Business model and plan for an online aggregating market place for designers

Abstract

Disconnect is a venture to connect disconnected marketplaces. India is at a juncture where there are hundreds of designers graduating from universities, as well as several homepreneurs who work out of their houses and make products. Simultaneously, there’s a new urban middle class which wants to break away from the mainstream. They want to experiment with themes that allow them to explore their individuality. These consumers, largely young are tired of the same old brands and want products that are more customized, and more unique. These “quirky” products are offbeat, they aren’t easily available and they also make for great gifts. These are usually impulse purchases because of their novelty. he marketing for the website would largely be online, and we’ve seen great traction on our Facebook page just by word of mouth. From our experience, a physical flea market is also a great way to get people to recognize your brand as well as reach out to designers. On a weekly basis, post event, we get 3-5 designers requesting data on our next event and how they can put up a stall. We think this is a problem worth solving. Apart from the fact that it’s a simple solution to an unorganized fragmented market that we can whip into shape, it’s also enormously lucrative for all parties. Moreover, on a slightly sentimental note, we believe in design and the need to give a voice to the growing indie-culture that is not yet mainstream. We know that there are several small designers who are unable to make it big simply because of lack of access to a platform. The small guy theory is very strong in our minds. We’d like to give them a voice, and moreover, we believe that India is more than poised to absorb avant-garde design.