How do brands succeed online? Are large online marketplaces helping small brands? How does the online trade work? What are the margins like? How does marketing work on shopping portals? How does an unknown product like a chopper suddenly become a bestseller? How does a new entrepreneur establish her online business? To answer these and many more questions, Indira Raman and Manesh Mahatme joined “The Thing With This One Is” podcast with Ram Deshpande. Indira is the founder of The Yard House, a unique brand selling premium table linen and other home furnishing products online. Indira previously worked with Flipkart. Manesh is a former senior executive from Amazon. Both Indira and Manesh are e-commerce veterans. They joined Ram Deshpande, an ex-Snapdeal executive, to discuss the nuances of e-commerce in India. Between them, they have a wealth of experience that can help brands that are trying to start or sustain or grow their online business. This episode of “The Thing With This One Is” brings both perspectives: one that of the online seller and another of the marketplace. The discussion covers all aspects of e-commerce including topics related to online branding, customer acquisition, marketing, growth, margins, fulfilment, sales, discounts, and more.E-commerce has evolved over the past decade or so in India: earlier a novelty it is now mainstream; started with books is now providing pretty much everything; back then an experiment for some is now the primary business for many an entrepreneur; diluting a brand earlier, now the birthplace of many innovative brands. But, the share of online commerce in overall retail in India is still in single digit %ages. The noise about e-commerce is a lot louder because the growth is massive and rapid. This growth can be seen from the eyes of a seller brand (The Yard House) and also from the eyes of the marketplace (Amazon). This podcast provides both these viewpoints. We also discuss the newest trend of quick commerce. Is it here to stay or is it a passing fad?If you are a seller or want to be one, this podcast will teach you about how to get started, how to build and then how to sustain your business. If you are a customer who shops online, this podcast will give you a peek into what goes on behind the scenes. In addition to the discussion on e-commerce, there is a “very interesting demo” of the table linen we used at the office of the Yard House. Do watch till the end!Episode 7 creditsGuest: Indira Raman and Manesh MahatmeHost: Ram Deshpande Photographed, Edited, and Directed by: Kedar Gavane Title concept and music created by: Ram Deshpande Location: The Yard House, Bengaluru