The Third Model Between E-Commerce and Modern Trade

The answer they kept coming back to was simple. The future of commerce is- try and buy.

For the first time anywhere in the world, Epik gives customers a choice between Try at Home, where an expert comes to their door, and Try on Video, where an expert shows up live on a video call. In both, the expert demonstrates the product, explains its features, compares options and helps the customer choose what fits them best. Only then does the customer buy. Purchases made this way come with high conviction, which is why returns on Epik stay between zero and low single digits.

Why the human matters more now

In a world of AI, where everything looks perfect and nothing you see can be fully believed, people want someone they can trust. Epik’s answer is the human in the loop: an expert who guides each customer to the product that is right for their own use case, backed by Epik’s proprietary AI.

The engine underneath

Behind every Epik experience is the world’s first experience commerce engine. It runs the entire serviceability and fulfillment layer. It works out the right number of demo units, places them with the right demo partners, and matches each customer to the closest one at the time that suits them.

Several multi-billion dollar MNCs have already partnered with Epik through exclusive product launches. This festive season, they are also bringing special offers to customers through the Try and Buy model.

Between the ocean and the lake

Epik sits between the two biggest shopping models in the country. E-commerce is an ocean, with endless and cluttered options and a salty post-sales experience. Modern trade is a lake, with limited options and great for window shopping. Epik is a river, with AI-personalised product cataloguing and a warm, homely experience.

A night to remember

The evening’s highlight was a 45-minute stand-up set by Anmol Garg. He roasted the everyday struggles of buying something premium in Bangalore, from the traffic to the weather, and took a few playful shots at some of the brand partners in the room. The room stayed lively all night, with partners swapping notes and ideas long after the show.

In a world where we are used to most commerce innovations happening in the US or China, Epik is that breath of fresh air. It has built a truly unique commerce model by being the pioneer of experience commerce, and in doing so has put India on the map in commerce as well. As a country, we have already begun taking steps towards truly innovative models in fintech, deep tech and space tech.

“Premium technology is best understood when you experience it in your own home. With Epik, consumers can see Dreame products in action, experience their performance in a real-life setting, and then make their purchase with greater confidence. It brings the showroom experience right to the consumer’s doorstep,” Manu Sharma, Managing Director, Dreame Technology, India

“Consumers today want to understand a product beyond its features- they want to experience how it works for them. Epik’s Try and Buy approach makes that experience part of the purchase journey, helping customers make more confident choices across premium categories,” Pushpa V, Head of Marketing, Philips India(Personal Care)

“India’s shoppers have long been stuck choosing between too much and too little. We built Epik at that perfect wedge as an AI + human solution.

Every customer deserves a real expert beside them, at home or on video, and every delay in the check out process is a lost sale for a brand. We solve for both. The future of mass premium shopping is Epik, and the brands at this gala night are building it with us,” said Gotama Gowda, Founder and CEO, Epik

About Epik

Epik is a Bangalore-based experience commerce marketplace, building the world’s first Try and Buy Everything Store. It lets customers try and buy products with an expert, at home or live on video. Backed by Info Edge, the name behind Naukri, Zomato, Blinkit, and Policybazaar.

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