If you own a business that's trying to sell products, then you'll probably agree that the ideal website for sellers does not exist. Well, until now at least. Nathaniel Sam George is meticulously working on an ideal solution that would enable a B2B and B2C hybrid platform that mimics the capacities of e-commerce giants like AliExpress. A recent BTech graduate from Providence College of Engineering & School of Business in Chengannur, he registered his start-up Cadala.in in January this year. He talks to us about his creation and the potential it holds. Excerpts:
1. What exactly is Cadala.in and how does it work?
It is a B2B and B2C hybrid market place. It would be an avenue wherein manufacturers and wholesale sellers can register and list each and every item they want to sell. After doing so, they can automate the pricing process which means that a certain discount condition could be fixed for a certain customer. What we currently have as a system on market directory websites like IndiaMart is that there will be a deluge of conversation that would need to occur before a sale can take place. This is a huge waste of time for all parties involved. But here at Cadala, the negotiation would be automated and hassle-free with minimum talk involved. It is essentially a place where Amazonesque business can take place but with automated dynamic pricing for wholesale transactions. If there is a need to involve deliberation over pricing, such negotiation can also take place.
2. What are some of the other features of Cadala?
There is a provision for making a super account for the head of a business under which he can make several sub-accounts for the lower level employees, like purchase managers, who are tasked with specific roles in the business' hierarchy. In this way, they can supervise the activities of the business without actually having to do all the dealings. What this would mean is that corruption in a venture can be rooted out since every dealing is transparent and supervised.
There is also a feature to enable private labelling capacity — allowing customers to make a deal with sellers so that the former's brand and logo can be placed on the product. There would be no space for redundant conversations here as well. The process is essentially streamlined for faster transactions.
3. Could you tell me a bit more about the inspiration behind Cadala?
When I started to monitor AliExpress prices for a single piece product at wholesale value, I found that it cost around $52. Whereas the same product in retail in India cost only around `2,000. That's when I realised that there is a huge potential for a market website that enables drop shipping capacities over the whole world from India.
4. In what form does the venture exist as of now? And where is it headed?
We are currently in the stage of seller acquisition for our platform. After that, product listing would begin and then, we can begin opening up to buyer accounts as well. That would initiate the cycle of purchase and delivery. It is currently in the form of a website with a mobile application also on the way.
