Passion and determination: How Indian gemstone and jewellery manufacturers have gone global with eBay

Factors like the increasing use of the internet, evolving consumer preferences and trust in purchases beyond domestic e-commerce have left local sellers with promising opportunities to go borderless with their business. For sellers who have partnered with eBay for cross-border commerce, the US, UK, Australia and mainland Europe are top markets, according to a report. This cross-border trade has helped these sellers make the most out of a buyer base consisting of millions, interested in categories like apparel, jewellery, toys, auto parts and home decor.

And one such seller who has written his success story with eBay is Rajasthan-based Vikash Pareek, who has a jewellery exports business. With humble beginnings in Assam and encouraging parents, Vikash completed his BCom and was scouring opportunities in the job market. But due to the lack of promising offers, he learned French and tried his hands at becoming an interpreter and tourist guide. However, he had to leave his job owing to pricey commission rates.
Vikash decided to try his hands at entrepreneurship, and in 1995, he started his corrugated box manufacturing business. Due to lack of experience, he had to give up this venture too, and then he moved to Goa, where success eluded him once again. He returned to Jaipur and found a job, but he was not content with this choice and decided to start a business again. For about a decade, his business did not work.


He then began a jewellery export business in 2003, and in three years’ time, things started looking up for him. He joined eBay in 2014, and when his business plummeted in 2016, eBay export helped him sail through this phase.

While the world is reeling from the challenges encountered in the pandemic, with vaccination, consumer confidence has returned, and e-commerce growth opportunities have surged. eBay’s platform has helped local sellers build on new skills, capabilities, business and pricing models, and opened their world of local charm to the potential of global markets. What has further helped sellers are the best shipping rates via eBay global shipping platform, an aggregator that helps sellers get optimal shipping rates from global logistic providers. Product promotions, reliable customer support, market insights and many other features have transformed the selling experience for these Indian sellers, who have tasted global success through this platform.

Kavita Maisi is another Delhi-based seller whose business of loose gemstones expanded with eBay’s 360-degree offerings. Throughout her eight-year journey with eBay, her sales surged from $30/week to over $6000/week. Today, sales from eBay contribute to more than 90% of her overall business. She says, “Not only has eBay’s cross-border marketplace done my business wonders, but it's seller support, access to consumer trends, Seller Protection, and tools such as eBaymag have helped me scale my business locally and globally. Even during the pandemic, eBay helped me keep my business afloat, and I was able to provide job security to my employees.”

Vikash and Kavita’s stories are a few of the many success stories of eBay sellers. The brand is celebrating this entrepreneurial spirit in its all-new ‘Sirf Local Nahin, International Seller’ campaign. The stories captured in this campaign go beyond financial success. It is also about how these sellers have upgraded their lives with the value that eBay has added to their local businesses. It is an attempt to empower local sellers to thrive globally and contribute to the export story of India.

If these stories strike a chord with you, find out how you can pursue the path of selling here.