Founded in 2010 as a daily deals platform (similar to Groupon).
Pivoted in 2012 to become an online marketplace for a wide range of products.
By 2014–2016, Snapdeal was one of the top 3 e-commerce platforms in India, competing directly with Flipkart and Amazon India.
At its peak, it had over 300,000 sellers and more than 30 million products.
In 2017, Snapdeal faced financial struggles and intense competition. A proposed merger with Flipkart (backed by SoftBank) failed because the founders wanted to keep Snapdeal independent.
Since then, Snapdeal repositioned itself as a value e-commerce platform, focusing on affordable products for tier-2 and tier-3 cities in India.
Works on a marketplace model:
Snapdeal doesn’t own inventory, instead connects sellers (small & medium businesses) with buyers.
Revenue comes from commissions on sales, advertisements, and logistics services.
Core focus: value-for-money products in fashion, lifestyle, electronics, home goods, and daily essentials.
Expanded partnerships with logistics companies like Ecom Express and Blue Dart to strengthen delivery.
Launched a mobile-first strategy to target users in small towns where most shopping happens via smartphones.
Shifted from heavy discount wars with Amazon/Flipkart to building a sustainable, profitable model.
Snapdeal filed for an IPO (Initial Public Offering) in 2021, though it has not been finalized yet.
Parent Company: Jasper Infotech Pvt. Ltd.
Major Investors: SoftBank, Nexus Venture Partners, Kalaari Capital, eBay, Foxconn, BlackRock.
Users: Over 100 million registered users.
Sellers: 300,000+ active sellers.
Products: More than 60 million+ listings across categories.
Target Market: Price-sensitive consumers in tier-2, tier-3, and rural India.
Amazon India – Premium + value products, huge global backing.
Flipkart (owned by Walmart) – Strong in electronics, fashion, and large seller network.
Meesho – Emerging rival in the value segment, focusing on social commerce.
Reliance’s JioMart – Expanding aggressively in groceries & general goods.
Affordable Pricing – Focus on mid- and low-priced products.
Regional Reach – 80% of buyers come from smaller towns and cities.
Wide Seller Network – Supports small businesses and traders.
Light Asset Model – No big inventory costs like Amazon.