Gurgaon based startup Kautage, merges offline and online retail with a traditional twist
March 2018: Given the busy lifestyle of the average Indian, online shopping comes across as a convenient option. However, the desi heart craves a little nostalgia every now and then. It yearns to relive the memories of the laidback bygone era and experience the thrill of discovering and buying products from a cart vendor. A few such desi people from humble small-town backgrounds got together to give this traditional twist to online shopping. And that is how Kautage, which provides both online and offline shopping on a single platform, was born in Gurgaon.
Kautage brings quality home and lifestyle products to the consumers’ doorstep. The company’s offering is soon going to expand to include various other categories of products. The startup introduces a unique way of eCommerce shopping that combines the best of traditional shopping with online shopping in an attempt to delight consumers with the freedom of choice.
Vetail – Online Shopping with a Twist
The online to home cart platform offers a unique choice to its customers. Besides browsing, selecting and purchasing products online via www.Kautage.com, shoppers can also shortlist products of their choice and call the Kautage Cart at their doorstep. While the first option offers the convenience of online shopping, the second option offers the trust and assurance of bricks and mortar shopping, enabling customers to make buying decisions only after touch and feel of the products. The people behind Kautage come with a vast experience of working in the home and textile field. Co-founders Ranjeet Kumar and Ratnesh Jaiswal have worked with brands such as Future Group, Blackberrys Menswear, ITC Infotech, Wal-Mart India, Mahajan Overseas Pvt. Ltd. and Isex Fashion. Their combined domain expertise allows Kautage to offer great products at a price that no other big box retailers can offer.
“We, at Kautage, are revolutionizing the experience of shopping through a unique process – which we have colloquially named ‘Vetail’. Even though the Indian consumer has embraced online shopping, the concern of quality hinders online shopping decisions. So, we’ve come up with a unique and never-seen-before solution of linking the two channels of retail so that the customer doesn’t have to compromise on anything, and get the most value for money. We intend to empower people with the freedom of choice, assurance of quality and transparency, thereby helping them make informed buying decisions.,” says Ratnesh Jaiswal, Co-Founder and CEO, Kautage.
Currently, the Kautage Cart, which offers unlimited products at the consumer’s doorstep, is operational only in Gurgaon. Consumers outside of Gurgaon can enjoy the benefits of online shopping on www.kautage.com. However, the startup will have has plans to reach out to pan-India consumers by tying up with trusted vendors.
Speaking of how well-received this concept was, Ranjeet, Kumar, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer of the startup says, “We’ve signed up 150 customers in the first month and we see an ongoing rate of 30% repeat customers. This goes a long way in saying that the generation that has grown up shopping from carts misses it and is readily embracing this unique merger of online and offline shopping methods. Needless to say, we have major expansion plans underway“