Online marketplace Snapdeal, which launched a zero commission mobile-based marketplace called Shopo, plans to monetise the platform through ad revenues, service led revenues and premium listings.

However, the monetisation will come in only after a year, when the platform, a combination of chat and commerce that connects buyers and sellers, achieves its one million target of small businesses. However, the focus at present is to grow the platform.

Sandeep Komaravelly, Senior Vice-President, Shopo, told BusinessLine that the company was trying to build a platform for anyone to sell online. “Current online platforms are more evolved and restrictive for sellers. We wanted to create an open platform where it doesn’t take long for anyone, including homemakers, to open a shop,” he said.

He also clarified that there is no restriction for any seller to list on the platform. The registered sellers or merchants on Snapdeal are also allowed to sell on Shopo, where the company is targeting small businesses with non-standardised products from handicrafts to bakery products.

Targeting one million

Komaravelly, who has moved from Snapdeal to head Shopo, said the platform is targeting one million small players in the next one year. It has already got 30,000 listings and 5,000 shops on Shopo. Comparing Shopo with China’s Taobao, he said the company has taken care that there are no fake products being sold on Shopo so that it doesn’t encounter issues that Snapdeal faced in the recent past for selling prescription drugs and fake products.

According to industry experts, through Shopo, Snadeal is trying to experiment with an app-only move, which its competitors are already working on.

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