Saves you time, money & energy

With more than 450 brands and 1000+ products, the virtual mall HomeShop18 is not just growing in size but is also planning to offer its clients innovative bargains like holiday packages and real estate deals, says Barnalee Handique



It all started with an idea of setting up a virtual mall. Sundeep Malhotra, who had a vast experience in conglomerates such as PepsiCo India, Benetton, Bata, TAG media etc, decided to roll this idea and HomeShop 18, a trustworthy virtual retail platform from Network18 Group, came into existence. Operating in a multimedia environment, including television, web and catalogue, it offered buyers across the country branded products, which they could purchase from their home at their own convenience.
The CEO of HomeShop18 confesses (laughingly), “This idea of setting up a shopping channel kept burping up on my mind and I wanted to put it into use. I realised very early in my trade that home shopping had a great potential in our country. The retail segment was booming in the last couple of years and the distribution system was poor and untapped. Moreover, the visibility of the products were only seen in big cities. To purchase something of their liking, a customer had to come all the way to a bigger city to buy.”
Malhotra also wanted to change the mind of the Indian customer. “Earlier, our knowledge of teleshopping was limited to a particular product, which was repeatedly shown on TV throughout the day. But the concept of homeshopping is an antithesis to teleshopping. It is a virtual mall where you can buy anything under the sun.”
It's always tough to prove your detractors wrong. “There were initial hiccups and it took a while to establish the credibility of the 'homeshopping' domain. Besides, the recession was a bad time for any venture. But I was determined to take a shot. We went crazy trying to get the venture in place, but it was worth it. Then came the crucial task of finding a venue. We needed enough space where the studio, the call centre, the administrative staff could be all under one roof,” recalls Malhotra.
The office HomeShop18 in Noida sprawls over three floors and has different departments like finance, administration, troubleshooting, information desk, a studio and a call centre to handle the day-to-day tasks. Then there's the conference hall with the organisation's key projects displayed on the wall. From 2007 to 2010, the virtual mall has come a long way. Today, it is the country's first 24-hour homeshopping channel and its inventory is stacked with more than 450 brands and 1000+ products. The anchors help you choose the right product by giving you information and recommendation on which merchandise will suit your lifestyle needs. To top it all, you can get your favourite television, washing machine or ornament set with a 20 per cent discount on the actual price! HomeShop18 has a robust logistical reach and delivers all goods free of cost across 2,000 cities in India. And if you want to exchange a product or want a refund, you can do it without any hassle. Malhotra believes that more Indians will start shopping online or do teleshopping in the coming days. He says, “The timing is right, and it saves time, money and energy. And you get your favourite item delivered right at your doorstep!” Can there be a greater incentive?
But it doesn't stop there. Still bigger plans are in store. Malhotra is planning to incorporate holiday packages and real estate deals in the inventory.