With the plethora of e-commerce ventures offering discounts and freebies to attract sales, consumers are often confused about where to buy what. Some start-ups are now trying to address the problem by offering a concierge-like service helping buyers find the best deals online.

Companies such as Haptik, Helpchat, GetMyPeon and Jugaado use algorithm and analytics to find the right fit for consumers.

For example, on Helpchat, users can get advice on where to eat and what to eat through a live chat session.

All that consumers have to do is type a query on the chat window; the application identifies the key words and throws up solutions or options. The application sends a link to the website from where the user can purchase the item. This helps consumers as they don’t have to install a zillion apps on their smartphones — they get what they want through a single app.

On Jugaado, one can even get solutions to problems such as getting a duplicate key made if you happen to lose the original one or buy a packet of cigarettes.

Says Ankur Singla, founder and CEO, HelpChat: “The growth potential of such platforms is huge and they will be used by millions of users in coming months. As messaging becomes the preferred method of communication, users are no longer bound to a single big platform. The social landscape is getting fragmented and different apps are funnelling different kinds of conversations.” The start-ups have a tie up with the e-commerce companies and earn a commission on sales taking place through their applications.

The applications are growing in popularity, which is prompting the promoters to expand. Jugaado, for example, is currently operational in Mumbai but is getting into other cities after witnessing a spurt in traffic. The three-month-old venture is already receiving over 200 queries a day from within Mumbai.

Mumbai-based Haptik, which calls itself as personal assistant for consumers, processes over 20,000 chats a day.

Investor interest

These companies are also getting attention from investors. While Jugaado is in talks with a couple of investors to raise $1 million (about ₹6.6 crore) in the next few months, Helpchat has already secured around ₹100 crore from Sequoia.

Haptik, which raised about a million dollars from Kalaari Capital last year, has grown 40 per cent every month.    

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