Snapdeal has recently made an announcement to monetise Shopo, its zero-commission market place.
Shopo, a marketplace for artisanal goods was acquired by Snapdeal in 2013, the e-commerce giant later re-launched it in July 2015. Shopo today has a list of 1 lakh merchants in more than 800 cities.
The portal does not charge any commission or fees for using its platform. This has been an advantage for small and medium entrepreneurs who could set up an online shop instantly by using its app which is available on Android and iOS.
Apart from buying, Shopo also gives an option to the customers where they can bargain with the seller on chat. The seller can also make time bound offers and transact offline.
Snapdeal is working towards the monetisation of Shop and will be able to give it a new shape only by next quarter.
Shopo – The Application
Launched in 2011, Shopo is a zero commission marketplace where traders can chat, buy and sell. The portal makes buying & selling super easy and fun!
The open online store has a wide range of products, one can just click on the product, upload and start selling for free. No commission and the registration process takes not more than 30 seconds. Traders can chat & sell to the customers, receive phone calls from them too. They are also free to receive payment and ship the products as per their as well as the buyer’s comfort.
Shopo.in has a wide assortment of handcrafted products across a bunch of categories such as apparel, accessories, home décor and others.
The Acquisition
In May 2013, Snapdeal acquired Shopo.in for an undisclosed amount, it became a part of Snapdeal. The portal was re-launched in July 2015, by the e-commerce giant and in just three months later, Karthika Nelson, former Chief Executive Office at Shopo, had quit from the position for medical reasons. Shopo’s other co-founder Theyagrajan took over the CEO position since then.