How Shiprocket is revolutionising e-commerce in Bharat

Predicted to be worth $90-100 billion by the year 2030, India’s e-B2B market is one of the fastest growing markets in the world. Shiprocket, the 106^th unicorn in India and one of the leading e-commerce enablement platforms, is targeting merchants from every corner of the country. It is leveraging large scale events for enabling e-commerce for the Indian merchants who are living beyond Tier-2 cities. Recently, it held the Shiprocket SHIVIR, an event whose objective was to empower MSMEs all across India, playing the role of their ‘partner in growth’, and supporting the Vision India@100 of GOI. This event brought together the pioneers of entrepreneurship, visionaries of Atmanirbhar Bharat, new age business owners and futuristic service providers, all under one roof.

Another IP of Shiprocket is Aarambh, which is aimed at equipping MSMEs led by women, who are having the right resources to build and scale. During the International Women’s Week, women entrepreneurs get the opportunity to present their business ideas to the jury panel in an online event. The business ideas which are regarded as the top three, get an opportunity to win up to Rs 1 lakh, besides getting additional benefits from Shiprocket and other sister companies.

Shiprocket leverages Industry 4.0 technologies and AI in order to deliver an enhanced customer experience. Empowering MSMEs will fulfil the objective of India becoming a $5-trillion economy by the year 2025.

Somil Agrawal, Head of Marketing and SVP, Shiprocket, has played an instrumental role in coming up with such strategic B2B marketing plans, which are further helping in attracting around 3 lakh merchants onto the platform. In conversation with Adgully, Somil Agrawal says, “By transcending traditional B2B approaches and adopting a relatable tone, companies humanise their brand and establish genuine connections with their audience. The era of treating B2B buyers as faceless entities is behind us, and the future lies in recognising the real people who hold the key to B2B purchasing decisions.”

What is the event SHIVIR 2023 about? What are its objectives? How does it aim to help MSMEs, especially those led by women?

Shiprocket SHIVIR 2023 is in line with Shiprocket’s commitment to empowering eCommerce businesses across India, serving as their Unnati Ka Saathi. It is a growth summit dedicated to fostering education and advancing digital commerce in India. This summit will converge India’s pioneering entrepreneurs, visionary industry leaders, forward-thinking SMB and D2C business owners, and futuristic service providers in a single venue. With the theme, ‘Nurturing the Future of eCommerce Businesses’, the event aims to ignite innovation and equip digital enterprises with the essential tools and insights to explore, discover, and create a definitive roadmap for their future growth. At Shiprocket, we have curated this summit to realise the vision of expanding the horizons of digital commerce, and democratising eCommerce businesses nationwide.

How is Shiprocket helping MSMEs through technology as their ‘Unnati Ka Saathi’?

Shiprocket is committed to enabling e-commerce for Bharat by providing tech-enabled solutions at the click of a button. We work in tandem with the merchants, offering services best suited to their business growth. Here’s how we leverage tech-enabled solutions:

To deliver a hassle-free logistics experience, we leverage AI and ML technologies. Our AI-led platform provides sellers with recommendations on optimizing logistics to deliver the best buyer experience while reducing costs.
For convenience, we have developed a mobile app interface for merchants to access our services. The app offers real-time shipment updates, order tracking, and customer support.
Shiprocket Fulfillment equips merchants with warehouse automation solutions, channel integration, and logistics technology, enabling smarter scalability.
ShiprocketX, another product of Shiprocket, empowers Indian MSMEs to expand globally in a simplified manner global business with its tech-led opportunities.
Our platform has proven to enhance order delivery percentage and performance while reducing costs. Sellers have experienced notable improvements, with delivery performance increasing by up to 10-15% and cost savings of up to 8-10%.

Through our tech-enabled solutions, Shiprocket is revolutionising e-commerce in Bharat, enabling seamless operations and empowering merchants to thrive in the digital landscape.

How marketing and constant support for MSMEs will strengthen the goal of India becoming a $5-trillion economy by 2025?

MSMEs are the backbone of the Indian economy, accounting for over 90% of all enterprises and 40% of the country’s GDP. By marketing their products and services effectively, MSMEs can reach new customers and increase their sales. This will help them grow and scale up, which will, in turn, boost the Indian economy.

The right marketing strategy will vary depending on the specific business and its target market. However, some general tips for effectively marketing MSMEs include:

Identify your target market: Who are you trying to reach with your marketing? Once you know your target market, you can tailor your marketing messages to appeal to them.
Create a strong brand: Your brand is what will set you apart from your competitors. Make sure your brand is consistent across all your marketing channels.
Use high-quality content: Your marketing content should be informative and engaging, it should answer what problem is it solving for the buyer and why your solution is better than the others - product differentiation. Use high-quality images and videos to capture attention.
Track your results: It's important to track the results of your marketing campaigns so you can see what's working and what's not. This will help you optimize your campaigns for better results.

By following these tips, MSMEs can use marketing to reach new customers, increase sales, and grow their businesses. This will help them contribute to the Indian economy and help the country achieve its goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2025.

How are B2B companies leveraging event marketing to engage with their target audience, build brand awareness, and drive business growth?

Event marketing is a crucial component of B2B strategies, allowing companies to engage with their target audience, boost brand awareness, and drive business growth. By crafting captivating experiences, B2B companies leave a lasting impact on attendees, forging meaningful connections.

Immersive storytelling, powered by AR, VR, or MR technologies at the events, transports participants to otherworldly realms, enabling the delivery of compelling brand narratives. This, emotionally and intellectually, engages attendees, leaving a memorable impression. Gamification taps into human desires for competition, exploration, and rewards, fostering engagement and connection with the brand. Interactive challenges, leaderboards, and incentives enhance the attendee experience.

Data-driven personalisation is also paramount. B2B marketers employ advanced analytics to gain insights into attendee behaviour, allowing for hyper-personalised content, sessions, and networking opportunities. Integrating event data with CRM systems enables predictive lead scoring, prioritising high-quality leads based on interactions, attendance, and engagement. This enhances post-event follow-up and conversion rates.

In conclusion, B2B companies leverage event marketing to engage their target audience, build brand awareness, and drive business growth. Through immersive storytelling, gamification, and data-driven personalisation, these companies create impactful events that leave a lasting impression. By understanding their audience and delivering tailored experiences, B2B marketers forge meaningful connections, nurture leads, and achieve their business objectives. Event marketing is an essential element in the B2B landscape, enabling companies to stand out and thrive.

What is Shiprocket’s vision for MSMEs? How does it plan to reach them? What are the initiatives undertaken by it to help MSMEs?

Shiprocket is committed to enabling e-commerce for Bharat by providing tech-enabled solutions with a simple click of a button. We work in tandem with merchants, offering services that best suit their business growth. To achieve this, we have established strategic partnerships with key entities such as India Post, eBay, and Billdesk, expanding our ecosystem and providing comprehensive solutions. However, the question remains: How will Shiprocket tap into these merchants and MSMEs? This is where event marketing comes into play. Shiprocket hosts various events to reach MSMEs at the ground level. Some of these events include:

Shiprocket Yatra is a program by Shiprocket, an e-commerce logistics platform that aims to help e-commerce businesses in Tier 2 towns of India succeed online. The program offers a variety of benefits to participants, including networking opportunities, knowledge-sharing sessions, insights on how to improve e-commerce operations, and access to Shiprocket’s products and services.
Aarambh is a women-only startup accelerator program by Shiprocket. The program aims to empower women-led businesses by providing them with access to resources, mentorship, and funding. Aarambh is open to women-led businesses of all sizes and stages. The program offers a 12-week curriculum that covers topics such as business planning, marketing, and sales. We have empowered 100+ womenpreneurs through Aarambh.
Shivir is an annual summit organised by Shiprocket. The summit brings together industry experts, entrepreneurs, and business leaders to discuss the latest trends in e-commerce and logistics. Shivir is a great opportunity to learn about the latest trends in e-commerce and logistics, to network with other industry professionals, and to get inspired by the stories of successful entrepreneurs.

As it is known that the MSME industry generates over 120 million jobs and contributes about 33% of the GDP, what are the challenges that MSMEs are facing in today’s day and age in general, and in terms of marketing? How does Shiprocket aim to solve that?

I understand that MSMEs in today’s day and age, both in general and in terms of marketing, face significant challenges. In the broader context, they confront limitations such as restricted access to finance, inadequate infrastructure, and regulatory complexities. When it comes to marketing, MSMEs encounter additional hurdles. Limited resources and budget constraints make it challenging for them to implement effective marketing strategies that drive growth.

Many MSMEs struggle to establish a strong digital presence and lack knowledge of digital marketing techniques, hindering their ability to reach a wider audience. Moreover, they face fierce competition from larger enterprises, which constantly poses a challenge to acquiring market share. Additionally, keeping up with ever-changing consumer preferences and market trends adds complexity to the MSME landscape.

Recognising these challenges, Shiprocket understands the importance of MSMEs and aims to provide solutions for merchants in India. Shiprocket offers a range of services and technologies that empower MSMEs to overcome these obstacles. With our expertise as the e-commerce enablers of Bharat, Shiprocket assists MSMEs in streamlining their shipping and delivery processes, reducing costs, and enhancing customer satisfaction at every layer of the journey. Furthermore, Shiprocket provides valuable tools to help MSMEs establish a strong digital presence and implement effective marketing strategies through products like Wigzo by Shiprocket. By offering such comprehensive solutions tailored to the specific needs of MSMEs, Shiprocket aims to enable their growth and success in the competitive Indian market.

Are lines blurring between B2C and B2B marketing? How are B2B companies using their consumer ads as a way to better connect with the real people behind B2B buying decisions?

In the ever-evolving landscape of marketing, the lines between B2C and B2B strategies are undeniably blurring. This phenomenon can be attributed to the rise of the “prosumer”. As these consumers hold more power and influence in the B2B buying process, it becomes imperative for B2B companies to adapt their marketing efforts to cater to their needs.

B2B companies are effectively bridging the gap by employing individualised customer journeys and utilising data analytics and AI to gain insights into B2B buyers’ preferences and pain points. This knowledge allows marketers to deliver personalised experiences that deeply resonate. By tailoring messaging, content, and recommendations to meet each buyer’s unique requirements, satisfaction, trust, and loyalty are enhanced. However, personalization alone is not sufficient. To truly connect with the “prosumer”, B2B marketers must embrace authenticity in advertising. By featuring authentic storytelling and relatable characters in consumer-oriented advertisements, emotional resonance is achieved with decision-makers. By transcending traditional B2B approaches and adopting a relatable tone, companies humanise their brand and establish genuine connections with their audience.

In conclusion, the era of treating B2B buyers as faceless entities is behind us, and the future lies in recognising the real people who hold the key to B2B purchasing decisions.