How to Start Selling on Meesho and Build a Successful E-commerce Business in India
How Long Did It Take to Get the First Order?
When I started, there were no orders for almost one week. After one week, I received one or two orders.
How Old Are You?
I am currently 24 years old.
Can You Show the Sales Report to the Audience?
I can show the products and the sales report. I am showing the products, guys. People usually do not show their products quickly because once people see someone selling bags, they start selling the same bags too.
From Bank Manager to E-commerce Seller
I used to work in a bank. But after working in the bank, I decided to switch because I did not feel comfortable with the work.
I used to come home and feel that I had hurt someone.
For example, I once sold insurance to a client in the name of a loan. After one month, I had to tell him that his loan could not be processed. She fainted in the office.
How Are You Making Profit Despite Customer Returns?
Customer returns are around 6% to 7%. Out of 100 products, only six or seven products are returned by customers.
How Much Is Your Team?
Currently, I have a team of 15 people.
The salaries alone cost around ₹2.5–3 lakh.
Recent Sales
In the last seven days, the sales shown are ₹5,18,000, and in the last 30 days, the sales are around ₹21 lakh.
Friends, for this transparency, please like the video and press the subscribe button.
Also Read: How Nitesh Built a ₹3 Crore Digital Product Business From a Laptop
Introduction to the E-commerce Journey
Hello friends, welcome to another great episode.
Today’s guest is one of our subscribers, and he was previously a bank manager. He left his bank job and started his own e-commerce business.
Last year, I made a video with an MSHO seller who sells bags. After watching that video, he started his own e-commerce business.
Initially, I think he started getting sales within one week. Today, he is doing sales of around ₹40–45 lakh.
It is amazing to see such success within one year.
So today, let me introduce you to our guest, Shivam.
What Are You Selling?
Currently, I deal in bags, stationery and kitchen items.
I sell all three types of products through different panels. I am working on them separately.
So I am not dependent on only one product.
How Did You Get Your First Order on Meesho?
When I started, there were no orders for almost one week.
After one week, I received one or two orders.
What Product Did You List Initially?
At that time, I chose the wrong product.
I chose a mini cooler, and I faced a lot of losses with it.
After that, I started dealing in bags. I made a little profit and then kept shifting to different products.
I started selling the same type of products that I had seen others selling.
I also spoke to them, and they were our friends, so they supported me a little.
Why Did You Leave Your Bank Job?
I used to work in a bank, but I did not feel comfortable there.
I always felt that I should have my own business because I come from a business family.
My brothers were thinking that getting a job was important, but I wanted to do something of my own.
I wanted to do something good and something bigger.
Then I met you, got motivated and changed everything.
Which Bank Did You Work For?
I worked at HDFC Bank.
How Many Years Did You Work There?
I worked there for around two and a half years.
How Old Are You?
I am currently 24 years old.
What About Your Education?
After completing graduation, I started working in this business.
How Did You Get the Bank Job?
My elder brother helped me get the job through his contacts.
Why Did You Not Like the Bank Job?
My mind was not comfortable with the job because, basically, we had to deal with customers in a way where the focus was on selling products to them.
We had targets.
I did not feel good about that, and when I came home, I did not feel peaceful because I felt that I had hurt someone.
Can You Give an Example?
For example, I once sold insurance to a client in the name of a loan.
It was also because of the instructions and targets from above.
There were many targets, including different types of targets.
I sold the insurance to the client, and after one month, I had to tell her that her loan would not be approved.
She fainted in the office.
After that, I decided that it was better to leave the job.
Where Were You Working at That Time?
I was working in Gorakhpur.
I worked there for around two and a half years.
Also Read: How a 21-Year-Old Built a Digital Marketing Agency and Earns ₹7–8 Lakh Per Month
How Did Your Online Selling Journey Start?
After deciding to leave the job, I came to Delhi.
My brother told me that if I did not like the job, I should come to Delhi.
After coming here, I met Utkarsh.
Then I watched your podcast with him.
When he showed his numbers, I realized that money could actually be made from this business.
Before that, he did not show me the numbers.
I also had some knowledge because I had already learned digital marketing.
So I started doing it properly.
I started using my brother’s GST and began the business.
When Did You Meet Me?
I met you in 2022.
There is also a photo from that time.
What Products Are You Selling Now?
Let me show you what I am selling and the sales report.
Currently, I sell on Meesho.
I am also on Flipkart, but when I previously started on Flipkart, I faced losses.
After that, I started selling bags on Meesho.
Why Don’t You Show Your Products Quickly?
We are showing the products, guys.
People do not usually show their products because once someone sees that a seller is selling bags, they may also start selling the same bags.
The product can get copied.
Still, I requested Shivam to show the products so that the audience could get an idea.
How Much Profit Do You Make on a ₹99 Bag?
I can see that you are selling a bag for around ₹50.
The product may cost around ₹25–26.
So how can there be profit on a ₹25 product?
After the discount and fees, there can be profit.
For example, I have listed this product for ₹99.
After considering the fees, I can make around ₹40 profit on this bag.
What About Shipping Charges?
Many people say that shipping charges can be ₹70–80.
For our products, the shipping fee is around ₹30–40.
The shipping fee is included separately by Meesho.
After considering the shipping fee and other costs, the remaining amount becomes part of the product cost.
What Products Do You Sell?
We have many products.
We sell handbags, backpacks and many other products.
Some products also have thousands of reviews.
How Much Sales Are You Making on Meesho?
On one panel, I made around ₹5 lakh in the last seven days.
In the last 30 days, I made around ₹21 lakh.
Sales Report of the Last 7 and 30 Days
The last seven days show sales of ₹5,18,000.
The last 30 days show sales of ₹21,27,000.
After refreshing the panel, the same figures can be seen.
The graph also shows consistent daily orders, with around 400–500 orders per day.
Sales on the Second Panel
On the second panel, the last seven days show around ₹2.5 lakh in sales.
The last 30 days show around ₹9.70 lakh.
I started this panel around six months ago.
So the total from the two panels comes to around ₹30 lakh.
There is another panel as well.
On another panel, there is around ₹3 lakh in sales.
So the total sales shown are around ₹33 lakh.
What Is Your Profit Margin?
My overall profit margin is around 20%.
I am talking about the profit after considering everything.
How Do You Control Customer Returns on Meesho?
Many people say that there are a lot of returns on Meesho and that sellers face losses.
But our customer return rate is only around 6–7%.
Sometimes it is even 2–3%.
Out of 100 products, only around six or seven products are returned by customers.
What Is a Customer Return?
A customer return means that the product has already reached the customer and the customer sends it back.
If the customer opens the packaging and returns the product, it can create a loss because shipping charges can be deducted from both sides.
If the customer does not accept the product at all, it becomes an RTO.
How Did You Control the Return Rate?
I worked more on the products.
I kept the price competitive so that the product did not feel too expensive or too cheap for customers.
I kept it at a normal price.
Where Do You Source Your Products?
I recently started manufacturing bags myself around two months ago.
Before that, I outsourced them.
I used to buy products from my friends.
How Did Your Friends Help You?
They supported me with the quantity I needed.
They also gave me around one week of credit.
So if the products were sold within a week, I could make the payment after that.
This was very beneficial for me.
But later, their orders also increased, so they could not supply me as much.
Then I started my own manufacturing.
Where Do You Source Stationery and Kitchen Products?
For kitchen products, there are many different items such as spice boxes and many other products.
I buy these products from Sadar Bazaar.
Initially, I used to purchase them offline.
Later, I made some friends there who had manufacturing businesses.
Now I directly source products from them, which makes them even cheaper than buying from Sadar Bazaar.
How Do You List Products on Meesho?
After getting the product, we do a proper photo shoot.
How Do You Create Product Photos?
For bags, I usually get the photography done.
For some products, even a normal phone camera can work.
After taking the product photos, we use ChatGPT to replace or improve the background and then list the product.
A high-end camera is not always necessary. A normal phone can also work.
Do You Copy Images From Other Sellers?
Sometimes, if the same product is already being sold by someone else, their product images may also be used.
If another product has a very high number of ratings, using similar images can help the product appear alongside that type of listing.
How Do Shipping Fees Work?
Shipping fees are charged on products.
For some platforms and products, different shipping arrangements may apply.
There was also a discussion about certain products where shipping charges may not be applied under specific platform arrangements.
How Do You Calculate the Selling Price?
For example, if a product is listed at around ₹600–610, we first calculate the product cost.
The actual product cost is not the only expense.
We also consider:
- GST
- Packaging
- Profit margin
- Return percentage
- Other costs
After calculating everything, we decide an amount at which the bank settlement should come.
If the settlement is lower than that amount, we would go into loss.
What Happens After You Receive an Order?
Once an order comes in, it appears on the seller panel as pending.
We accept the order.
After accepting it, we download the label, print it and start the packaging process.
Who Handles the Packaging?
I have a team.
I have two offices.
One office is mainly used for packaging.
The second office is used for accounts and management-related work.
What About Your Scorpio 100-Day Challenge?
I have taken a challenge on Instagram to buy a Scorpio within 100 days.
The Scorpio may come soon.
However, there are many challenges in business, so there can be some delay.
I also had a gap in the challenge because managing stock takes time.
I personally edit and upload content as well.
How Do You Get Sales on Meesho?
To get sales, I believe you need to create more listings.
For one product, you can create multiple listings.
For example, if you have one bag, you can list it multiple times on the same platform.
You can list the same product around 10 times with different backgrounds.
One of those listings may start performing well.
Do You Change the Product Colour?
The colour can remain the same.
The background can be changed so that the platform does not consider it a duplicate listing.
You also need to participate in the sales and offers that Meesho runs.
Do You Run Ads?
I do not focus much on ads.
My sales are mainly organic.
For example, in around ₹20 lakh of sales, I have spent only around ₹400 on ads.
Since my sales are coming organically, I am not focusing heavily on ads right now.
If I start ads, I believe I can increase orders significantly, but then managing stock would become more difficult.
How Does Meesho Promote New Sellers?
One major question people have is why a platform would promote a new seller’s product.
The platform wants sellers to sell because it also earns when products are sold.
According to me, Meesho looks at competitive pricing.
If you keep your price competitive, your product can get attention.
It does not only depend on how many ratings you already have.
You also need to stay active on your seller panel and keep working consistently.
Where Do Your Customers Come From?
My customers come from different parts of India.
A large number of customers come from Tamil Nadu and even the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
I receive comparatively fewer orders from my own area.
Once, I saw an order from Deoria and felt happy that at least the product had reached my own area.
I also receive comparatively fewer orders from Delhi.
Are You Building Your Own Brand?
I have not built a proper brand yet.
Currently, I am still learning and focusing on selling products.
However, I have started working on a brand and will reveal it later.
I am also thinking about working on food-related products.
How Can a Beginner Start Selling on Meesho?
For a new seller, GST is required.
After getting GST, you can create an account on Meesho.
If you only have a savings account, you can still start.
Many people stop because they think they need to open a current account immediately.
I also started with a savings account.
Should You Start With a Proprietorship?
I started with a proprietorship.
You can manage the business yourself without involving another person.
The basic process is to get GST, create an account and start listing products.
Where Can Beginners Source Products?
If you are in Delhi, you can source products from markets such as Sadar Bazaar.
There are different markets for different categories.
For example:
- Sarojini Nagar for clothing
- Sadar Bazaar for various products
- Gaffar Market for electronic items
Which Products Are Better for New Sellers?
Clothing can have size-related issues.
Because of that, returns can be higher.
For new sellers, products without size issues can be easier to manage.
For example, bags do not have major size problems.
Kitchen products and daily-use items can also have fewer customer-return issues.
Home décor products are another category mentioned in the discussion.
What Kind of Bag Are You Selling?
This bag is manufactured by me.
I had it manufactured myself.
Currently, I am sourcing materials from Delhi.
When my bag orders reach around 2,000 per day, I plan to explore sourcing from places such as Surat.
The bag is waterproof and has a laptop compartment in some designs.
This particular bag is designed for children.
How Much Does the Bag Sell For?
I sell this bag on Meesho for around ₹500.
It costs around ₹300 or slightly less to make.
Have You Ever Tried Blogging?
I tried blogging once, but it failed.
I used to write content related to food.
Blogging is also a real business model.
What Do You Do With Your Business Earnings?
One of my childhood dreams was to have an Apple device.
So initially, I worked on buying those things.
I am also getting a house built in my village.
I am planning to buy a house in Noida as well.
The Scorpio is also part of the plan, but the house comes first.
The Scorpio can come later.
Why Do You Want to Live in Noida?
Many of my clients are from Gurgaon.
But my mother likes Noida because there are more trees and greenery.
We come from a village background, so greenery is important.
How Can Someone Start Selling on Meesho?
If someone wants to sell on Meesho, they need GST.
After getting GST, they can create a free Meesho seller account.
Then they need to source products either online or from local markets such as Sadar Bazaar if they are in Delhi.
After sourcing the products, they need to list them.
The more products you list, the more opportunities you have to receive orders.
Once orders start coming, the process begins.
Meesho is relatively easy to start with.
What About Packaging Materials?
For packaging, Meesho has its own packaging materials.
The seller has to purchase the required packaging materials.
For expensive products, I prefer using barcode packaging.
What Problems Do You Face With Returns?
One problem is product replacement or theft.
For example, I may send a bag, but the customer may return something completely different, such as clothing.
Sometimes a saree or another product is returned instead of the original product.
Then we need to make a claim.
There are also requirements related to packaging and proof.
When you have only one or two orders, recording everything on camera may be possible.
But when you are processing around 2,000 orders per day, recording every package individually becomes difficult.
How Many People Are Working in Your Team?
Currently, I have a team of 15 people.
The salary expense alone is around ₹2.5–3 lakh.
Is the 15% Profit After All Expenses?
Yes.
The profit figure is after considering expenses such as salaries, office rent, electricity and other costs.
What Is Your Office Rent?
The office rent is around ₹27,000.
The electricity bill is also high because several ACs are running.
Overall, the office expenses are significant.
How Important Is Product Listing?
Listing is a major part of the business.
If someone creates a perfect listing, it can make a big difference.
I worked day and night on improving this business.
I even developed dark circles under my eyes because of the amount of work.
Do You Feel Better After Leaving the Bank Job?
Yes.
I feel peaceful doing this work.
My family is also very happy now.
When I started this business, many people told me not to do it.
Many people told me that there were too many risks in business.
My father also told me not to take unnecessary risks and to stay where I was.
What Does Your Father Do?
My father previously worked in Mumbai in diamond quality checking.
Currently, he is at home.
How Many Brothers Are There?
There are two brothers.
Final Thoughts
Thank you so much, Shivam.
It was great talking to you.
Friends, if you learned even something small from today’s episode, please like the video.
I requested Shivam to show his seller panel and sales numbers so that you could see how much he is selling.
You generally do not get this level of detail everywhere.
If you have any doubts related to e-commerce or want to ask something, Shivam’s Instagram page will be available in the description.
You can connect with him and ask your questions.
And make sure to subscribe to and follow the channel on Instagram as well.
See you in another exciting episode.
Until then, wherever you are, stay well.