Soch Group launches This Or That, India’s first e-commerce platform for start-ups

This Or That will create a sustainable ecosystem for start-ups, supporting local businesses and providing an impetus to #VocalForLocal and #MadeInIndia

by Suman Gupta

India, July, 2021: Soch Group, a specialised consulting company for start-ups, has launched This Or That, India’s first e-commerce platform which will exclusively host start-ups. Founded by entrepreneur and angel investor, Rohit Mohan Pugalia, This Or That, will create a level playing field for start-ups in India with a host of benefits to help them scale efficiently.

As a platform which will exclusively host start-up brands, This Or That will provide these businesses opportunities for better visibility and greater awareness in today’s cluttered and competitive market. The e-commerce platform will also introduce specialised and affordable advertising avenues to cater to the unique needs of the businesses onboard.

Rohit Mohan Pugalia, CEO and Founder, This Or That, said, “India is today the third largest start-up ecosystem in the world. In light of the country’s burgeoning start-up industry, we are proud to launch This Or That, India’s first e-commerce platform dedicated to its powerhouses of innovation, start-ups. Not only will our platform create a dedicated and sustainable ecosystem for start-ups to thrive but will also provide customers access to the country’s freshest brands under one roof, helping the Indian economy grow each time they purchase from a local business.”

The founder’s ambitious goal is to leverage his own entrepreneurial experience and nurture other start-ups by guiding them through their growth journey. Partner companies can receive strategic counsel across various functions including inventory management, marketing, advertising, as well investments and funding, from the founder who understands the fundamentals of sustainably scaling a start-up venture on account of being an entrepreneur and a seasoned angel investor himself. Each brand listed on the platform will also have the opportunity to receive funding from the Soch Group which has previously invested in several promising start-ups across various industries.

This Or That, which aims to cater to India’s GenZ and millennials, will host start-up brands across multiple categories including fashion, lifestyle, beauty, wellness, food and beverage, home décor and sports, and some promising brands that will be retailing on the platform include Snackible, Prolixr, BrownSkin Beauty, The Meraki World and Misfit Panda. It will follow a meticulous selection process for partnering brands; in addition to having products that are unique, innovative, or interesting, the start-up should have been incorporated within the last ten years and have a turnover of less than 100 crore per annum thereby matching the eligibility criteria defined by Start-up India.

With an aim to bring phygital retail alive via its platform, This Or That will merge the convenience of digital shopping and physical retail experiences. Set to launch as an e-commerce website with plans to develop its own application, the highly interactive user interface will offer engaging options such as a product trial feature that enables customers to make an informed decision by trying the product before completing the purchase. The tech-driven platform will also be introducing a voice-enabled assistant for the discovery of products and a virtual trial room for added convenience, thereby providing an unparalleled shopping experience.

Piloting its inventory-based model, This Or That will enable start-ups to focus on strengthening their offerings while the platform itself will manage the end-to-end delivery execution, ensuring a stringent quality check for every product shipped to customers. This Or That has the ambitious aim of hosting 1000 start-up brands in the next five years, thereby helping local businesses thrive and scale sustainably, and giving impetus to #VocalForLocal and #MadeInIndia.