Starting out with a capital of ₹1 lakh, Ranjit Shah’s e-commerce venture earned him a revenue of ₹7 crore last year. See how this young entrepreneur harnesses Flipkart’s seller platform to identify gaps in the market, tailor his offerings and give wings to his digital ambitions!
Ranjit Shah’s interest in e-commerce was ignited back in 2016 when he was able to access free internet. Based in Howly, a town in the Barpeta district of Assam with a population of less than 16,000, Ranjit was certain of one thing: digital commerce was the future.
While other college students pursued high-paying jobs to go from Howly’s small-town charm to high rises in metros, Ranjit had a different ambition. “My classmates ran after jobs, but I didn’t want that. I thought that whatever I do, I would do it myself. That’s why I decided to do business and I knew it was going to be online,” he says.
Read to know how he started an e-commerce business for men’s and women’s innerwear at the age of 19, epitomizing the spirit of entrepreneurship that drives youngsters across India to pursue their ambitions, no matter what.
Daring to dream
“We belong to a lower middle-class family of six – my mom and dad, elder brother and bhabhi and a younger sister. I have been interested in computers since childhood. We didn’t have one at home, I used to visit a relative’s place to use it – so often that they eventually chased me away!” says Ranjit.
Studying B. Com to learn finance management, Ranjit couldn’t wait to get his own business off the ground. “I was 19 when I started with e-commerce – it was during the third semester of college. I was sitting in my brother’s garment shop on Barpeta Road. I created a Flipkart account, clicked a picture of kids’ clothes and uploaded it.
I got 11-12 orders. I did not even open the panel and check. Then I got a call from Flipkart, to inform me that I was getting a lot of orders, and to check why I wasn’t accepting them. That’s how my journey started.”
Since Ranjit was still in college, he couldn’t give the business his all. His next few hurdles were overcoming both the knowledge and capital gap.
Mom and YouTube to the rescue
“I didn’t know how to sell stuff on Flipkart. No one in my family knows much about e-commerce or even digital technology. So, I watched hours of videos on YouTube,” says Ranjit. When he explained his business plan of selling men and women’s innerwear online to his family, friends and relatives, support didn’t come easy.
“Only my mother believed in me. After she convinced my father and I requested him day after day, he finally gave me ₹50,000. I got another ₹50,000 from a family friend,” he says. With a capital of ₹1 lakh and motivation from his girlfriend Rinki, this self-taught entrepreneur got going.
Sourcing products from across Assam and Kolkata, he worked out of his own room. Without any staff to help, his mother and father helped him pack his first few orders.
Finding his niche on e-commerce
Like any other business owner, Ranjit made mistakes at first. He sourced products of low quality and found they didn’t meet consumer demand.
“Flipkart’s seller support team helped me a lot. With their guidance I tried to find something unique to stand out online. When I was selling bras, I noticed that sellers only sell packs of 3 or 6. So, I filled the gap with packs of 4 and packs of 5,” he explains. Soon, orders started pouring in.
“At that time, I got 200 orders a day and I used to think I was doing well. Then the lockdown happened. I was amazed to see my orders increase. Now, I get 1500 orders a day on average!” During the Big Billion Days sale, he clocks in 5,000 orders a day, and his revenue grows 4X.
By manufacturing 80% of what he sells online, Ranjit is able to control quality and keep costs low. Understanding consumer demand has also helped Ranjit’s sales skyrocket.
“My revenue last year was ₹7 crore, and I never thought I’d reach here. Due to the growth I got through Flipkart, everyone supports me now. Even my relatives who now sell on Flipkart come to take my advice,” he says.
In 2023, at just 28 years of age, he not only added a floor to his home that is dedicated to his e-commerce business, but also constructed 3 more floors, bought land and a car. “We have a transport office in town where goods from Kolkata and other places are brought. There was an event there and they asked me to attend as the Chief Guest. That was my proudest moment.”
What Ranjit is most excited about is tying the knot with Rinki in 2025 and growing the business even more. “I want to double what I am selling now. I also want to explore other categories like womenswear. What I want to tell others who want to explore e-commerce is simple: don’t copy other sellers. Success will come when you offer something unique.”
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