People in the modern fast-paced digital era value convenience, and e-commerce provides this advantage to them. Apps like Meesho are at the forefront, turning everyday people into online store owners without any capital investment. Meesho has gained a massive following in India and elsewhere by making it possible for buyers and sellers to buy and resell products through social media. If you are thinking about creating an app like Meesho online shopping , then you must have something running through your head: how costly is it to create an app like Meesho?
In this blog, we'll explore everything from Meesho's business model and features to the costs involved in development.
What is Meesho?
Meesho is an e-commerce platform on which individuals can become online entrepreneurs without investing even a single penny. Customers can purchase an immense collection of fashion, accessories, and household products and resell them on WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, or any other site. If one buys the product, then the reseller receives a commission.
"Turning everyday people into entrepreneurs one tap at a time."
Why is Meesho so Popular?
Meesho has established itself as a highly successful and popular business since its foundation just a brief time ago. The Dubai shopping app has some solid reasons behind its popularity among users and resellers. Let's find out more about why this platform has become the go-to choice for millions.
1. It Allows Individuals to Start Their Business Without Investment
The largest reason why Meesho shopping appis phenomenally popular is that it gives people the opportunity to start a business without any monetary investment. In traditional business practices, people have to invest a lot of money in purchasing stock, renting a shop, advertising, and paying for other costs to operate the business. With Meesho, people can start right away without any investment in all those money expenses. This makes it a highly attractive option for anyone who wishes to venture into e-commerce but lacks sufficient funds to invest in a genuine business.
2. The Platform Is Easy to Use
The simplicity of Meesho's platform has been one of the reasons behind its success. Even individuals with minimal technology background or online business knowledge can utilise the platform without difficulty. Customers can easily navigate products, pick the ones they want to resell, and start sharing product links on social media. The site is simple to use, with uncomplicated features that do not require technical knowledge to manoeuvre.
3. It's Mobile-Friendly
Because everyone these days spends a lot of time on their mobile devices, Meesho ensured its app is mobile-friendly. So, the customers can run their entire business using their phone. They can view sales, monitor orders, respond to customers, and market products anywhere and everywhere. The mobile-first approach enables resellers to be in touch with their business anytime, so they can make money anywhere and at any time.
4. Works Well with Social Media
The social commerce plan of Meesho utilises social media for promoting and selling products. Everyone uses WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and so on to chat with friends and family. Meesho has given a straightforward integration with these social channels such that individuals can easily share product images and links with social contacts. It offers a convenient means by which resellers can reach out to potential customers and network-sell products. This is due to the fact that people will readily believe the referrals from their friends and relatives to utilise Meesho's word-of-mouth selling platform, thus boosting sales.
Meesho is also an excellent channel through which individuals can create and maintain relationships with their buyers. Unlike conventional cold marketing, resellers can interact one-on-one with their viewers, answer questions, and recommend specific products. This builds trust and loyalty in the long run.
Meesho's Business Model in Simple Words
Meesho has a unique and groundbreaking business model that mutually benefits suppliers and resellers. Let's simplify it to understand how this model functions and why it excels.
1. Suppliers Upload Their Products
The suppliers are the heart of Meesho's business model. Suppliers can be manufacturers, wholesalers, or small businesses that wish to sell their goods to more consumers. They place their products on the Meesho platform, and resellers browse and pick products to resell. This eliminates the work of the reseller to design or find their products themselves.
2. Resellers Choose Products to Sell
After the suppliers have listed their products, resellers can browse through the list and select the ones they want to resell. Meesho offers a huge number of products in various categories, such as fashion, electronics, home goods, beauty care products, etc. Resellers can select products based on their target segment, existing market trends, or even personal preference. After choosing the products, they can begin sharing the products with their social media friends.
3. Resellers Share Product Links
After products are chosen, resellers receive one-time product links. They can then post the links directly to their social media friends. That is where the social commerce model is useful: Instead of having to rely on paid advertisements or standard marketing channels, resellers can use their social media networks and sell the products outright. They can post the links on Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, or even WhatsApp groups.
4. Customer's Order
A potential customer who watches a product he or she wants via the reseller's social media exhibition of the product can simply click on the link to order. It is convenient and simple for the customer, as he or she can order via the link shared by him or her without having to even visit the physical store or perhaps visit an independent e-commerce site.
5. Meesho Coordinates the Delivery and Payment Process
The moment the order is completed by the customer, Meesho coordinates logistics. It involves payment processing, packaging of products, and delivery. It is likely one of the greatest advantages of purchasing through Meesho—it takes the fulfilment headache away from resellers. They do not have to care about inventory management, shipping, or returns.
6. Resellers Make Their Profit
After the order is successfully fulfilled, the commission is received by the reseller. That's where profit is made. Meesho gives resellers the freedom to set their own profit margins. The reseller obtains earnings of $5 for each product they sell at $15 when they bought the product initially for $10. A higher sales volume directly corresponds to increased earnings for resellers.
Key Features of a Meesho-Like App
To create an app like Meesho, there must be a set of features to be turned on to support frictionless, seamless consumption. The following features are added:
1. User Registration
Allow effortless registration through social media login or phone number.
2. Product Catalogue
A clean, well-arranged catalogue with filters and categories so that the user can simply find products by them.
3. Social Sharing Tools
Tools that allow users to share products easily through social media platforms.
4. Secure Payment Gateways
Payment options like UPI, PayPal, credit/debit cards, and cash on delivery.
5. Order and Delivery Tracking
Real-time tracking of orders so that users can know where their order is.
6. In-App Notifications
Notify users about new products, deals, and promotions.
7. Multilingual Support
A multilingual UI for supporting a wide user base.
8. Ratings and Reviews
Permit customers to rate and review products and resellers.
Key Statistics and Market Trends
The statistics from Statista project that worldwide eCommerce sales will reach $8.1 trillion by 2026.
The Meesho app downloads reached over 140 million downloads in 2024, when it became a leading Indian shopping app.
Through its platform, the Meesho app empowers female sellers, as more than half of its sellers are women.
How Much is the Estimated Cost to Build an App Like Meesho?
Several factors determine that developing an application similar to Meesho would be exceptionally costly. Let's group these so that you get a clearer picture of what factors affect the cost:
App Platform
What you build the app upon has a great effect on the cost.
- Android Only: Building an Android app is cheaper in most cases, as there is less to do on one platform.
- iOS Only: Exclusive iOS development is a bit pricier as it involves different resources and tools.
- Both (Cross-platform): Creating an app for both Android and iOS is the most inclusive solution, but it is pricier. Cross-platform development frameworks such as Flutter or React Native can achieve this at a lower cost without compromising on your app's capability to run on both platforms.
Design Complexity
The design will play an essential role in dictating the amount it will cost.
- Basic Layout: If you can bear with a no-frills, straightforward layout, it will cost less.
- Custom UI/UX: If you'd like a unique, user-driven experience with personalised graphics, animation, and an upscale feel, it costs more. Custom UI/UX takes longer and consists of more skilled designers.
Feature Set
The feature set you need for your app may influence price heavily.
- Basic Features: Basic features like product catalogues, payment gateways, and user registration are standard and cheaper.
- Advanced Features: Features like AI product recommendations, AR previews, or real-time analytics add to the cost and require more experience and development time.
Development Location
Where your development team is located also influences the overall cost.
- North America/Europe: Their hourly rates are higher due to their qualification and living costs.
- UAE, India, Southeast Asia: They offer lower-cost solutions but with quality work, so most companies choose their services.
Time Required
The time taken to develop the app is the cost determinant in direct proportion.
The longer the app development with more complex features or the larger the team, the higher the total cost.
Estimated Cost Range:
The implementation costs of Meesho vary between $35,000 to $100,000, depending on the scale of requirements.
Challenges and Solutions in Building a Meesho-Like App
Developing a Meesho-like social commerce app can involve various challenges. The following are some usual ones and solutions:
Challenge 1: Inventory Management Without Product Ownership
Meesho's model allows resellers to sell products without inventory, which can be an asking price by the product owners.
Solution: Dropshipping or supplier API integration allows resellers to sell products with the supplier shipping and delivering. It eliminates inventory management, and scaling becomes easy.
Challenge 2: Handling Returns and Refunds
Refunds and returns are unavoidable in e-commerce, especially when resellers do not have direct contact with the products.
Solution: The first step is to have a well-defined returns and refund policy. Automating the process minimizes confusion and saves time. Notifications and rules sent to customers automatically can make the process easy.
Challenge 3: Scalability
As the app increases, supporting larger groups of users and more products can lead to slowdowns and impact performance.
Solution: Hosting in cloud infrastructure like AWS, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure ensures elastic and scalable resources. Hence, the application can handle additional traffic and users without compromising performance.
Challenge 4: Payment Security
Payment processing must be secure to protect customer data and avoid fraud.
Solution: Secure payment gateways such as PayPal, Stripe, or Razorpay and two-factor authentication (2fa) enable secure payments and protect users and the platform from security vulnerabilities.
Why Choose DXB APPS to Build Your E-Commerce App?
For creating an eCommerce app that beats a competitive market like the UAE, DXB APPS is the answer. The organisation has made a reputation for itself as a high-quality, user-friendly eCommerce mobile app developers with expertise in tailoring its services to the specific needs of businesses. Here's why the mobile app development company stand out:
- Professional mobile application developers.
- Tailored features according to your business model.
- Latest technologies such as Flutter, React Native, and Node.js integration.
- Great UI/UX design.
Final Thoughts
Creating an app like Meesho online shopping app requires meticulous consideration, professional design, and relevant features. Yet, in the right way, it is a value to help business growth. If you are planning to build a complete Meesho app or just want to get started by creating an MVP, DXB APPS is available at your doorstep for each and every step.
With the increasing demand for UAE shopping apps, there's never a better time to invest. Your concept can be the next eCommerce phenomenon!
FAQs
Q1: Can a Meesho-like app be created without the need for coding skills?
A: Yes, you can do that by employing expert developers like DXB Apps to create all that for you.
Q2: Do resellers make money off the app?
A: They earn money from receiving commissions from products they resell through mutually shared social media.
Q3: Is maintaining such an app expensive?
A: It's fairly affordable, even less than developing the app. The price of a month's subscription, depending on usage, ranges from $500 to $2,000.
