New instant messenger to allow sellers to maintain privacy, but can still communicate and negotiate with buyers to close the deal
With over 1.3 million transactions and a gross merchandise value (GMV) of $4 billion every month, digital classifieds company Quikr.com has embarked on an ambitious growth path by adding a new feature called Quikr Nxt, which promises easier, simpler and faster way of transaction for the sellers and buyers.
"Earlier, a lot of sellers would get flooded with phone calls after posting an advertisement to sell their merchandise. With the Quikr Nxt instant messenger, sellers now have the option to maintain privacy while still communicate and negotiate with buyers and close the deal after mutual agreement. So one can actually conclude a deal without even having to make a single call," said Pranay Chulet, CEO & founder, Quikr.com.
Built in-house using open source technology, the instant messaging feature was being tested for over three weeks across 10 cities including Mumbai, Bangalore, Jaipur, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Chennai to name a few. In fact, ever since introducing the feature, Quikr has seen six times increase in the number of people using it.
The uniqueness of this instant messenger is that it offers users the flexibility offered by whatsapp / google chat and integrates it onto its digital classifieds platform. "The feature has been built into the mobile app, can be accessed through the mobile browser as well as desktop computers. In terms of efficiency (reduction in the transaction time), if a used items earlier took two to three days to sell, with this new feature the transaction should get concluded in four to six hours," said Chulet.
And with approximately 80% of the traffic coming in from mobile phones (browser and app) the company is looking to grow the business over five times in the coming year.
"It sounds like a huge number and it is," said Chulet, "but most of it is driven by categories like real estate. In fact, real estate comprises approximately 50% of the GMV. We are seeing increased number of higher value transactions involving real estate, services, used goods, high-end cars and bikes among others."
According to Chulet, the classifieds company has already witnessed an overall growth of four to five times over the past three quarters and the run rate will only increase in the coming months. Fuelling this growth will be a new feature on the platform that not only offers flexibility but also shortens the time required for buying and selling of goods and services while ensuring the overall exercise doesn't impact privacy.
The Quikr app currently has over 15 million users, which collectively spend anything between 300 and 400 million minutes every month. The new feature, company officials said, will help increase the total minutes spent on the app by over 15 times in the coming 12 to 18 months. "Approximately 80% of the entire traffic currently comes from mobile (browser and app). Next year, this number should easily reach 90% or more," said Chulet.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}