Full Name: Meesho (short for “Meri Shop” / “My Shop”)
Industry: E-commerce / Social Commerce
Founded: December 2015
Founders: Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal (IIT-Delhi alumni)
Headquarters: Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Meesho is an online marketplace that enables resellers and small entrepreneurs (often homemakers, students, and small shopkeepers) to sell products directly to customers.
Sellers list their products on the Meesho platform. Resellers then promote these products through WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Meesho’s own app, earning margins on sales.
The model makes it easy for people with little or no investment to start their own online business.
Zero Commission: Resellers don’t pay commission to Meesho.
Revenue Streams:
Advertising / sponsored product placements.
Logistics and shipping fees (through Meesho’s own logistics arm “Valmo”).
Branded products marketplace (“Meesho Mall”).
Over 190 million users across India.
Strong focus on Tier-2, Tier-3 cities, and rural areas.
Known for selling affordable, value-for-money products.
Handles billions in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) annually.
Empowers millions of small sellers and women entrepreneurs.
Low-cost platform targeting India’s price-sensitive customers.
Strong presence in smaller towns where Amazon/Flipkart are less dominant.
In-house logistics (Valmo) improves delivery and control.
Product quality control can be inconsistent.
Thin profit margins due to low average order value.
Logistics and return costs are high in rural areas.
Faces tough competition from Flipkart, Amazon, and others.
Meesho has significantly reduced its losses while growing revenues.
It recently converted into a public limited company and is preparing for an IPO.
Seen as one of India’s most successful social commerce startups.