Carting Away to a Better India

Don't try to be original, just try to be good-Paul Rand

And that is what Kiran Patil did-he knew that there were a lot of handicraft sellers in the country. He knew that it would be a challenge to overcome the "Handicrafts are expensive notion" but he genuinely had a purpose in heart.

He launched a site called Villcart.com in 2011-marketing platform for the handicraft products.

Bitten by the entrepreneurial bug

After completing his B Tech and M Tech from IIT Mumbai, Patil started working with Evalueserve (a KPO in Gurgaon) where he was managing business research for Chemicals Division. He then left this job to start his own venture on technology transfer in rural areas which had a short life span. He went back to Evalueserve again. Something was still amiss and he got a chance to work with Chaupaati, a phone commerce business where he headed the sales division.

Working for the rural sector was always his passion and he worked on and off for 10 long years in that area. During his interactions with various NGOs, government agencies, rural folk and tribal people-Patil realized that the biggest challenge faced by rural folk was marketing of their produce. To address this, he needed to do something to bridge the gap between rural business and urban market and that manifested as Villcart.com.

Handholding Artisans

But it was not an easy task as this sector workforce is highly unorganized with high attrition as skilled workers often abandon their trade for employment in cities or move base to urban areas. To start off Patil keenly observed the industry dynamics and studied the artisans in small suburbs of Mumbai-be it tailors, carpenters, potters. One thing that emerged out was the fact that these small businesses actually would be better off based out in their villages. The standard of living could be much better for them, the respect that they enjoyed in their hometown was missing in cities but survival compulsions have made them to migrate to cities. But yet even moving to cities they remained unorganized devoid of proper marketing support.

Not anymore-with Villcart, the artisans spread across the country now has a online platform through which they can sell their produce. The USP of Villcart is "you get what you see". The beautiful art of pottery or clay modeling could soon be molded and shipped as in addition to ready to ship products-Villcart has plans to foray into custom made articles as well.

Moreover Villcart redefines the consumer perception towards handicrafts. Often times the first thing that comes to mind when one looks at a handicraft item is ‘Must be Expensive', sometimes it is worth the cost. "Today we've a plethora of options when it comes to products and services. Be it at individual level or corporate gifting, everybody now has a fresh approach to this. People are looking for non conventional options in gifting. Custom made products dominates the markets then why not buy products that has a personal touch to it," quips Patil.

Each product displayed in the site exudes the creativity of the person behind designing it and bringing it to life. Today India needs not just promoters or lovers of art-we need more online platforms like villcart that can jumpstart the traditional vocations such as handicrafts.