In this post we interview Mr. Rohan Bhargava, a successful internet entrepreneur and founder of India's leading cash back site Cashkaro.com
1)
Hello Rohan,Thanks for spending your precious time in answering our interview. Can you please tell our readers More about yourself and your new startup Cashkaro ?
My
background is in Financial Services. After graduating from the London School of
Economics, I worked for several years with leading asset management companies.
However, I always knew that following the entrepreneurial route was the way I
wanted to eventually go. In 2011, along with my wife, Swati, we setup Pouring
Pounds, which is a cashback & coupon website.
Recently
we have also expanded to India and launched CashKaro.com , which helps users get discounts
on top e-commerce brands like Myntra, Jabong, Snapdeal, Yatra etc. These
discounts are available via coupons and cashback. Rather than visit the
e-commerce site like Myntra directly, go to the same site via Cashkaro Myntra now pays us commission for this sale, which we pass back to users as
cashback. Users can easily save on all the regular online purchases like mobile
recharge, travel, fashions, electronics and more.
2)
Please Throw some light on the founders of the Website Cashkaro & their educational backgrounds.
The company was founded by my wife, Swati, and I. Prior to starting the company, I
spent several years in the hedge fund industry in London. In my last role with
Aladdin Capital I was managing a $1bn portfolio of structured credit assets. I
graduated from the London School of Economics with a BSc. in Economics
Prior
to founding Pouring Pounds, Swati spent several years at Goldman Sachs in
London. She first worked in Investment Banking and then in the Executive Office
of the CEO. Swati did BSc Mathematics & Economics from the London School of
Economics before that. Swati was shortlisted for the Asian Women of
Achievement Awards in the UK in 2011
3)
How did you get the idea to start Cashkaro?
The
idea behind Cashkaro was to create a simple and comprehensive place for online
shoppers in India to get discounts across all their online purchases. Cashback
has been a hugely successful concept in the West and we have over 2 years
experience in successfully running such sites in the UK, where we run 7
cashback and coupon websites.
4)
There are a few cash back sites in India. How is Cashkaro different
from others?
Our
key USPs are technology, great user experience and fantastic cashback rates.
Over several years we have invested heavily in creating a really robust
cashback technology that minimizes the risk of unsuccessful cashback
transactions. We are also introducing several powerful features like a cashback
reminder tool that automatically lets users know if there are cashback / coupon
deals available.
Our
UI is simple and easy for users to use and navigate around. Given our reach and
unique partnerships we have fantastic cashback rates. For example, we offer Rs
400 cashback on Jet Airways, which is by far the best cashback in the market.
We
also have a very proactive and responsive customer support team to ensure that
any questions or concerns are addressed at the earliest possible.
5)
Currently you deal with how many websites/merchants? According to your
experience which is the category in which people shop the most online?
We
have over 200 online partnerships. Fashion, travel and electronics are probably
the most popular categories.
6)
Kindly share future plans for your startup?
Our
goal over the next few months is to add many more retailers, introduce new
features like the Cashback Reminder Tool and focus on growing our user base.
7) According
to a recent report, There are more than 850+ Online Shopping sites in India.
What according to you is the future of Ecommerce in India?
I
am confident that e-commerce shall continue to grow rapidly in India. While
there are inefficiencies, these will get sorted as regulatory and security
concerns are addressed. E-commerce is here to stay.
8)
Since a lot of readers are wannabe online entrepreneurs, Would you
like to give any advice to them?
I
think it’s really important to stay nimble as an entrepreneur. The business you
start with and how it shapes is a function of what people want and unless you
can adapt things can be challenging. Also we have found Linkedin as a powerful
tool for growing ones network and business and I would highly recommend using
this social medium more.
We thank Mr. Bhargava for spending his valuable time in answering the interview and wish him all the best for his future ventures.
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