Frequently Asked Questions
How the marketplace works — for buyers and sellers.
Is it free for buyers?
Yes. Searching, Smart Match, sending inquiries, posting RFQs, comparing quotes and ordering samples are all free for buyers. The platform earns from seller services — verification and featured placements — and from optional buyer services (priority concierge requests and AI plans), never from buyers merely contacting suppliers or submitting RFQs.
How does seller verification work?
Anyone can create a seller account with an email address, but publishing products, quoting RFQs and the Verified badge stay locked until the business tax ID is validated and approved by our team against the business certificate. Document Verified is ₹4,999 per 12-month term (document review); Verified Exporter is ₹9,999 per 12-month term and adds an IEC check; a video facility check is ₹14,999 one-time and earns a “Factory-reviewed” badge — never an “audited” badge; a third-party factory audit is ₹49,999 plus travel at actuals per audit and, once available at launch, is the only route to a “Factory-audited” badge.
Do I need a GSTIN to sell?
In India, yes. No individual without a business tax ID can sell on the platform. A proprietor with a valid GSTIN can register and sell — the GSTIN embeds the proprietor's PAN, so it is a real business identity. Sellers in other countries provide their equivalent business registration.
How do RFQs (quote requests) work?
Describe what you want to buy — the AI RFQ generator turns a few words (and optional photos) into a complete request with specifications. Verified suppliers send quotations, you compare them side by side, counter-offer, and accept. You can also upload a spreadsheet to post up to 100 RFQs at once, or save RFQs you post regularly as reusable templates.
What is Smart Match?
Smart Match is free AI sourcing: describe what you need in plain words ("I want hair serum, sulfate-free, with GMP certification") and it shows the best-matching verified suppliers, explains why each one matches, and lets you send an inquiry with one click — or to several suppliers at once. You can also save a search and get alerted when new matching suppliers join.
What is honest pricing?
Listed prices show when they were last updated, and stale prices are flagged so you always know whether to ask the seller for the current price. Bait pricing is not allowed. Quotation prices are always private between you and the supplier — they are never reused or shown to anyone else.
How do sample orders work?
Verified sellers can offer paid samples. Buyers order 1–5 units of a product to check quality before committing to a bulk order, then convert the sample into a bulk inquiry with one click. One sample batch per buyer and product keeps it fair.
How do I talk to a supplier?
Send an inquiry from any product page or from Smart Match. That opens a chat thread with the supplier supporting text, voice messages, photos and documents. You keep one thread per product with each supplier — your history, documents and pictures are never deleted unless you delete them.