Some shops look like any other ordinary stores, except that the products they are licensed to sell are mainly meant for adults who look to spice up their lives. Buying such products from direct stores may embarrass some – hence the rise of online adult products shops. Viewing it as a business opportunity in a developing nation like India, a group of senior corporate executives, headed by a former Microsoft lead at Singapore, Samir Saraiya, has launched an online shop for adult products.
Saraiya has worked with Microsoft and Yahoo earlier. Other members of the team are Neville Taraporewalla, Senior Director (Emerging Markets), Microsoft India; Jaspreet Bindra, formerly regional director (Retail, entertainment and devices), Microsoft India; Vikram Varma, head of Internet solutions firm Digital Driftwood; Abhay Bhalerao, chairman of Amrut Software; and Internet lawyer Lekhesh Dholakia. All are now the co-founders and investors in Digital E-Life.
Their portal thatspersonal.com has tied up with several global brands to sell their products exclusively in India.
“The sheer size of the business opportunity was the biggest driver for me to leave the high-paying job in Singapore with an amazing expat life. At present, most companies sell sex products in India illegally from crowded markets such as Delhi’s Palika Bazaar and Mumbai’s Manish Market – at Rs 1,200-1,500 crore”, says Sharaiya.
He believes the industry to grow manifold as people in the country are inclined to become more adventurous with their lives and at the same time stay discreet.
“India being on the threshold to have one of the largest online audiences in a couple of years … it is the right move in the right direction,” says Taraporewalla, the Internet industry veteran.
As of now, payments on the site are to be made via credit/debit cards or via Net-banking only. Plans on introducing cash-on-delivery services are expected to be introduced soon, reports Times Of India.
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