Brands
What India shopped from D2C brands in 2023
Mumbai: Beauty and personal care (BPC) products in the burgeoning D2C segment emerged as the largest selling category in India after about 3.7 lakh packs of Vitamin C Serum were sold during 2023, according to GoKwik’s network data report.
The highest repeat rate was also observed in BPC at 30 per cent, followed by fashion at 28 per cent. The electronics category saw one of the lowest repeat rates, at 14 per cent.
“D2C brands are increasingly becoming shopper favourites. Shoppers are consistently finding value in shopping from these brands. As a result, the repeat order rate of the most shopped categories has also seen a significant increase. With exclusive deals, loyalty points and offers, deepening markets and evolving trust in these brands, we can expect further growth in this industry.” Said GoKwik co-founder and CEO Chirag Taneja.
He further added that 2023 marked another significant year for D2C brands and contributed to their growth. From obtaining funding to omnichannel expansion or becoming listed on the stock exchange, D2C brands have proved they are here to stay and grow.
While shoppers continued to shop various products from the D2C brands, one significant product emerged as the winner, Vitamin C Serum. With over 3.7 L orders, this product clocked the most orders on GoKwik’s network of D2C brands, and emerged as a phenomenon, cementing its position in the skincare routine of Indian shoppers.
With 3.4 L orders, sunglasses came in the second spot as one of the shoppers’ favourites on the GoKwik network while Skincare Combos ranked third with 2.1 L orders.
Online premium memberships also seemed to be a hot favourite amongst D2C shoppers last year which could also be an indication of growing trust and loyalty for particular brands. Gift cards too had a huge demand from shoppers, possibly becoming a popular gifting option during the festive season.
“Shoppers buying directly from a D2C brand reflects growing trust in the products available on the brand website with no risk of counterfeits, etc especially when it comes to beauty and cosmetics,” Chirag added.
The top three products in terms of the highest orders in this category were Vitamin C Serum, closely followed by Night Cream and Hair Growth Serum.
Fashion stood tall clocking the second-highest number of orders. This could be indicative of the individuality in the space of fashion which is leading to an increase in the number of brands in subcategories that align with shopper needs. Here, the highest-selling products were Men’s T-shirts, both in black and white and black tops for women.
Healthcare products secured the third position in order volume, showcasing how rapidly Indian shoppers are becoming health-conscious and trusting D2C brands to cater to their needs. The top-selling products in this category were Immunity Kits and Ayurvedic Oil.
The highest-selling items in the electronics category, as seen on the GoKwik network, were Wireless earphones followed by Smartwatches.
Furthermore, products related to hair-related concerns have spiked, especially in metro cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata) as Hair Serum and Hair Gummies were the most ordered products there.
Interestingly, one person from Gurgaon ordered SPF 50+ sunscreen 942 times last year. Onion shampoo remained the top choice of another shopper in Delhi who bought the product 514 times. Even in the cold paradise of Srinagar, De-Tan cream was ordered 44 times. In Bangalore however, scalp massager became a shopper’s favourite, as a customer ordered it over 80 times in a year.
GoKwik houses over 1200 eCommerce brands in its network including Lenskart, Neemans, Man Matters, Purplle, Shoppers Stop, etc, ranging from fashion, beauty, health and nutrition, electronics and other key categories of the online shopping space.
Brands
Delhivery chairman Deepak Kapoor, independent director Saugata Gupta quit board
Gurugram: Delhivery’s boardroom is being reset. Deepak Kapoor, chairman and independent director, has resigned with effect from April 1 as part of a planned board reconstitution, the logistics company said in an exchange filing. Saugata Gupta, managing director and chief executive of FMCG major Marico and an independent director on Delhivery’s board, has also stepped down.
Kapoor exits after an eight-year stint that included steering the company through its 2022 stock-market debut, a period that saw Delhivery transform from a venture-backed upstart into one of India’s most visible logistics platforms. Gupta, who joined the board in 2021, departs alongside him, marking a simultaneous clearing of two senior independent seats.
“Deepak and Saugata have been instrumental in our process of recognising the need for and enabling the reconstitution of the board of directors in line with our ambitious next phase of growth,” said Sahil Barua, managing director and chief executive, Delhivery. The statement frames the exits less as departures and more as deliberate succession, a boardroom shuffle timed to the company’s evolving scale and strategy.
The resignations arrive amid broader governance recalibration. In 2025, Delhivery appointed Emcure Pharmaceuticals whole-time director Namita Thapar, PB Fintech founder and chairman Yashish Dahiya, and IIM Bangalore faculty member Padmini Srinivasan as independent directors, signalling a tilt towards consumer, fintech and academic expertise at the board level.
Kapoor’s tenure spanned Delhivery’s most defining years, rapid network expansion, public listing and the push towards profitability in a bruising logistics market. Gupta’s presence brought FMCG and brand-scale perspective during a period when ecommerce volumes and last-mile delivery economics were being rewritten.
The twin exits, effective from the new financial year, underscore a familiar corporate rhythm: founders consolidate, veterans rotate out, and fresh voices are ushered in to script the next chapter. In India’s hyper-competitive logistics race, even the boardroom does not stand still.
Brands
Brnd.me enters Europe as haircare brands power global expansion
Bengaluru: Brnd.me, the global consumer brands company formerly known as Mensa Brands, has entered the European market following strong momentum across the Middle East, the United States and Canada.
The company has launched across the UK, Germany, France and Spain, with plans to expand into Italy, the Netherlands and Poland over the next year. The push is being led by its haircare and aromatherapy brands, Botanic Hearth and Majestic Pure, marking Brnd.me’s first structured expansion into Europe.
The European beauty market represents a total addressable opportunity of over $4 billion across haircare and aromatherapy, supported by high digital adoption and demand for accessible, performance-led products.
Brnd.me’s hair care and aromatherapy business currently operates at an annual run rate of around $6 million, with Botanic Hearth and Majestic Pure delivering roughly 10 per cent month-on-month growth, driven by expansion and rising repeat demand.
To support regional growth, the company has appointed a general manager based in Germany and is evaluating investments in warehousing and local team expansion.
Early traction has been strong. Within weeks of launch, Botanic Hearth’s rosemary hair oil ranked among the top five hair oils in Germany, signalling strong consumer pull in a competitive market.
Brnd.me founder and chief executive officer Ananth Narayanan, said Europe represents the next phase of the company’s international strategy. He added that the European business is expected to scale to a $10 million annual run rate by the end of 2026, with long-term ambitions to reach $60 million over the next six years.
The company’s Europe strategy centres on digital-first distribution, repeat demand and TikTok-led discovery, alongside direct-to-consumer expansion to strengthen brand equity and margins.
The move also aligns with growing EU–India trade engagement, supporting long-term sourcing and cross-border supply chains.
Brands
TechnoSport taps quick commerce with launch on Slikk’s 60-minute platform
NATIONAL: TechnoSport has launched on Slikk, the ultra-fast fashion app offering 60-minute delivery, as the activewear brand accelerates its push into quick commerce to capture Gen Z and young millennial shoppers.
The debut brings more than 150 high-performance styles to Slikk’s platform, with an average selling price of Rs 450, expanding TechnoSport’s reach across over 80 pin codes.
The partnership follows strong momentum for TechnoSport across Q-commerce channels, where the brand has recorded around 60 per cent volume growth over the past six months. The company expects quick commerce to contribute nearly 20 per cent of its revenue in the coming years as hyperlocal delivery gains scale.
Slikk, which recently raised $3.2 million in seed funding led by Lightspeed, has rapidly gained popularity among youth consumers seeking speed, trend relevance and impulse-led shopping experiences.
Activewear remains one of Slikk’s fastest-growing categories, driven by shoppers increasingly treating fitness-led fashion as an everyday essential. The platform has reported a 30-fold year-on-year increase in items sold, reflecting rising demand for performance wear that blends comfort with style.
TechnoSport chief executive officer Puspen Maity, said the collaboration would help the brand engage more closely with young consumers whose fashion choices are shaped by instant needs and lifestyle aspirations. He added that rapid delivery bridges the gap between intent and purchase, allowing shoppers to access activewear exactly when they want it.
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