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D2C

1000+ D2C Brands Kick Off Festive Season With 20% Rise In Order Volume: GoKwik

New Delhi, October 16, 2023:

GoKwik, a leading eCommerce enabler, announced today that over 1000 brands on its network have experienced a 20% increase in order volume during the first phase of the festive season compared to last year. Despite the surge in orders, the return-to-origin (RTO) rate (non-deliverability of COD orders) has come down by 26%, showcasing the efficiency of GoKwik’s solutions in curbing RTO losses for these brands.

“We are seeing a remarkable growth in order volumes across categories in our network. Q4 is expected to be even bigger. Fashion brands are spearheading this growth in volume, closely followed by the beauty & personal care category. We are seeing many smaller D2C brands also participating in festive sale events this year riding on the positive consumer sentiments”, said Chirag Taneja, Co-Founder and CEO, GoKwik

The festive season is known for driving increased sales across categories including fashion, beauty and personal care, electronics and more as people gear up to buy their favourite products at great discounts. Amongst these categories, Fashion shined the most and recorded a 148% increase in order volume. Shoppers in the GoKwik network availed 12.1% higher discounts this festive season compared to last year. As a result, overall GMV increased by 53.3% with prepaid GMV multiplying 2X as a variety of prepaid discounts, rewards and loyalty points were made available to the shoppers. UPI, India’s second most preferred mode of payment after cash had the highest share in these prepaid payments.

The states that contributed the most to the surge in order volume included Maharashtra which accounted for the majority of these orders (12%) followed by Uttar Pradesh (7.8%) and Karnataka (7.3%).

The Cash on-delivery GMV also increased by almost 40% with the highest contribution from fashion brands. The preference for COD amongst Indian shoppers continues mostly due to lack of trust, especially during the festive period when orders are usually delayed as a result of high demand. Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Delhi and Gujarat were the top contributors for COD orders.

“The shoppers are all geared up to make the most of festive season deals that eCommerce brands are offering. As the most important leg of festive season approaches, brands are charged up to double down on their marketing efforts and scale their business during this period. ” continued Chirag

According to a report on customer insights by Axis My India, 44% of the shoppers participating in festive sales are expected to spend more than the previous year. This trend has been seen in the GoKwik network too. Along with the surge in order volume, the spending limit of the shoppers has seen an uplift. The average order value increased by 29.4% this season compared to last year. As more GenZs enter the workforce, this number is further expected to see an uplift as the festive season reaches its prime.

Further to this, a Redseer report stated that smaller eCommerce players in India are also actively gearing up to compete with larger players during the festive season. They are expected to invest 75% more in marketing and advertising expenditures compared to the business-as-usual period. This surge in investment reflects their determination to capture consumer attention and increase their market share.

This trend has been seen in the GoKwik network too as smaller eCommerce players have joined the GoKwik network to provide an enhanced shopping experience and grow further this festive season.

GoKwik houses 1000+ eCommerce brands in its network including Lenskart, Pilgrim, Bombay Shaving Company, Shopper’s Stop, Snitch, Neemans, Mivi etc, ranging from fashion, beauty, health and nutrition, electronics and other key categories of the online shopping space. With the festive season well underway, GoKwik’s comprehensive suite of solutions continues to empower brands to maximise their sales potential and flourish in the highly competitive eCommerce landscape.

About GoKwik

GoKwik is a data & technology-led enabler, building a full-stack solution suite for eCommerce and D2C brands to help them unlock business growth. Embarked on a mission to democratise the shopping experience, GoKwik enables eCommerce brands to deliver superlative customer experience across the shopping funnel thereby boosting conversion rates and revenue growth.

It also solves other critical pain points of the industry such as COD RTO (Return to Origin) and helps brands manage the RTO problem while offering COD as a payment channel.

With its recent addition of a third product: KwikChat, GoKwik is solving for low ROIs on marketing campaigns through 30+ Whatsapp use cases such as abandoned cart recovery, click to WhatsApp ad campaigns & headless checkout. 1 in 3 shoppers is already shopping on the GoKwik network which has helped 500+ brands scale their businesses with higher GMV realisation & profit margins.

It is helmed by Chirag Taneja (Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer), Vivek Bajpai (Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer), and Ankush Talwar (Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist). GoKwik is backed by investors such as Sequoia Capital, Matrix Partners India, RTP Global & Think Investments.

GoKwik’s team has deep knowledge in the space of eCommerce with people having previous experience in Flipkart, Razorpay, Swiggy, Myntra, Nykaa, and more. Link – https://www.gokwik.co/

D2C
by Vivek Kumar

Shiseido, the iconic Japanese beauty brand, has unveiled its new and improved Ultimune Power Infusing Serum in the Indian market. The launch is accompanied by a  striking new campaign film featuring the brand’s Indian ambassador and acclaimed  Bollywood actress Tamannaah Bhatia.  The latest campaign film featuring Tamannaah marks a significant evolution in  Shiseido’s brand storytelling in the country. Through this campaign, Shiseido highlights  its philosophy of regeneration as a source of strength, confidence, and timeless beauty.  With Ultimune, regeneration becomes a source of confidence, allowing one to  transcend age and fully embrace who they are. With her radiant presence, Tamannaah  embodies this philosophy, reflecting vitality, resilience, and the empowerment that  comes from within  New ULTIMUNE Power Infusing Serum is the result of SHISEIDO’s world leading  research on skin’s innate strength, which has been ongoing for over 30 years. This  deeply hydrating aging care serum features exclusive patented Power Fermented  Camellia+. Absorbing into 30 million surface cells, it strengthens skin’s moisture barrier  and helps to slow the skin aging cycle and reduce visible aging signs. This powerhouse  formula improves 11 signs of aging, including uneven skin tone, enlarged pores,  wrinkles, and redness.  Kadambari Lakhani, CEO and Director, Baccarose Perfumes & Beauty Products Pvt.  Ltd., says, “At Baccarose, we are proud to partner with Shiseido to bring the  transformative Ultimune Power Infusing Serum to India. This launch not only introduces  cutting-edge skin regeneration technology to Indian consumers but also underscores  our shared vision of empowerment through beauty. With Tamannaah Bhatia as the face  of Shiseido in India, this campaign celebrates confidence and the beauty of embracing  every chapter of oneself.”  With this campaign and product launch, Shiseido continues to strengthen its presence  in the Indian market, reaffirming its dedication to redefining beauty standards with  science, artistry, and innovation. The new Ultimune Power Infusing Serum is now available at Shiseido stores and leading  retailers including Parcos, Sephora, Tira, Myntra and Shoppers Stop, starting at INR  6,500 

D2C
by Vivek Kumar

Lavie Luxe, the premium extension of India’s beloved handbag brand Lavie, introduces three sophisticated new designs—Wella, Rumi, and Addie, crafted to complement the modern woman’s professional and lifestyle needs. Designed with a seamless blend of structure, polish, and functionality, these handbags are an elegant addition to everyday office wear while transitioning effortlessly into after-hours style. Each piece in this launch reflects Lavie Luxe’s signature craftsmanship, premium detailing, and versatile design language. The Wella satchel embodies understated elegance with its refined silhouette and structured build, making it an ideal choice for a day at work or important business meetings. Rumi brings timeless sophistication with its sleek compartments and detachable pouch, a perfect balance of style and utility for women on the go. Completing the collection is Addie, a large tote with dedicated compartments for essentials including a laptop sleeve and card holders—tailored for professionals who value both fashion and functionality. Available in versatile shades like off-white, black, powder blue, and maroon, these handbags are designed to complement a wide range of wardrobe choices, from tailored office wear to chic weekend ensembles. With this launch, Lavie Luxe continues to bridge the gap between high fashion and everyday practicality, offering handbags that are not only luxurious in appeal but also indispensable for the contemporary woman’s dynamic lifestyle.

D2C
by Vivek Kumar

inDrive, the world’s second most-downloaded ride-hailing app since 2022, today announced the first rollout of its SuperApp, starting in Kazakhstan. The move comes on the back of explosive growth in delivery: over 41 million deliveries completed globally in 2024, and over 14 million in Q2 2025, making it one of the fastest-scaling categories in the company’s portfolio. Building on this momentum, inDrive is venturing beyond mobility into multiple verticals, using delivery and grocery as anchor services and powerful cross-sell mechanisms across its ecosystem. inDrive’s strategy is underpinned by confident growth, even in a tough global market. To date, the company has completed more than 6.5 billion transactions and surpassed 360 million app downloads worldwide. It operates with a capital-efficient, low-CAC, high-retention model, which has already brought the company to EBITDA profitability, while continuing to deliver double-digit growth in the first half of this year. Built for Frontier Markets What sets inDrive apart is that it is designed for the world’s frontier markets, where the growth playbook looks very different from that of legacy global players. These regions are defined by fast-changing consumer behaviors, mobile-first populations, and a strong demand for services that are both affordable and fair. Grocery is a natural anchor in this context: a daily-needs vertical that drives repeat engagement, strengthens loyalty, and opens the door for cross-sell into mobility, courier, fintech, and beyond. At the heart of the rollout is inDrive.Groceries, a new service that allows users to order from more than 5,000 products with delivery in as little as 15 minutes. Early pilots have shown remarkable traction: an NPS of 83% and an average of five grocery orders per user per month — clear signs that grocery, as a high-frequency service, can anchor daily engagement and strengthen loyalty across the entire platform. The SuperApp is modular by design, built to adapt to the needs of each market rather than follow a one-size-fits-all blueprint. While grocery is leading the rollout in Kazakhstan, other verticals are driving adoption elsewhere. inDrive recently expanded inDrive.Money to Brazil, giving drivers and couriers access to digital loans of up to R$2,400. Similar services have already proven successful in Mexico, Colombia, and Peru. This flexible approach ensures that each market receives the services most relevant to local communities — whether that means loans, food, freight, or micromobility solutions. Evidence from early SuperApp rollouts shows the model’s potential. In a sample of 16 focus cities, people using more than one service generate two to four times higher GMV and show over 15 percentage points higher retention compared to single-vertical users.  Over the next 12 months, inDrive will roll out its SuperApp across key frontier economies including Kazakhstan, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Pakistan, Egypt, Brazil and Morocco. Each launch builds not only on local traction but also on the strong network effects of inDrive’s platform. This foundation allows inDrive to scale faster, with lower acquisition costs, and to deliver meaningful impact in markets where traditional super app models have struggled to take root. Unlike legacy super …