ANS Commerce Empowering D2C Brands in India’s E-commerce Landscape

In today’s dynamic business landscape, Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) brands are not just selling products; they are navigating a complex ecosystem of digital marketing, sales, and customer service. Gurugram-based start-ups ANS Commerce is simplifying this journey for D2C brands, offering a comprehensive platform that covers every aspect of their e-commerce value chain.

The Visionaries behind ANS Commerce:

The brains behind ANS Commerce—Vibhor Sahare, Sushant Puri, Nakul Singh, and Amit Monga—bring a wealth of experience in e-commerce, digital marketing, brand building, and operations. Their journey began in early 2017 when they observed D2C brands struggling with performance marketing, specifically the challenge of driving traffic to their online stores.

Initially, ANS Commerce started as a consultancy, helping brands enhance their marketing Return on Investment (ROI). However, it soon became apparent that e-commerce presented more significant opportunities and challenges. The startup’s evolution was rapid, and within a year, it had secured its first client—a B2B Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company looking to launch a D2C brand.

“We operated out of a basement office and had many late nights shipping products and solving customer pain points. By the end of our first year, we had grown to 50 people, and brands were increasingly realizing the importance of e-commerce but lacked the skills to manage its complexities,” Vibhor recalls.

Kartify: The Catalyst for Growth

At the close of 2017, ANS Commerce was approached by a domestic food brand in search of marketing solutions. The brand then requested ANS to develop a brand store, leading to the creation of Kartify—the startup’s proprietary platform. Kartify serves as a one-stop solution, helping D2C brands with “everything e-commerce” and allowing them to focus on their core mission—bringing their products to market.

Kartify is pre-integrated with more than 60 partners, including Unicommerce, GoFynd, Delhivery, and Razorpay. It provides sales-focused performance marketing, marketplace management, warehousing, logistics solutions, and support for selling on platforms like Amazon and Flipkart.

The revenue model is a combination of a percentage of sales and a monthly retainer for end-to-end service management. Today, ANS Commerce boasts a portfolio of over 100 brands and aims to onboard 200 clients by the end of the year.

A Thriving Market and a Bright Future:

The direct-to-consumer (D2C) sector in India is poised for tremendous growth, with a projected worth of $100 billion by 2025 and over 6,000 home-grown brands. Globally, companies similar to ANS Commerce, such as Shopify, Baozun (China), a Commerce (South East Asia), and Upaghna Ventures in India, are driving e-commerce solutions for mid-market and enterprise brands.

In 2021, ANS Commerce was selected as one of eight finalists in Flipkart LEAP accelerator’s inaugural cohort. In 2019, the start-ups secured an angel round of $300,000 from prominent investors in the industry. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic between March and May 2020, ANS Commerce emerged stronger, achieving profitability with a remarkable 20 percent month-on-month growth.

According to Avendus Capital, the D2C sector is set to reach $100 billion by 2025. ANS Commerce aims to play a pivotal role in this growth, becoming the preferred partner for every brand in India seeking comprehensive e-commerce solutions. Over the next 18 months, the startup plans to expand its partner network, enhance its product offerings, and drive value for its clients.

Vibhor Sahare, Sushant Puri, Nakul Singh, and Amit Monga’s vision for ANS Commerce is clear: to empower D2C brands, simplify their e-commerce journey, and help them thrive in India’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.