How do I start selling sarees and kurtis online?

Get the basics right before you list anything

1. 1Pick a narrow starting range, for example cotton daily-wear kurtis or festive silk sarees, so your photos, pricing and messaging stay consistent.
2. 2Work out your real cost per piece: fabric, stitching, packaging, shipping, marketplace commission, payment fees and an allowance for returns.
3. 3Shoot every product in natural light from the front, back and close-up on the fabric and border, and show at least one photo on a model or mannequin so drape and fit are visible.
4. 4Write a size chart in inches with bust, waist, hip and length for kurtis, and blouse and saree length for sarees; most ethnic-wear returns come from size and colour mismatch.
5. 5Register your business and GST as applicable, and check current GST rules for selling through e-commerce platforms, since these differ from offline selling.

Marketplaces, social media or your own store

• Marketplaces (Meesho, Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra and others) bring ready buyers, but you compete on price, follow their return policies and pay commission on each sale.
• Instagram and WhatsApp work well for building a loyal audience through reels, try-on videos and new-arrival broadcasts, but taking orders by chat gets messy as volume grows.
• Your own online store lets you set prices, keep customer data, run offers and build a brand, though you have to bring the traffic yourself.
• Many sellers combine all three: marketplaces for reach, social media for discovery and repeat buyers, and their own store as the home of the brand.

Cash on delivery, shipping and returns

• COD is still expected by many Indian buyers, but it raises the risk of refused parcels; consider confirming COD orders on WhatsApp before dispatch or offering a small prepaid discount.
• Use a shipping aggregator so you can compare courier rates and serve more pin codes from one dashboard.
• Publish a short, clear return and exchange policy, and offer size exchanges rather than refunds where you can.
• Pack neatly with a thank-you card and care instructions; good unboxing leads to reviews and repeat orders.

Where technology helps as you grow

Once orders come in daily, a proper store keeps stock, sizes, payments and shipping in one place instead of spreadsheets and chats. DCPL runs Kalindi, its own ethnic women's wear brand, on Shopify, and built Sakhi, an AI style assistant that understands everyday Hinglish so shoppers can ask questions the way they would in a shop. Tools like this help when customers need guidance on fabric, fit or occasion before buying.