How Bizpluss is empowering millions of mom-and-pop shop owners

In January this year, a group of likeminded entrepreneurs decided to connect with 65,000 retail shops and 12,000 distributors online. They aim to address the needs of the B2B marketplace with less hurdles, greater transparency, networked interactions and a collaborative environment.

With decades of experience in sales, logistics, and information technology, they launched the brand Bizpluss.in - the first e-services platform to put the distribution and retail business on cloud.

The e-commerce platform brings product categories to the retail network through technology, reducing traditional intermediaries, reducing time till it reaches the market, and optimizing working capital, thereby increasing profits and enhancing productivity. It helps manufacturers to sell, and distributors, dealers and corporates to buy a wide range of consumer electronics, mobiles and IT and lifestyle products directly.

Explaining how the platform is different from other such platforms, Tarun Bharadwaj, CBO & ED, Bizpluss.in, says: “Most B2B websites are mere catalogues and the transactions they undertake are offline. Bizpluss, on the other hand, provides a unique business proposition for the digitally active retailer, who wants to use to the digital platform rather than tedious manual processes. It is a one-of-a-kind e-commerce platform at this point in time.”

‘One of a kind’

Promoted by TAM International Pvt., which has over 13 years of experience in providing unique and innovative products, services, and solutions to Indian consumers, as well as having a global footprint, Bizpluss follows a unique business model. It aims to:

1. help the retailer reduce logistics lead time,
2. optimise the return on investment by creating a low inventory model with credit financing efficiency, and
3. save time and cost with easy accessibility to brands on its website, and soon-to-be launched mobile app.

It aims to provide instant scalability of business, ease of operations, customer relationship management and catalogue management to the brand/manufacturer,.

“These features will be key drivers in ramping up our consumer base,” Tarun adds.

Target audience, market potential

Organized retail is rapidly shifting online in over 75 cities, and B2B buying and selling behaviour is moving away from process-oriented buying to network-oriented buying. Bizpluss, therefore, has its eye on the millions of retailers across the country who are not equipped to integrate the e-commerce model into their businesses.

Tarun also notes that, since the total business size of consumer durables, IT, and mobiles segment is Rs 1,20,000 crore per annum, and that of lifestyle is Rs 3,60,000 crore per annum, market potential is immense.

Challenges and competition

Tarun is optimistic, having seen encouraging responses from manufacturers and retailers.

“We do not foresee any major challenges; our business model is unique. The retailer base has been growing by more than 100% every month, and we are getting positive vibes from our business. We are empowering millions of mom-and-pop shop owners,” he says.

With a current topline of Rs 10 crore a month, he is confident the platform will clock Rs 150 crore in its first year of operations.

Looking ahead

Bizpluss currently offers omni-channel services, under which manufacturers sell their products using cloud technology. The platform has the capability to tailor the requirements of sellers depending on the extent to which they use cloud technology. Thus, they create their own process and structure. There’s also the Bizpluss Privilege programme, an online employee privilege platform which brings together brands and corporate employees. Users can engage with various brands through different media; like exclusive deals, mailers, contests, surveys, polls etc. on the platform.

In its first year of operations, lifestyle, consumer electronics, and mobiles will be the three categories in focus. Tarun gives us a glimpse of things to come; “Currently, we are vertically populating the electronics segment and have tied up with Philips, Abaj, Electrolux and Haier, the idea being to provide a range of products/brands in this vertical to provide the B2B buyer with choice. We will add lifestyle, mobile, and IT categories shortly.”

Bizpluss launched Abaj, an international brand from Thailand, in the consumer electronics category.

“We started with flat panels four months ago, and have now moved into refrigerators, microwaves, air-conditioners and washing machines. In June, we intend to launch tablets, kitchen appliances, and water heaters. Every month we intend to add new products to our three categories,” says Tarun.