Interaction - Sapan Jain, CEO, Blubirch

Blubirch works in the segment of RA-PaaS. Sapan Jain, CEO, Blubirch talks to us.

How has your organisation expanded across India in metro and non-metro locations and in terms of adoption of your platform in the last 1 year?

Sapan Jain - Blubirch has expanded across India in two fundamental ways. First, it has provided access to rural entrepreneurs to inventory from large sellers, which otherwise they would not have access to. Blubirch does this through its B2B liquidation platform where the ‘otherwise difficult-to-get’ quality inventory is provided in small lots that can be afforded by rural entrepreneurs. Second, because of the disintermediation of several layers of middlemen, these products are made available at affordable prices.

Blubirch has established an extensive network of resellers in Tier 3 and Tier 4 cities by making open box and refurbished products from retailers and brands more accessible and affordable to the people in these regions. The company also collaborates with multiple enterprises and resellers to refurbish and re-deploy the laptops to individuals, small businesses, and start-ups. Over the past four years, Blubirch has successfully redistributed more than 2 million refurbished units to end-users, narrowing the digital divide and empowering those in rural and economically challenged areas with access to technology.

How is the technology of this platform evolving?

Sapan Jain - Blubirch's unique Returns Automation and Monetisation Platform (RAMP) is designed to help brands and retailers to automate management of all types of product returns (i.e. sales, warranty and end of life) in an omni-channel environment. Traditionally, for lack of efficient processes, around 30%–40% of returned inventory would either fetch substantially low recovery or often end up in landfills, contributing environmental damage. Our data-driven platform offers an efficient and sustainable solution to this problem. The platform seamlessly connects all stages of the reverse supply chain, from the point of returns initiation to the final disposition of the inventory. Its AI/ML-driven modules for grading, fraud detection and dynamic resolution helps eliminate unwarranted returns at the origin itself. Also, the item-level tracking, automated approvals and disposition allocation ensures reduced processing times and human errors, leading to reduced cost of operations, improved bottom line and enhanced compliance. The integrated liquidation module helps remarket returned products across multiple secondary channels by leveraging data analytics and insights. This enables efficient product remarketing, ensuring that items are resold or repurposed in the most suitable markets with speedy and optimal recovery while avoiding channel conflict.

What has been your revenue growth % in the last 1 year?

Sapan Jain - Our revenue growth rate is 250% year on year.  

What challenges do you face in this segment? How do you resolve these challenges?

Sapan Jain - Our RA-PaaS solution is product and geography agnostic. It can help online or offline retailers and brands across various product segments, including consumer electronics, mobile devices, IT equipment, fashion, etc.

The company assists clients in addressing the following specific difficulties linked to returns management and asset recovery -

Prevention of Fraudulent Returns - Our organisation provides a hybrid solution that leverage rules, analytics, AI and manual intervention to effectively prevent fraudulent customers or warranty returns, thus protecting the revenue and bottom line of the organisation.

Reduction in Returns - The AI-driven dynamic return policy module allows companies to offer return policies as per the risk profile of a client while the dynamic resolution module enables smart alternate resolutions for customers to avoid returns where possible. Both modules help reduce returns thus preserving the revenue and boosting the bottom line.

Profit Margin Enhancement - Every return eats into profit contribution of 7-10 fresh units. Our solutions assist clients in increasing their profit margins by reducing excessive return, minimising operational cost and eliminating revenue leakages.

Returns Process Optimisation - We aid clients in automating the returns process, thus reducing the returns life cycle timelines by 30%–50%. A faster, transparent and efficient returns process helps in reducing cost while supporting profitable growth.

Remarketing Recovery Maximisation - We assist companies in maximising revenue recovery from returned and EOL merchandise. We enable clients to find opportunities for resale of such inventories to obtain the optimal recovery value by leveraging Blubirch’s grading solution and multiple remarketing platforms.

Improved Customer Experience - We are committed to providing a good customer experience throughout the returns process. We enable a frictionless omnichannel returns process, thus helping companies in improving customer or channel partners’ satisfaction, loyalty and brand reputation by simplifying the returns initiation process, offering transparent tracking, and resolving returns quickly and efficiently.

Data-Driven Decision Making - We use data analytics and insights to deliver valuable information to clients about returns trends, product performance and customer behaviour. Clients are now able to make data-driven decisions for returns process optimization, returns inventory management and product quality enhancements.

Enabling Achievement of ESG Goals - We support clients in addressing sustainability goals and environmental responsibilities by implementing the system-driven process for returned and decommissioned products, thus reducing waste and supporting circular economy principles. It also acts as a central repository for all documents and information related to used or unsold products’ disposition.

Read more from Dr Archana Verma here 

Read products news here