Meesho has transformed the landscape of small and medium businesses by enabling them to enter the online marketplace without heavy investments. The company’s business model, innovative tools, and unique Meesho marketing strategy have contributed to its rapid rise.
Let’s take a closer look at Meesho’s journey, products, competitors, and detailed SWOT analysis to understand the Meesho advantages and disadvantages.
About Meesho
Meesho — short for Meri e-Shop — was founded in 2015 by Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal in Bangalore, India. Their mission was simple yet powerful: empower entrepreneurs, especially women, to start and scale their businesses online without upfront investments.
Meesho operates as a social commerce platform where resellers promote and sell products via WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms. This innovative approach to online retailing forms the core of the Meesho marketing strategy.
Quick Stats on Meesho
| Attribute | Details |
| Founders | Vidit Aatrey & Sanjeev Barnwal |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Origin | Bangalore, India |
| Employees | 750+ |
| Company Type | Private |
| Market Cap (2021) | $2.1 Billion |
| Annual Revenue (2020) | $237.2 Million |
| Net Income (2020) | $45.4 Million |
Products Offered by Meesho
Meesho provides a wide range of products that resellers can promote and sell online:
- Kitchen products
- Home décor and furnishings
- Men’s and women’s fashion
- Skincare and cosmetics
- Other household items
This diverse catalog supports resellers in catering to different customer segments.
Competitors of Meesho
Meesho operates in a highly competitive market. Its top competitors include:
- DealShare
- GlowRoad
- Shop101
- CityMall
- Bulbul
Each of these platforms offers similar social commerce solutions, making the market dynamic and challenging.
SWOT Analysis of Meesho
Let’s now explore the detailed SWOT Analysis of Meesho to better understand the company’s position in the market.
Strengths of Meesho
The strengths of Meesho highlight its competitive advantages that drive growth and profitability.
Top Reselling Platform in India
Meesho is ranked as the number one reselling platform in India, securing a significant share of the social commerce market.
Empowering Women Entrepreneurs
A key part of the Meesho marketing strategy is its focus on enabling women, especially homemakers, to build their own businesses and identities.
Ease of Becoming a Supplier
Joining Meesho as a supplier is simple — download the app, fill out a quick form, and start selling.
Zero Investment Model
One of the most significant Meesho advantages is that resellers can start their business without any upfront investment.
Customer Loyalty Initiatives
Through programs like VIP Membership, resellers who fulfill 15 or more orders in 30 days receive additional discounts, motivating consistent selling.
Community and Training Support
Meesho’s Learning Hub and 14-day Mentorship Program provide valuable guidance, training, and certification to resellers.
Widespread National Presence
Meesho covers over 5000 cities, making it accessible to entrepreneurs across India.
Weaknesses of Meesho
Like any business, Meesho faces internal challenges. Here are the key weaknesses — the Meesho disadvantages.
Product Quality Concerns
Since many suppliers are small, unbranded businesses, product quality can be inconsistent, leading to customer dissatisfaction.
No Free Personal Website for Resellers
Unlike competitors such as GlowRoad and Shop101, Meesho does not offer personal websites for resellers, limiting their online branding potential.
Logistics and Pickup Issues
Resellers sometimes face pickup delays or cancellations, resulting in penalties and unhappy customers.
Dependence on Indian Market
Meesho’s entire business depends on the Indian market, making it vulnerable to domestic economic or regulatory changes.
Presence of Fraudulent Resellers
Despite efforts to ensure authenticity, fraudulent resellers can negatively impact customer trust.
Technical Glitches
Frequent app or website issues can frustrate both customers and resellers, affecting sales and user experience.
Opportunities for Meesho
Meesho can leverage several external opportunities to strengthen its market position.
Adoption of Augmented Reality
Integrating AR can help customers better visualize products, reducing return rates and boosting conversions.
Crypto Payments
Introducing cryptocurrency payments could position Meesho as an innovative, future-ready platform with faster, more secure transactions.
Global Expansion
While currently India-centric, Meesho has the opportunity to enter other developing markets, tapping into new customer bases.
Always-on Shopping
Meesho can attract busy customers by highlighting the convenience of 24/7 shopping through its platform.
Growing Digital Adoption
With more Indians coming online daily, Meesho can capitalize on this trend to grow its reseller network and customer base.
Threats to Meesho
External threats can affect Meesho’s ability to achieve its goals.
Rising Competition
Players like DealShare, GlowRoad, and others pose continuous competition, pushing Meesho to innovate constantly.
Online Fraud and Data Concerns
Security breaches or scams can damage Meesho’s reputation and erode customer trust.
Shifts in Customer Demand
Changing fashion trends or preferences can make inventory management challenging.
Lack of Personal Touch
Unlike offline shopping, Meesho offers no direct interaction or price negotiation between customers and resellers, which can limit appeal to certain buyers.
Conclusion
The SWOT analysis of Meesho shows that the platform has achieved incredible growth through innovation, simplicity, and a strong focus on empowering small businesses. However, it also highlights areas where Meesho needs to improve, especially in product quality, logistics, and technology.
The future of Meesho lies in how effectively it can address these Meesho disadvantages while seizing new opportunities such as AR integration, cryptocurrency payments, and potential international expansion. A robust Meesho marketing strategy focused on trust, innovation, and community building will be critical for sustained success.
FAQs
What is the SWOT analysis of Meesho?
The SWOT analysis of Meesho examines the platform’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It highlights Meesho’s leadership in reselling, community focus, and rapid growth, while also pointing out challenges like product quality issues and strong competition.
What are the main advantages of Meesho?
Meesho’s main advantages include zero investment to start reselling, simple supplier onboarding, strong support for women entrepreneurs, and a large national presence.
What are the key disadvantages of Meesho?
Key Meesho disadvantages are low product quality at times, technical glitches, logistics issues, and lack of personal websites for resellers.
How does Meesho’s marketing strategy contribute to its success?
The Meesho marketing strategy focuses on digital channels, community building, reseller empowerment, and social media promotion. This approach has helped Meesho scale quickly, especially in tier 2 and 3 cities.
Who are the major competitors of Meesho?
Meesho competes with DealShare, GlowRoad, Shop101, CityMall, and Bulbul in the Indian social commerce space.