India’s quick commerce wave is beginning to move beyond groceries — into high-value, high-consideration purchases.
Epik, a Bengaluru-based startup, has raised $1 million in a pre-seed funding round led by InfoEdge Ventures. The company is building a “try-and-buy” model that combines rapid delivery with in-home product demonstrations for electronics and appliances.
The approach signals a shift in how e-commerce platforms are tackling one of their most persistent challenges: trust.
Bridging the Trust Gap in Electronics
India’s electronics market, estimated at around $90 billion, continues to face a structural friction in online purchases — especially for products priced above ₹5,000.
Consumers often rely on reviews and product descriptions without physical interaction, leading to:
- Long research cycles
- Decision fatigue
- High return rates (estimated at 15–25%)
Epik’s model attempts to address this by bringing the offline experience into the home.
Customers can request a product, and within 60 minutes, a trained expert arrives with demo units, allowing side-by-side comparison before purchase.
Experience Commerce as a New Layer
Rather than focusing purely on speed, Epik introduces what it describes as “experience commerce.”
The platform combines:
- Quick delivery infrastructure
- Human-assisted product demos
- Curated brand partnerships
It currently works with brands such as Philips, Samsung, Dyson, Apple, and others, alongside emerging consumer electronics players.
This hybrid model aims to replicate the tactile assurance of offline retail while retaining the convenience of online shopping.
Early Traction and Operations
Since launching in Bengaluru in October 2025, Epik reports nearly 20x growth and claims zero product returns — a notable metric in a category known for high reversals.
Its logistics model relies on:
- Local fulfilment hubs
- Trained demo personnel
- Scheduled rapid dispatch
This adds operational complexity compared to standard quick commerce but also introduces a service layer that could improve conversion rates.
Investor Perspective
InfoEdge Ventures, an early backer of companies like Zomato and PolicyBazaar, is positioning this as a category-defining bet.
The firm highlighted the gap between speed-driven commerce and trust-driven purchasing — particularly in electronics, where consumers often prefer physical interaction before committing.
Epik’s model attempts to solve both simultaneously.
Capital Deployment and Expansion Plans
The newly raised capital will be used to:
- Build fulfilment and logistics infrastructure
- Expand product categories
- Strengthen demo operations across cities
The company plans to scale beyond Bengaluru and broaden its catalogue across electronics and home appliances.
The Next Phase of Quick Commerce
India’s quick commerce ecosystem is evolving rapidly, but most players remain concentrated in low-ticket, high-frequency categories.
Epik’s thesis is that the next phase of growth lies in high-value purchases — where trust, not just speed, determines conversion.
If successful, this could redefine consumer behavior:
- From “browse and buy”
- To “experience and decide”
A Structural Bet on Behavior Change
The startup’s long-term vision is to make pre-purchase experience the default for online electronics buying.
As e-commerce matures and margins tighten due to returns and logistics costs, models that improve conversion efficiency may gain importance.
Epik’s approach suggests that solving trust — not just delivery speed — could become the next frontier in digital retail.
For now, the $1 million pre-seed round marks an early-stage validation of that idea — one that sits at the intersection of quick commerce, offline retail, and service-driven commerce.
