Chennai: With about 134 million smartphones sold, India is the second largest market for smart phones only after China. The craving for latest spec mobile phones is set to grow thanks to the country’s thriving population.
Naturally, several online firms offer a plethora of options for customers to buy smart phone accessories. Chinese manufacturers have always been the front runner in exporting such products to India.
But indigenous manufacturers are ready to take the fight to the Chinese and in this context comes ‘Cover it Up’ — a city-based startup that has stepped into the mobile accessories arena.
Speaking to News Today, founder of the start-up, Ronak Sarda, narrates how it began. ‘I used to keep changing my phone cases often when I was in college. There were mostly plain design cases four or five years ago. Many people could buy only such cases,’ he says. ‘I found a big gap in design choices.’
Ronak went to China with his father and came across several mobile cases. It inspired him to start a business. ‘I got some 50 samples. I sold some of it to my friends,’ he says. ‘Soon I thought, why not take this seriously?’ Ronak then created a Facebook page and uploaded some of his designs. ‘Within three days I sold all them,’ he smiles.
Ronak later started working for a digital marketing firm. He continued selling mobile cases side-by-side. ‘One of my colleagues told me to start a website for my work,’ he says. ‘So it all just happened accidentally without any proper plan.’ The youngster eventually quit his job and started ‘Cover it up’ in 2013.
He used to import mobile cases from China. ‘I couldn’t keep going because they are tough to get from there,’ says Ronak. ‘So I realised whatever designs I had seen there, I will try to make it in India. Then I got the raw materials. Yet I couldn’t achieve the quality what they could do.’
He then decided to buy the mobile case printing machines themselves. ‘My dad believes in good quality as he is in the retail business,’ says Ronak. ‘He always reminded me that customer appreciation works only when the product is good. He kept telling me to improve my products.’
Ronak then invested on machines, inventory and branding. The mobile cases are made at a temperature around 250° C, explained Ronak. ‘It is a bit complicated to use the machines in the beginning and they are also not automated,’ he says. ‘There’s a lot of manual work involved.’
Over the years, Ronak says he had to learn several aspects of his business the hard way, from web designing to marketing. ‘But they were all very good learning lessons,’ he smiles.
Eventually his products became a hit among customers. ‘By God’s grace, we have expanded from a team of two in a 100 square feet office to a team of 28,’ he says. ‘I have a dedicated and an exciting team who are passionate just like me.’
Cover it Up has expanded from phone cases to other products likes T Shirts, mugs, notebooks, etc. They have made merchandises for Chennai Super Kings team and for the movie, ‘Kaala’. The startup recently signed a deal with Marvel Studios to manufacture their official mobile cases and T shirts.
| Stats & Facts |
| * India has as many mobile users as the entire population of the United States. The number of smartphone users in India is estimated to increase to about 442.5 million in 2022. The country ranks second in the average time spent on mobile web by smartphone users across Asia Pacific. |
| * The collective share of China-based vendors reached 53 per cent in 2017 from 34 per cent two years ago. The volume of India’s smartphone shipments is forecasted to increase to about 700 million in 2020, up from about eight million in the year 2010. |
| * The market value of domestic manufactured smartphones in India was about 490 billion US dollars in fiscal year 2016. |
| * The average selling price decreased from about 254 U.S. dollars in 2011 to 132 U.S. dollars in 2015. |
| Big players too |
| * Big players in the Indian smartphone market are also set to foray into the Indian market with Xiaomi-backed ZMI launching mobile accessories here. ZMI has partnered with the Shyam Telecom Group to enter the Indian market and launch over 50 products such as smartphone accessories, audio peripherals and smart home appliances among others. |
| * Two of the biggest Chinese smartphone brands Xiaomi and Huawei are poised to stir up the Indian retail market by establishing exclusive outlets in new formats that will be a global first for them. Xiaomi, for instance, is setting up thousands of Mi Stores in rural locations. Its spokesperson said this will generate more than 5,000 jobs in such areas. |