Varun Gupta, co-founder of homegrown audio brand BOULT, has alleged that rival consumer electronics firms engaged in pressure tactics and sabotage to stifle the company’s growth as it gained market share. In a LinkedIn post, Gupta described what he termed the “ugly side” of the business, claiming the company was subjected to intimidation and anti-competitive practices.
Retail pressure and fake reviews alleged
Gupta, who has built BOULT without backing from institutional investors, said the company became a “threat” to established players in the market due to its rapid growth and product performance. “We thought building a better product would be enough. Turns out… it made us a threat,” he wrote.
According to the post, the alleged hostility began with informal murmurs and backchannel conversations. These were followed by calls to distributors and retailers, purportedly warning them to stop stocking BOULT’s products or risk jeopardising their business with other established brands. “Shelves changed overnight… not because we couldn’t deliver, but because we were delivering too well,” Gupta said.
Employees targeted, smear campaigns alleged
Labelling these actions “anti-competitive,” he claimed that the targeting extended beyond retail channels. Attempts were allegedly made to poach BOULT’s employees with offers of fictitious roles and inflated salaries. When these efforts failed, Gupta said the attacks escalated to include coordinated one-star product reviews during launches, negative media coverage, and disinformation campaigns on social media.
“All this… because we refused to play the game their way,” he wrote, adding that BOULT’s independent growth without “industry hand-holding” had made several competitors uneasy.
Gupta hinted at further disclosures in the days ahead, noting that the next part of his series would go beyond claims to name individuals or entities involved. “Part 3 drops soon. And we’re not just talking anymore, we’re naming what others won’t,” he concluded.