Global demand for home decor products on eBay turns small biz owners into global businessmen

Small and medium-sized businesses continue to be a driver of the country’s entrepreneurial endeavours and economic growth despite often being faced with unexpected and unprecedented challenges. Their determination, unwavering faith, willingness to explore and innovate has been at the center of their success story. But, it also wouldn't have been possible had e-commerce players like eBay not aligned with the Indian government’s vision to push for MSMEs to join the online marketplace amid sagging exports last year. Together, it has opened a world of global trade opportunities by identifying small enterprises and district-wise products even in the remote parts of the country that can be promoted globally. In the last year or so especially, e-commerce and eBay’s online marketplace in particular, has shaped in a way it is becoming the preferred mode to sell for SMEs who are leveraging its outreach, tech, payments services, logistics, customer engagement tools and digital advertisements.

Home Decor: One of the top-selling categories on eBay
According to eBay’s India Small Business Trade Report 2021, small businesses are achieving export success in a growing number of states and union territories in specified product categories targeted by their policymakers for international customers based in US and UK markets. Home Decor, for instance, has emerged as one of the top-selling product categories on eBay. eBay-enabled small businesses performing extremely well in exporting items in this category are from remote areas in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and West Bengal.


Data suggests as many as 33 percent of small businesses on eBay are exporting Home Décor products, and 16 percent of their exports are bedding-related goods being delivered to customers in the United States or the United Kingdom.

Bedding in fact is a small business export focus in Madhya Pradesh, with 67 percent of small businesses in the state serving the US or UK export markets in this particular category indicating the high international demand for such products. Apart from home decor and furnishings, maximum exports are taking place in jewellery and watches, business official & industrial, health & beauty, clothes, and shoes and accessories to a growing international audience in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Germany.

Clearly, those who have been ready to broaden their approach, re-think their business models, and explore and adapt to the digital space have turned into ‘Sirf Local Nahi, International Sellers’. A case in example is that of Krishan Soni, Founder of IndianCultura.

From a family-owned business to a self-made international businessman: The Inspiring story of Krishan Soni

At 17 years of age, Krishan joined his father’s business. It was all going smoothly for him until he met the love of his life, and decided to get married to her against the family’s wishes. Leaving behind a cushy income from the family business, he left home to begin a life with his partner from scratch. With no financial or moral support, both of them got into jobs to earn money. He worked for 15 years before returning to a business of home decor products. Today, he runs a successful foreign trade business IndianCultura that has moved to Indian musical instruments and copper utensils catering to thousands of customers abroad.

Hear the incredible story of how this highly passionate entrepreneur was able to overturn it all with his bold decision:
Inspiring? Last year, Krishan even started a warehouse in the US with eBay’s support and is now eyeing the UK market. Let’s take you to the life of another such entrepreneur, Ajay Swaroop Sharma, who also achieved export success in this top-most performing category of Home decor & Furnishings on eBay.

From working at a BPO to becoming a global export merchant of hand-made Indian products: The Inspiring Story of Ajay Sharma

Hailing from India’s pink city, Jaipur, Ajay started his global B2C export journey with eBay with no inventory of his own. Initially, he concentrated on sourcing products at a fair price from wholesalers to generate decent returns. As he was dealing in a mixed category, revenue was slow in the first quarter of 2019. The eBay team helped Ajay streamline his offerings, fasten his decision-making, and connected him with artisans to source products directly from them. This further contributed to his profits as his procurement costs were reduced. With several such insights, his revenue and sales grew multifold.

Today, he is selling to consumers internationally, employs a team of 8-10 people and has scaled his operations, all because of a combination of risk-taking, negotiation skills, and foresight.“The eBay team has helped me realise my dream of starting my enterprise. By providing result-driven market insights they have helped scale the growth of my business. Through their cross-border platform, I have been able to build a loyal consumer base from multiple geographies,” he says.

Challenges are an inevitable part and parcel of an enterprise's journey, but those like Ajay and Krishan with humble beginnings who have been able to recognise the sheer opportunity that retail export (home decor) holds for their local businesses and rise above roadblocks, are being known the world over today.

So yes, it’s possible! If you feel inspired by these stories and wish to adopt eBay’s cross border e-commerce as a channel to become ‘Sirf Local Nahi, International Sellers’, click here and change your small business story.