How Two Friends Built ₹4 Crore

The story of Incredible Gifts began in 2012 when Vikram Pratap and Yashpal Sharma, both childhood friends and ex-colleagues at Info Edge, decided to step away from their jobs and venture into the world of small businesses. After experimenting with various ideas, the duo settled on online gifting, an industry that was still in its infancy in India.

At that time, online gifting wasn’t as popular as it is today. People preferred to visit physical stores or gift shops, and e-commerce websites were not offering many personalized or unique products. Vikram and Yashpal saw a gap in the market — and they were determined to fill it.

With no external investments or seed money, they used their savings to start Incredible Gifts from Vikram’s home. Despite facing a slow start, their vision of providing personalized gifts quickly gained traction.

Like most entrepreneurs, Vikram and Yashpal faced their share of challenges. Early on, they struggled with client management and payment issues. They trusted some clients and offered products on a trust basis, but unfortunately, they were let down. Many of these clients vanished without paying, resulting in huge losses.

This experience was a tough lesson, but it led them to take legal documentation and contracts more seriously. It was one of their first major breakthroughs in business operations.

They also faced setbacks when adding partners from other industries, which didn’t go as planned and resulted in further losses. But instead of letting these failures define them, they used them to refine their approach and focus more strategically on growing their business.

The turning point for Incredible Gifts came when the founders decided to expand their reach by listing their products on major e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, and eBay. This strategic move helped them scale their business and gave them access to a much wider customer base. Their sales began to grow steadily, and their unique offerings started to gain attention in the gifting industry.

Today, Incredible Gifts is one of the leading personalized gifting platforms in india, with an annual turnover of around ₹4 Crores. They cater to customers across India, with plans for international expansion on the horizon.

Every successful business needs a unique selling proposition (USP), and for Incredible Gifts, that USP is their personalized gifting. What makes them truly stand out in the market is their focus on engraving, not just printing names on gifts.

For example, one of their top sellers is the personalized plaque. Instead of just printing a name, they engrave it, creating a tactile experience where the customer can physically feel the depth of their name. This unique touch has made their products a hit, especially in categories like photo frames, with one of their plaques still being one of the best-selling products on Amazon.

When Incredible Gifts was launched in 2012, it started with a small turnover of ₹6 lakh per year, but the company’s founders remained steadfast in their vision. They worked hard to expand their product line and add more unique gifting categories, which helped them eventually scale to the ₹4 Crore revenue mark.

Looking forward, Vikram and Yashpal have big plans. They aim to introduce printed gifts to their range, tapping into a new segment of the market. The founders are also eager to expand internationally, reaching gifting customers outside India.

The story of Incredible Gifts provides several valuable lessons for entrepreneurs :

• Start with a Clear Vision : The founders recognized the potential in personalized gifting early on and stayed committed to their idea.
• Learn from Failures : Mistakes with clients and partnerships were difficult, but they helped the founders refine their approach and focus on business ethics.
• Leverage the Power of E-commerce : Moving to platforms like Amazon and Flipkart helped scale the business quickly and efficiently.
• Innovate with Purpose : The unique engraving technique for personalized gifts helped Incredible Gifts stand out in a crowded market.

With their strong foundation and continued focus on innovation, Incredible Gifts is poised for long-term success. By expanding its product offerings, enhancing its online presence, and pushing for international growth, the company is set to make personalized gifting an even more integral part of life in India and beyond.

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