[Startup Bharat] Kanpur-based ecommerce platform Zelorra promises low-cost and timely delivery of essentials

The ecommerce sector in India has been growing in the last few years due to increasing internet penetration. Changing consumer habits by ordering things online and getting them delivered at their doorstep has aided the growth spurt of companies like Flipkart and Amazon.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further fuelled the growth of the sector as people are switching to ecommerce options rather than visiting stores. It's not only gadgets and clothing, people are also purchasing most necessities, including grocery and medicines, online today.

According to a report by ResearchAndMarkets, the Indian ecommerce market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.15 percent to become a Rs 1,049.4 crore market by 2024.

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Deepak Gupta, however, believes that the current ecommerce market has several players but has problems such as unfavourable prices and challenges with delivery.

In a bid to solve this problem and tap into the growing market, Deepak and Shuddhatm Chaturvedi launched ecommerce startup Zelorra in Kanpur in 2019 with an initial investment of Rs 2,50,000.

“We thought of solving the major issues in the field of ecommerce such as unfavourable prices and unbalanced time of deliveries. We launched a platform to help local people to get products as and when they need . Online shopping was popular among the masses, but the delivery was not up to the mark. Our thought was why wait for essential products such as groceries for two to three days when we want it in the next few hours,” Deepak tells YourStory.

Faster and cheaper deliveries

According to Deepak, Zelorra was first launched by listing books, personalised gift items, mugs, T-shirts, and mobile covers for sale. Now, it has products from several categories, including men, women, and baby products, personal care, beauty products, health products, home care, customised printing items, books, pet essentials, herbal products, apparels, mobile, tablets, and electronic items are available.

People can also purchase groceries through Zelorra Supermart. “We aim to be a source for all household needs. We deliver essential products in real time when the family wants them.”

The co-founder also reveals that customers can order products using its website and the official WhatsApp number.

“Our goal is to enable every business to get online and reach the customers around the country to sell their products and highlight their brand,” Deepak adds.

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Business and more

Zelorra currently has more than 11,000 customers in its database and is recording almost 2,500 orders per month.

Deepak explains that Zelorra works with brands and logistics partners to ensure the shipment charges are kept to the needed minimum.

“Currently, our delivery time for non-essential items is within two to three days across the country while essential goods are delivered immediately, in real time. We have worked hard to reduce shipping costs," the co-founder claims.

He says that while sales for essentials amid COVID-19 have been rising, it was very difficult for the startup initially to manage its delivery procedure due to the lockdown.

He also explained that they bootstrapped and launched Zelorra with their savings. Currently, the startup is looking to raise funds to scale up its team and market its brand in every corner of the country.

Ecommerce giants such as Flipkart, Amazon, Myntra, Zomato, Swiggy, Bigbasket, BabyChakra, and Mamaearth, etc., have been disrupting the segment in apparel, food, groceries, and baby products verticals.

Apart from raising funds and scaling up, the co-founder explains that going forward, Zelorra aims to help small businesses across the country to get their business online and also benefit customers with quicker deliveries.