Helping independent sellers online, the Unlekha way

Prashanth Jogiralla, a Hyderabad-based computer engineering graduate currently working as an investigation specialist at Amazon, has created an e-commerce portal Unekha to provide a cost-effective online platform for independent sellers. "Our aim is to build global online platform for all the independent sellers who make and market handmade products, arts & crafts, books, photography works," Prashanth Jogiralla, tells Bizz Buzz in an interaction, Excerpts:

How did you get the idea to launch this ecommerce portal?

I developed the e-commerce website in June after seeing losses suffered by independent sellers during the pandemic. The platform is a marketplace for independent sellers and students. It takes their products to the domestic as well as global customers.

People can sell various categories of products including handmade products and books on my platform. People with creative bent of mind like artists, writers, musicians, singers use this platform.

We don't charge any entry free. Furthermore, we collect very low commission, that too only after products have been sold. Besides, our portal has been designed in such a way that independent sellers can use it and tap it's potential without any problem.

How do you plan to get sellers onto your platform?

As our platform is meant for independent sellers, anyone can sell their products and services. Students who make handmade products can also market their products on this platform. Most of sellers who come to us already have the experience of marketing products on social media. They are coming to us because ours is the low cost platform.

How much do you charge as commission?

We charge a total commission of 10 per cent on the products after a sale is concluded. The commission includes five per cent platform fee and 5 per cent of payment gateway transaction fee. This will be charged on the final product price.

What all categories of entrepreneurs your website supports and how do you manage them?

Unekha allows all the handmade product categories such as clothing, arts & crafts, books, home decor, handmade products, photography works and other licensed brands. The sellers can categorise their products. On the website, the products are sorted out based on the categories. We developed the portal in such a way that sellers will have controller over their online store and on the transactions they make.