As India’s e-commerce market races toward a projected $350 billion valuation by 2030, a quiet transformation is underway—one driven not just by large platforms, but by everyday sellers turned mentors.
From tier-II and tier-III cities to metros, thousands of small entrepreneurs are not only building Amazon, Flipkart, and Meesho storefronts, but also sharing the playbooks that helped them get there. Many are creating informal mentorship communities that are now evolving into full-fledged learning ecosystems.
According to Redseer, over 40% of new e-commerce sellers in 2024 came from smaller towns, with first-time entrepreneurs, homemakers, and working professionals making up a large chunk of that cohort. To help this demographic navigate complex supply chains and digital storefronts, seller-mentors are offering product research tips, supplier contacts, and launch strategies through structured programs, often built on their own trial-and-error journeys.
Among those tapping into this trend is Morbi, Gujarat -based Ali Lokhandwala, who began selling on Amazon in 2017. After facing the typical setbacks of early-stage sellers, he gradually built a multi-crore business by focusing on higher-value, niche products. Over time, he began sharing his methods with others, and now engages with a community of over 15,000 sellers through digital platforms and structured mentoring.
“I started sharing what I was doing because people kept asking—not because I planned to teach,” Lokhandwala says. His focus on high-ticket items—products priced above ₹1,500—helps sellers avoid the low-margin trap common in the space.
While such stories aren’t universal, they reflect a broader shift: a new generation of Indian online entrepreneurs who see platforms not just as marketplaces, but as springboards to independent business ownership—with some guidance along the way.