3 Friends, 1 Mission: Connecting Customers and Sellers Through Innovation, Authenticity, and Unmatched Support!

The COVID-19 crisis was at its peak in 2020. The government announced a nationwide lockdown, and everything was closed suddenly. Supply chains were halted, and countless small and medium-sized businesses struggled to sell Made in India products across the country and the global market.

Joseph Jeravin observed these challenges and discussed them with his childhood friend Sriram Rangaraaj and close companion Ashok Ramprasath. 

“The story was the same for every seller—sellers unable to clear their inventory/ stock or stand in competition with foreign brands. It was heartbreaking, but this inspired us to act,” Joseph Jeravin explained during an exclusive interview with Startup Pedia. 

The trio then decided to address the problem and looked for a solution. With savings of Rs. 7.5 lakhs, which was pooled from their pockets and supported by friends and family, they launched Tradesala in September 2020. 

They were determined to focus their initial two years on rigorous market research, platform development, and legal groundwork.

Although Tradesala's journey began with a midnight discussion between friends, it took months of hard work, research, collaboration, and planning to develop the entire business concept into a viable venture.

Also Read: Jamshedpur Woman Launches Platform to Empower Tribal Artists & Democratise Art In India; Aims To Cross ₹1 Cr Revenue By This FY

How does Tradesala work?

Unlike many e-commerce giants, Tradesala operates with a dual focus: prioritizing both customers and sellers. The founders of Tradesala, however, emphasize their seller-friendly approach. They believe customers are king, but sellers are their friends.

From simplifying the onboarding process to offering a low commission rate (at 5% across all categories), Tradesala ensures profitability for sellers while keeping products affordable for customers.

Tradesala has a micro-staffing model, which is also a key differentiator in the market. Sellers onboarded to Tradesala have their personalized teams that assist in cataloguing, pricing, and optimizing product listings. 

“Through our research and understanding of the market scenario, we recognized that early cataloguing can be a significant pain point for sellers. That’s why we’ve made it our priority to make this process seamless,” the co-founder explained in an interview with Startup Pedia. 

Sellers can effortlessly register and log in to their accounts at vendor.tradesala.com. All you need is a valid GST number and an active bank account to get started. Once registered, you can manage your products, track orders, and access a range of tools designed to help grow your business on Tradesala.

The Evolution of Tradesala 

In the initial months, the platform’s growth was slow. For the first eight months, the platform was able to list only 600–700 products. 

“We started from zero SKUs. The sellers initially were sceptical and not very confident, but we welcomed their feedback and gradually improved the platform,” said the founder of Chennai-based e-commerce startup during Startup Pedia interview. 

Fast forward to 2024, and Tradesala now boasts over 15,000+ SKUs across 750 subcategories. This ranges from organic goods to electronics.

Considering that Tradesala's marketing spending is minimal, their growth is even more impressive. Tradesala believes in and relies on word-of-mouth and strategically planned celebrity promotions for their marketing needs.

Tradesala remains bootstrapped. They reinvest their revenues into developing their services, such as platform development and seller support, rather than chasing early profitability.

“Our focus is mainly on the long game, the future game. Our priority is creating a robust system and scaling gradually. I believe expanding too fast without a solid foundation would be like building a tower on shaky ground,” Joseph Jeravin discussed during the interview with Startupedia.

Following the development-first and slow-profit approach, the platform has attracted over 2 lakh floating users in the past three months alone.

Also Read: Austrian Boys Move To India & Build Tinder-like AI App For Jobs

Services and benefits of Tradesala: 

For sellers, Tradesala  offers unique advantages:

1. Ease of Use: A simple and easy onboarding process paired with personalized assistance.
2. Low Costs: With a 5% commission rate, sellers retain higher margins.
3. Support for Local Brands: Focused exclusively on Indian-made products, Tradesala helps sellers shine in domestic and international markets.
4. Flexible Policies: Seller-friendly return periods and policies promote trust and collaboration.

With a clear vision to become the go-to platform for Indian brands and foster self-reliance and global competitiveness among them, Tradesala has onboarded 650+ sellers to date and has plans to scale further.

“Our ultimate goal is to showcase Indian brands, from rural to urban, and eventually take them global. But first, we are focusing on perfecting our systems here at home,” Joseph Jeravin, the co-founder of Tradesala. 

Customers can effortlessly browse and shop on Tradesala by visiting https://tradesala.com or downloading the app [ available on both iOS and Android - https://qr.tradesala.com/qr ]. 

Discover an extensive selection of products from trusted Indian brands and enjoy a smooth shopping experience with fast delivery, secure payment options, and dedicated customer support, all at your fingertips.

Tradesala Founders' Story:

The co-founders of Tradesala —Joseph Jeravin, Sriram Rangaraaj, and Ashok Ramprasath come from a strong professional foundation in this business.

Joseph Jeravin, a former corporate employee, was well-settled in his career but felt unfulfilled. He felt he could do something more meaningful in his life.

This desire to create a lasting impact and address societal challenges ultimately led him to pursue entrepreneurship.

While many entrepreneurs start businesses as side hustles, Joseph chose to dedicate his time fully to Tradesala. Since the founders come from well-off families, they pooled their resources and prioritized building a business without financial pressures.

Also Read: Two Failed Startups & With ₹30K Initial Investment, Delhi-based Engineer Builds India’s No.1 Muslim Matrimony Portal