A new cohort of entrepreneurial talent is developing, not through traditional shops and boardrooms, but through Instagram handles, Shopify dashboards, and video reels that turn into sales.
Young sellers, typically in their early 20s, are using the internet as their primary marketplace. Some built brands straight from their bedrooms, others bootstrapped entire lines of products with only Canva, ChatGPT, and a Paytm account.
However, for as much as there is excitement with a digital-first approach, there are just as many errors. For every great story, there are at least as many brands scratching their heads as to why their ‘viral’ post didn’t result in purchases, or how to scale the brand they have built.
So, what exactly are young sellers getting right and where are they messing it up?
We will take a look at both sides of the equation, with key takeaways included.
Unlike traditional entrepreneurs who begin with pitch decks and business plans, young sellers just dive in, testing products on Instagram, running story polls for packaging, and launching online stores over the weekend. Their scrappy, intuitive approach helps them learn fast from real customers, not theory.
Whether it is hopping on a trending audio or responding to DMs with humour, young sellers are fluent in online culture. They are relatable, not polished. Their content feels native, not like an advertisement.
This works especially well in visual-first types of e-commerce, such as handmade jewellery, art prints, beauty products, and fashion accessories, where storytelling and aesthetics drive sales.
Many new sellers do not set out to please everyone. Instead, they build tightly around a community: vegans, K-pop fans, sustainable fashion lovers, or fitness junkies.
By doing this, they can address the values and needs of their audience directly – something broader brands do not do as well. This often leads to a greater degree of loyalty and word-of-mouth because of their micro-niche.
Many young founders are proactive with seeking assistance, whether it is to get with like-minded founders in an online forum, watching YouTube, or even outsourcing growth campaigns altogether.
Some even collaborate with a performance marketing agency in India, at the start of their venture, not with a big retainer, but for mentorship in terms of ad strategy, analytics, and audience targeting. These types of relationships can help focus on what seems to be working, see what is broken and implement improvements, without the growing pains lasting too long.
In the zeal to get started, a lot of sellers fall prey to a widespread problem, which is not fully grasping the subtleties between the different types of e-commerce, such as dropshipping vs. print-on-demand vs. marketplace vs. D2C.
They will never learn, and they may even end up choosing a model that doesn’t even work for their product or fulfilling capacity. For example, handmade products cannot often be scaled with COD models, and while requiring customised delivery options, digital goods don’t really require full-on websites, but do require a secure checkout system (and/or some rare outliers).
Before choosing a path, you need to understand fulfilment, margin, delivery windows, and customer expectations.
Instagram might be the launchpad, but it’s not a business plan. Relying only on organic reach or reels can lead to a feast-and-famine cycle—great engagement one week, silence the next.
Without diversifying channels (email, WhatsApp, marketplaces, etc.) or building owned platforms like a website or mailing list, many sellers hit a plateau.
Instagram may be the starting point, but it’s not the business plan. If you are relying on organic reach or reels, you will always be riding the rollercoaster of a feast-and-famine engagement cycle: great engagement last week and then silence the next teen.
Without diversifying channels (email, WhatsApp, marketplaces, etc.) or building an owned platform such as a website or mailing list, most sellers will arrive at a plateau.
A good performance marketing agency in Mumbai can help translate digital noise into meaningful growth metrics, without overwhelming founders with jargon.
Many young sellers pour their energy into content but neglect post-purchase moments: delivery delays, unclear return policies, or poor packaging. Customers remember how a product arrives, whether it feels personal, and how issues are handled. A clunky website, missed courier pickups, or rude responses can hurt more than a bad ad.
Also Read: How Online Marketing Levels the Playing Field for Small Businesses
So, how can young sellers course-correct while still retaining their fresh energy and creative drive?
Take time to research types of e-commerce and business models. Dropshipping, affiliate, print-on-demand, wholesale, and D2C each have pros and cons. Choose what matches your time, budget, and ambition, not just what looks easy online.
Don’t just build an audience, build a customer list. Use email marketing, create a basic CRM, and think about WhatsApp or SMS automation. Let Instagram be your discovery tool, but not your only tool.
Start tracking metrics even if it’s just in a Google Sheet. What’s your best-selling product? How much does it cost to acquire a customer? What’s the average order value? This mindset shift will help you think like a brand, not just a seller.
You don’t need to hire a big agency right away. But a specialised freelancer, a boutique performance marketing agency in India, or even an advisor can help set your basics, campaigns, analytics, or funnels up the right way. You’ll save time, money, and avoid rookie mistakes.
At RepIndia, we get it. The digital hustle is more than about speed; it’s about building something that lasts. Young sellers are changing the entrepreneurial landscape, but scaling their business takes more than gut instinct.
With the right mindset, smarter tools, and the right strategic support, today’s creators can grow into brands that last forever. We can help connect the dots, turning crafty sparks into sustainable growth stories, one smart decision at a time.
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