Dubai: Buy in Dubai and have it delivered at your home in India on your return? The startup Store2Door emerged out of that idea.
Kenneth D’souza, the CEO, says the portal engages with the entire logistics chain - starting with the retailer from where the product was bought, to the delivery company – to make it happen. “We gather all the shipments with us and customers decide which shipping mode is best for them,” he said. “We will get the packing done and even offer the option to insure the products.
“It becomes very simple for the customer – they know what they are going to pay and there is no restriction on size. You get one solution for the problems of the retailers as well as the end-customer.
Apart from tourists and expats, the pandemic created a new group of customers – overseas buyers. And some of UAE’s biggest retail brands such as Jumbo Electronics and Danube tied up with Store2Door to tap this category.
“People were not able to come to UAE due to the pandemic, so they were checking prices of Jumbo’s products online,” he said. “Jumbo would then pass on the inquiry to us and we would offer a quote to the customer.”
Lookout for funds
D’souza is looking for a Series A funding to fuel ambitious expansion plans. “We just started three or four weeks back and I am talking to a lot of investors.”
Store2Door, which was present at India Pavilion’s ‘Innovation hub’ at Expo 2020, was able to grab a few eyeballs. “We were talking to individuals coming to the bus - there were four (prospective) investors who saw it and they liked it.”
Fixated on the customer
“If you do not understand the customer’s needs, everybody is going to fail,” said D’Souza. “Retailers want to sell millions of their products and customers want to buy, but they are not able to do so. That is where my USP is because it took me five years of research – the buy guys still can’t do it.”
It’s not just customers that are benefiting from this arrangement. Even retailers with seamless overseas shipping services will be highly favored by potential buyers. “What I’m telling my retailers is that I will not only handle the shipment, I will push customers to come to you - I will get you business.”
