it. Our product category, Digital Downloads features only digital media files like images, vectors, video and audio files. We are the only Indian marketplace that makes these kind of products available. Furthermore you can also personalize and customize your products as per your needs, making this the perfect place for everybody’s unique ideas come to life.
What is the revenue model? Explain your thought process.
Handtribe is a platform that helps micro – entrepreneurs and small businesses get their first start in setting up an online business by themselves. Our essential role is to curate and promote the unique products available on our website and present them to the Indian audience. Unlike other marketplaces, we not only provide an online platform for our sellers but also get involved in a 360o marketing campaign for them.
Who are the consumers that you are targeting? How is this going to affect them?
Handtribe is a curated marketplace for quirky, kitschy, unique products. Our expert team handpicks products all across India, to solve the special needs of the people. We have often noticed that people shop online for discounts and offers, but our focus is to attend their special requirements for instance: if they are looking out for a quirky notebook or accessories to adorn their dresses and much more, we are their one stop destination.
Our target buyers are millennials between the age group of 18-35yrs, living in the metro’s and other B-tier cities across India. For further bifurcation, we target the working women that shows keen interest for stationery, reading lifestyle magazines, keeping up with the International Trends, Decorating or Personalising their homes with the latest trends, whereas for men, it’s always been centric towards sports, superhero, comic books and lately what’s coming into focus is their keen interest in the grooming range.
What is the big picture of your startup? Will it lead to something bigger? If so, how?
Handtribe’s long term vision is to create the ultimate marketplace for individuals and entrepreneurs to sell all kinds of creative, unique products. We wish to make it a community which houses the best creative minds from all over the world, people who’ve come together due to their shared passion for creative pursuits in all forms.
All this means that Handtribe will morph from just a marketplace to a social marketplace where people can follow brands they like, check out their updates and posts regarding new collections or behind the scene videos, all in an effort to reduce the divide between a brand and it’s consumers. This will empower brands to control their narrative and for consumers to get a better feel of a brand, becoming a Facebook for Ecommerce with specialized product collections screened by you interests.
Any other information about your startup that you would like to share with us.
We have been also awarded as the Best Debutant eRetailer Award, 2016 at Star eRetailer Awards. Visit handtribe.com for more details.
Thanks.
