Starting a business is exciting, but every rupee matters.

When you're a small startup, ₹20,000 isn't just another expense—it's inventory, packaging material, marketing budget, or even a month's salary for someone helping your business grow.

We are the team behind ClubQuickly, and we believed that investing in Flipkart would help us build our brand and reach more customers. Unfortunately, our experience has been disappointing.

This article isn't written out of anger. It's written to help other startups avoid making the same costly mistake we did.

₹20,000 Spent on a Brand Store... But Where Is the Support?

We were convinced to purchase a Flipkart Brand Store, paying around ₹20,000 with the expectation that it would strengthen our presence on the platform.

However, after the payment, the experience changed dramatically.

The process moved slowly, communication became difficult, and getting updates or meaningful assistance was frustrating.

As a startup, that's not what you expect after making a significant investment.

Seller Support Should Support Sellers

Every marketplace faces operational issues. That's understandable.

What matters is how quickly those issues are resolved.

In our experience, getting seller support from Flipkart has been one of the biggest challenges. Simple issues often required repeated follow-ups, and finding someone who could actually resolve the problem wasn't easy.

When you're running a startup, you don't have the luxury of spending hours chasing support tickets.

Your time should be spent building products, finding customers, and growing your business—not trying to get basic operational help.

Pickup Experience Added More Frustration

Another issue we repeatedly faced was the pickup process.

Delayed or inconsistent pickups affect more than just logistics. They delay deliveries, impact customer satisfaction, and can affect seller performance metrics.

For a new business trying to build trust, every delayed shipment hurts.

Becoming Flipkart Fulfillment Ready Isn't Simple

We also found that becoming eligible for Flipkart Fulfillment involved numerous compliance requirements and operational formalities.

There's nothing wrong with maintaining standards, but for a startup that is still finding its footing, the amount of effort required can feel overwhelming.

Instead of focusing on business growth, you end up spending valuable time navigating processes.

Amazon Gave Us a Completely Different Experience

This is where our experience with Amazon stood out.

Whenever we needed assistance, Amazon's one-click callback feature made it easy to connect with seller support.

Instead of wondering how to reach someone, we simply requested a callback and received guidance through the next steps.

The difference wasn't just the availability of support—it was the feeling that someone was actually helping us solve problems.

As a startup, that kind of support is invaluable.

Why This Matters for New Startups

If you're launching your first brand, remember:

You don't just need a marketplace.

You need a partner that helps you succeed.

A platform should make your journey easier, not add more obstacles.

Every day spent waiting for support is a day not spent growing your business.

Every unnecessary compliance requirement consumes time that could have gone into improving your products or acquiring customers.

Every unexpected expense reduces the runway for a young startup.

Our Advice to Fellow Entrepreneurs

If you're just starting your ecommerce journey:

• Compare marketplaces before investing money.
• Don't purchase premium services simply because they're recommended.
• Ask other sellers about their real experiences.
• Evaluate the quality of seller support, not just commissions.
• Invest your limited budget where you'll see measurable returns.

Final Words from ClubQuickly

We're not saying that every seller will have the same experience we did.

But for ClubQuickly, investing around ₹20,000 in Flipkart's Brand Store at such an early stage turned out to be a decision we regret. As a young startup, that money represented a meaningful investment, and we expected responsive support and timely execution in return.

Our experience with Amazon has been noticeably different, particularly when it comes to accessibility of seller support through features like callback assistance and guidance during onboarding.

If this article helps even one startup avoid making an investment before fully understanding what they're signing up for, then sharing our experience has been worthwhile.

Startups don't fail because they work hard.

Sometimes they struggle because they trust the wrong partners at the wrong stage of their journey.

Choose your marketplace as carefully as you choose your product.