Swapzaar business proposal

Company – swapzaar.com
SPECIFICS

Company background

Passion Vision Art Ltd is a company registered in
2012, in Bangalore, India.
The vision of Passion Vision Art Pvt Ltd is:
We want to bring to the Savvy Indian Consumers,
a wide bouquet of “Ahead of the Curve” fashion
and Lifestyle services that are delivered
innovatively using technology as the
enabler/enhancer/catalyst.
One of the Services we wish to offer is delivered
under the name of Swapzaar.
Swapzaar is an online community of fashion
lovers where people can use the platform we
provide to exchange used fashion & lifestyle
items.
The medium of exchange is a virtual currency
called Swapzaar buttons/Swapzaar credits. A
person can sell items and earn this currency and
use it only on our website to buy similar stuff
uploaded by other users.
New members who do not have currency can buy
currency from us using a regular payment
gateway.
FOR more details please refer to the User FAQs
attached which is part of the content for the
website currently being developed.

Founded in
Staff strength

2012
3

Problem & Solution
QUESTIONS

What is the pain point we are trying to
address?

COPYRIGHT: BELUXEDFASHIO.COM, 2012

Fashion Boredom, wastage and Guilt:
People buy far too much and use things far too
less. They end up spending a lot to buy trendy
things they use only once and then feel guilty
about.
We offer Fashionistas a way to purge their
wardrobe of great stuff that they are bored of in
exchange for other great stuff put up by others.
Vintage fashion is huge Internationally and the
apprehension attached with wearing pre-owned
clothes is slowly but surely becoming a thing of
the past. As long as it is stylish and in great
condition, who cares?

SWAPZAAR.COM BUSINESS PROPOSAL, 2012
Even some of the biggest stars have walked the
red carpet in Vintage. So it is a statement in its
own right to buy and sport fashionable vintage
clothes & accessories.

What is the solution?

An online, easy access service that allows you to
purge your wardrobe of old stuff in exchange for
more useful stuff without having to spend more
cash. This is better value for you fashion items
than selling it for low cash amounts or giving it
away for free. It is also an eco-friendly way to
guilt free indulgence. Please refer to FAQs for
more details.

Key Team Members
SPECIFICS

Founder, advisor profiles

Veena Srinath, Advertising & Marketing
Professional – IT Services
http://www.linkedin.com/in/veenasrinath
Aarti Saxena Deoskar, Sales & Marketing with
Multinational Luxury Hotels
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/aartideoskar/b/b3b/a18
Pragati Seth, Sales & BD for IT Services for
Europe, India
http://in.linkedin.com/pub/pragati-seth/13/7a5/49

Currently all 3 Founder members are also
employed in different capacities in day jobs.
We work on weekends and use skype quite a bit.
Once the website is up and running we will take a
call as to the way forward in growing the
business by seeking interested investors.

Numbers
SPECIFICS

Amount raised to date

Nil

Looking to raise (INR)

INR 15-20 Lacs seed round

Expected valuation
Deployment of funds

COPYRIGHT: SWAPZAAR.COM 2012

Funds will be used to cover operational and
marketing costs to grow the community.
Eventually we plan to integrate a ecommerce
store into the community so people can
exchange their virtual currency (swapzaar credits

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for items on this store.
The options for diversification and scalability are
high once we build a big and engagaed fashion
community.

Cumulative revenue till date

Currently in pre-revenue start up stage
Y1 projection – 5 Lacs

Break even by

2 years from start of operations

Cash flow positive by

2nd year of operations

Burn rate per month

We are currently bootstrapping and our current
operational expenses for this business are very
small, approximately INR 20,000 PM and all
Directors are currently working day jobs and
injecting capital and cash into the company.

Market
SPECIFICS

Market Size

eBay India has over 5 million registered users. These users
come from over 4,306 cities in India*.
Assuming a penetration rate of 25% we can say the addressable
market volume is approx 1.5 million users.
Average annual revenue per user on our platform is approx INR
1000.
So potential market size is 150000*1000= 150000000 INR
*http://pages.ebay.in/community/aboutebay/news/infastfacts.html

Business Model

It is a free community where the people can upload and
exchange goods for free (upto five listings are free) ; there is no
membership fee as of now.
The only revenue as of now will come from people purchasing
buttons and from advertising if the community becomes large.
Future revenue streams would come from integrating ecommerce into the eco-system and from VAS like paid listings,
featured listings, privileged memberships and sale of tickets to
virtual events etc.

Marketing strategy


Targeted communications through online, PR, WOM, Social
media and on-ground events and cross-promotional
opportunities.

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Product pricing

Free membership.
Purchase of one swapzaar button or credit is Rs 100. Where we
charge 10% margin as “convenience fee” for using the platform
at the time of encashment.
Apart from this we will allow sponsored posts on the community
forum page and also advertisements at a fixed rate-card fee.

Annexure 1
Please refer to the below FAQs (all in blue text) that will appear on the website under FAQs,
these will answer many of the “how does it work” questions that might arise.
WHAT IS SWAPZAAR?
Swapzaar is proud to have forged the way for online swapping of fashion & lifestyle goods in
India.
SwapZaar is India‟s first and most popular FREE online fashion swap site with over x ACTIVE
members from all over the country, It is the largest country-wide fashion & lifestyle items store
and it‟s open 24/7!
It‟s the fun, FREE, and eco-friendly way to save money and refresh your closet or home!
Swapping on swapzaar.com offers an alternative way to access new styles that's healthy for the
planet and your bank account, or we like to say' shopping is the new shopping'
WHY SWAPZAAR?
Swapzaar.com is proud to have forged the way for swapping online. A recent consumer study
shows that one in three high fashion items in an urban Indian woman‟s closet is worn only once
before being discarded.
The tradition in India is to either pass on your “fashionable” clothes to younger siblings or
depending on their price to the “maid‟s fashionable young daughter”.
Great, we say, but what to do if you are just bored of high fashion items that are in perfect shape
and practically useless for giving away (because they are obviously really high fashion items)?
Plus sometimes don‟t we just buy things on the spur of the moment and wear them only once
before moving them to the back of your cupboard never to take them out again, even though the
item is in perfect shape and is perfectly stylish, what a waste!
So how do you make sure you clear your wardrobe of these items while still recovering great
value not necessarily cash but maybe other fashionable stuff you will use, do you list them on
classifieds or on e-bay? Not great options are they?
Swapping on swapzaar.com offers an alternative that's healthy for the planet and your bank
account, just put up your great stuff on SwapZaar and see if you like someone else‟s great stuff in
exchange! It‟s like shopping without the spending.
Who knows you might find the stuff of your dreams, event vintage, which you could never
manage to find in the shops. After all Vintage fashion is so in vogue, it is seen regularly on red
carpets, don‟t believe us check this website

http://vintageclothing.about.com/od/redcarpetvintage/tp/Red_Carpet_Hub.htm
HOW DO YOU SWAP?


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It‟s easy! Simply follow the steps below and you will soon be swapping with women from all over
the country, looking gorgeous and saving $$ in the process!
BECOME A MEMBER FOR FREE!
Its FREE to be a member on swapzaar.com so what are you waiting for?
Simply follow the registration prompts in the top menu bar and start swapping today! Infact,
registration will ensure you earn a button immediately!
VERIFICATION EMAIL PROCESS
One of the easiest methods of registering to become a swapzaar.com member is by using your
Facebook account, Once you sign up using facebook you will be sent an email to verify your
email address. Simply click the link within the email,
It is important that you keep this email as you may need to refer back to it later down the track if
you forget your log in details.
You can complete your user profile at a later date, after you log in as a registered user.
I DIDN'T RECEIVE MY EMAIL VERIFICATION
If the email does not show in your email account within twenty minutes, be sure to check your
junk mail box.
SIGN UP PROCESS COMPLETE?
Read through the steps below to learn how to create your profile page, upload items and navigate
swapzaar.com to get the most out of your swapping experience.
CREATE A PROFILE
Your profile is your own personal home page, a space where you can introduce yourself and let
other members know your swapping style. You can also list your swap rules and wants, upload a
profile image to share your amazing personal style, show case your swap items, view your wish
list, your sold and purchased items and keep track of your wishlisted and favorited items.
You can also see you recent purchases and sold items here, as well as the number of buttons
(Swapzaar Credits) you have in your wallet etc.
HOW DO I EDIT MY PROFILE PAGE, PASSWORD, ADDRESS & EMAIL?
Go to the “my account” button in the top menu bar, and click on it now on your account page look
for user profile on the left column and click on “edit user profile”
Edit your details then click save at the bottom of the screen and you‟re done!
START SWAPPING TODAY!
When you want to do anything swap related, the 'SwapZone” button in the top menu bar is your
go to button! If you click on this button you will land inside the Swapzone where the items on sale
are listed by category and subcategory. Start browsing for stuff and ejoy!
If you mouse over the Swapzone tab, a drop down menu will appear with the choice to buy or sell
i and also the various categories within Swapzone.
TAKING PICTURES OF YOUR SWAP ITEMS
Take pictures of your items with a digital camera or a phone with a good quality image. Make
sure your items are in good, clean condition with no rips, tears or stains - and have the wrinkles
ironed out.
Its highly recommended that you take pictures of your swap items being worn. Clothes look 100%
when shown on a body as opposed to laying flat. It gives other swappers a better idea of the fit
and the sizing and the way the fabric sits when being worn.


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You can also take pictures of your swap items laying flat on a clean clear surface or hanging on a
clothes hanger.
Take a shot from the front and the back of the item, and if there are any details that you would
like to point out, take some extra close up shots. Upload the images to your computer and you‟re
ready to get started!
You can upload up to three pictures of each item.
HOW TO PROMOTE OR FEATURE MY ITEM IN THE SWAPZONE
You can easily „Feature‟ your item at the time of uploading it by checking the „Featured‟ box in the
upload form. This will ensure that your item appears first for the period of one week under the
sub-category that it is listed in the order of lasted first-featured-first. We will charge 1 button
towards this listing facility for a week. If you wish to continue featuring your item at the top of the
sub-category list you will have to contact admin and pay up another button for manual featuring.
WANT TO MANAGE / REMOVE OR EDIT YOUR SWAP ITEMS?
Click on „my account‟ in the top menu bar, then choose “My sale additions” on the main page of
your account. Here you can edit the information and images in your swap items, and delete swap
items.

HOW DO I ADD A SWAP ITEM?
Click on the „SwapZone‟ button on the top menu bar, click „Sell‟ and follow the prompts.
You will be asked to fill in the size, fabric, style of the item. Add a description and some images.
Get creative with the description, there is nothing more uninspiring that a description that reads:
"Top, pink worn once" yawn....
This is your chance to really market your item!
For example, let the other swappers know about the texture of the fabric. Is it soft and warm, is it
sheer, is the color true to the images you provided or did the flash wash the color out a little?
What is the condition of the item like? Is there a small mark or tear that people should know
about? If so, be sure to describe the fault in as much detail as possible.
It is important to be as honest and clear with your description as possible. It will save you time
and energy if you are open from the beginning about any faults. If you neglect detailing any
garment faults, you will only disappoint the other swapper and its highly likely they will leave you
negative feedback, which can make it difficult for you to gain other swappers trust in the future,
which results in, you guessed it, no swaps!
Get ready for a swap addiction!
Once you have uploaded an item, you may feel a strange sensation come over you, don't be
alarmed, its a case of swappers addiction which can easily be satisfied every time you receive a
parcel from a swapzaar member!


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WANT TO VIEW YOUR SWAP OFFERS?
Click on the my account tab on top and on the main page of your account you will see “sale
additions” under this you will see a list of items you have added for sale. When someone buys
your item you get a notification and email alert, you need to ensure you ship off the item within
the time period you specified, only then will your earned buttons (swapzaar credits)be released to
you.
Similarly in you account, under Purchased items and Sold items you can track which items you
have sold, wish-listed and purchased.
ALERT BAR
To make things easier when you are logged into your account, any new notifications to your inbox
will be showing up right under your welcome message and name on the topmost part of the
website near the logo. Here you will find alerts when you receive a new swap offer, message or
you need to post a parcel or give a feedback token. Make sure you check in regularly or you may
miss a sale opportunity and earn a poor reputation on Swapzone for being very slow to respond.
WHY DO I NEED TO USE BUTTONS OR SWAPZAAR CREDITS TO SWAP?
The idea is to avoid guilt while still being able to shop for new things to add to your wardrobe and
also reduce impulsive purchase behavior. Most of us are used to whipping out our credit or debit
card and instantly buying what we want, this is probably why we have so many items to swap in
the first place.
So by encouraging people to take stock of all the good things they bought and never used, and
making them wait till they sell their items and earn the required number of credits to make any
new purchases, we will help them appreciate the true meaning of style and to curb impulse
purchasing and wastage.
Delayed gratification and thoughtful purchases will change the way you approach fashion and will
slowly train you to only pick up stuff that you really like and will look good on you, and not go
crazy buying wasteful things every time trends change.
Eventually your wardrobe will be full of stylish things that you actually wear and use.
NOTE: To start new members off or to help you buy those few credits when you are short, we
do allow people to buy credits using an online payment system, but we encourage people to earn
credits by uploading stuff and waiting for it to sell.
HOW DO I EARN OR GET SWAPZAAR CREDITS?
There are many ways to do this, ideally you upload stuff and wait for it to be sold and earn credits
that way, or to get started in case you are new or you have nothing to sell but you would like to
buy stuff, we allow registered members to buy credits using a regular online payment system.
And then there is the fun way to earn free credits by liking us on facebook, following us on twitter
and by blogging for us or writing a review for us or by getting your friends to sign up.
We also have games and promotions where the winner could get free credits.
HOW CAN I USE MY SWAPZAAR CREDITS?
One of the most obvious ways is to buy stuff you like on the website.
Apart from that there are many small Value added Services you can buy using your
credits/buttons.
You could use credits to promote your listed items so that they are displayed prominently and
attract buyers. Or you could trade in some buttons to get yourself a “verified member” badge and
so on.
WHAT IF I WANT CASH FOR MY GOODS?
As of now that is totally not the point and we don‟t encourage that.


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But if you really don‟t find anything you like on the website and you have been with us for 6
months or more as a verified member, and you have more than Rupees 5000 worth of credits
equal to 50 buttons, we might allow you to trade it in for cash.
Also, remember, swapzaar.com retains 10% of the value of your buttons as a platform fee and
therefore the value of 1 button equal Rs 100 is actually is Rs 90 for you.
However please note every month we only allow a certain number of encashments so you might
have to wait your turn.
Encashment is a manual process and you will have to write to Swapzaar team to encash the
buttons when you are ready. If approved, your application will be processed in 7 working days
and you will receive a cheque in the name of the member as registered at the registered address
only. Conditions Apply.
CAN I USE MY SWAZAAR CREDITS ON OTHER WEBSITES?
As of now Swapzaar credits can be used only on the Swapzaar website, but in the very near
future we plan to tie up with some interesting vintage fashion retailers and indie fashion designers
and you might be able to trade in your SwapZaar credits for items on those websites.
What fun!
WHAT ARE SWAPZAAR CREDITS WORTH IN TERMS OF REAL MONEY?
As of now we have only one denomination and all purchases and sales are made in multiples of
the same denomination. So one swapzaar button or credit is worth Rupees 100 in real money.
Therefore if you have a mango skirt you bought for RS 2000/- and you have worn it only once so
you hope to sell it for Rs 1200/- you should quote the desired sale price as 12 buttons or
swapzaar credits. Swapzaar admin might approve it for a listing at 10 buttons or Rupees 1000/Please remember that swapzaar.com charges a platform fee of 10% on the value of your buttons.
This is charged at the time of encashment of your buttons/ credits
I WANT TO BE A VERIFIED MEMBER, HOW DO I DO THIS?
Being address verified shows other members that you are a trusted and dedicated member of the
SwapZaar community. We highly suggest that you only swap with verified members.
Becoming an address verified member also shows that you appreciate the service that
swapzaar.com provides, and that you want to help keep the site running by putting a contribution
towards the server costs and general fees.
Click here to become verified today (add link to form here and allow 3 buttons to be exchanged to
purchase verification)
HOW DOES VERIFICATION WORK?
This is a manual process. All you have to do is send an email request to SwapzaarTeam asking
to become a verified member. You will then receive a form by postal mail and you will have to
send back the filled out form to us. For this activity you will have to give up 3 buttons as a one
time annual fee.
Once the completed form is received by us you will receive a verification call from our team. On
completion of this process you will become a verified member. This will be reflected on your
personal home page and on every item that you list.
Many swappers with quality items will only swap with verified members, so ensure that you
become a verified member today, and enjoy being a part of the gorgeous swapstyle community!
Click here to become verified
BROWSE THROUGH ITEMS TO FIND SOMETHING YOU LIKE
To browse through swap items on the site simply click the „swapzone‟ button on the top
navigation bar. You can also choose a category or subcategory from the drop down menu or
browse through the latest listing by clicking on „all item list‟. You can then sort by newest to oldest
or by their value in buttons for all the listed items or within the category.
ARE THEY ADDRESS VERIFIED?


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Its highly recommended that you only swap with members that have taken the time to become
'Address Verified' or „verified members‟By paying a one time small fee of 2 buttons / or Rs 200 a
member will get a letter with a form sent to their postal address. This helps to create a trusting
swap community and reduce swap lifting. Generally if someone has been conscientious and
respectful enough to support the community they are a part of, you can rest assured that they will
be more likely to be a honest and thoughtful swapper. If something doesn't‟t feel right, it probably
isn't! Always check member‟s profile before swapping. If they have a negative feedback, negative
comments and reviews and are not verified, it is your choice if you want to go ahead and swap
with them.Also be sure to check that they don‟t have a number of buttons from just one or two
other unverified members, as they may be trying to trick you, and have simply created two
swapping accounts so they can give themselves buttons. Sounds sneaky I know, but
unfortunately very occasionally you may come across a swapper that will be trying to do the
wrong thing.If you keep your wits about you, you will soon instinctively know when someone is
honest or dodgy. Just remember, if something doesn't‟t feel right, it probably isn't!
Make friends in the forums and use your common sense. Soon you will get to know other
members on the site and you will become a part of the thriving swapping community here.
SEE SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SWAP?
So you've fallen in love with an item? Great!Click either the „Buy Now‟
button below the item or go into the item and click on „add to favourite‟
depending on what you want to do. To Buy Now you will have to have
the required amount of buttons in your own account. If you are short or
have no buttons, you can buy buttons from Swapzaar using your credit
card or net banking account and use the buttons to buy your desired
item. By clicking on „add to favourite‟ the item gets added to your list of
favourite items and gets listed under that section in your account. You
can then start swapping your cool stuff to earn buttons and buy your
favourite things when you have the right amount. Simple isn‟t it? Please
note that adding to „favourite‟ does not reserve the item for you or add it
your shopping cart

CLICKED ON BUY, NOW WHAT?
If you have the required amount of Buttons (Swapzaar Credits - your very own virtual currency on
the site) in your wallet you will be allowed to proceed with the „buying‟ of the item you desire.
However, if you do not have the required amount of buttons in your wallet you will have to
purchase the buttons from swapzaar.com to have the sufficient amount in your wallet to buy the
item you want.
Buying buttons is simple - just go to our payment gateway and enter the number of buttons you
want and purchase them in 2 easy steps using your netbanking account or cash card. Once the
buttons get credited to your account you can proceed to buying the item.
If you have the appropriate number of buttons to buy your item, you will be taken to a window
where you need to complete the form with all the required fields such as your shipping address
etc. If this is completed in your profile, the transaction will be completed without the effort of filling
out any forms! So be sure to have a completed profile to save you time while swapping!
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I HAVE BOUGHT AN ITEM
Upon your buying an item the seller of the item and you receive a notification email. This will
prompt the seller to send you the item by post.
Once you receive the item it is your responsibility to go to your profile under purchased items and
click on „Yes‟ under „Received‟ for that item. This can be done by clicking „Edit‟ under the Action
Column and changing the status to „Yes‟.
Only then does the seller receive the Buttons you gave up for the item.


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WHERE CAN I GIVE FEEDBACK FOR MY SWAPPED GOODS? DO I NEED TO?
If you are happy with the item‟s condition, the speed of receiving it, the condition in which it was
received you can „Post Feedback‟ for the seller on these features. There is a quick form for this
purpose. Naturally, the reverse is also applicable, if you are unhappy, you can give a poor rating
so that the seller can fool no one else in the community. So, be fair on both counts, your ratings
will help the swapzaar community to stay honest and weed out any bad apples.
Tip: Look for Verified Sellers while buying an item!

WHY IS FEEDBACK SO IMPORTANT?
Feedback is an important reputation system that allows other swappers to decide if you are a
trustworthy person to swap with.HAVE FUN AND JOIN THE BUZZING SITE WHERE THERE IS
SOMETHING NEW EACH TIME!
Swapping is all about having fun, saving money, reducing wastage of perfectly good things,
making new friends, and of course fashion! All we ask is that you make the most of this portal and
become a contributing member of this vibrant community. Help us to be the best online fashion
swapping site where everyone feels welcome, happy and at home and there is trust and warmth.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON’T RECEIVE THE ITEM AS PROMISED?
It is possible that a seller is not able to send an item in the mentioned time frame - which is
usually between 1 week to 3 weeks. Swapzaar admin can be notified for any unusual delays so
that they can reach out to the seller to ensure that the item is delivered as per promised timelines.
You can also go to the sellers profile and leave a comment to encourage quick action. Just
remember to notify swapzaar admin before 21 days are up from time of purchase, as post that
the buttons get transferred automatically to the seller, as the system assumes that the item is
delivered.


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10


WHO CAN YOU GO TO FOR ANY TROUBLE WHILE SWAPPING?
Why Swapzaar Admin afcourse! We are always happy to help iron out any concerns, delays or
gaps in the swapping process on the site. so just write to us and we will find a way to help you
upload, swap, buy, sell on swapzaar.com
CODE OF CONDUCT ON SWAPZAAR.COM
Here is a guiding list of best practices on the swapzaar.com site which will help strengthen this
fashion community and improve your swapping experience!
Do read and practice them:
Its a fashion site... not a garage sale. Please put up stylish, desirable items in good condition
only.
Items uploaded that do not seem suitable for the site will not be approved. This is at the
discretion of the Swapzaar Management and their decision is final
You should have in possession what you upload on the site. The item should be owned by
you and ready to ship when you put it up for swapping.
If you upload an item for a 30 day period, you have to have it available with you for that
length of time. You can dispose of it or sell it on another site post the period of listing only and
once you have deleted it from swapzaar.com
You should put up a good quality photo of the item and a detailed description for the item to
help a buyer understand it.
You should respond to queries about an item posted by a potential buyer via the comments
section under the item
On the forum page, do not solicit or post rude comments. This could get you blacklisted from
the community
The Community is self regulated, so if you are not fair or misrepresent yourself and your
items, or do not deliver as promised, you could be de-listed from swapzaar.com or worse, no one
will buy your items.
Valuation of the item in Button/ Swapzaar Credits is at the discretion of Swapzaar
Management. You may suggest a value at the time of uploading an item, mention it‟s brand/
MRP/ condition etc however, the final value in button terms will be assigned by Swapzaar
Management only. If you are not satisfied with this value you can choose to delete the item from
listing.
Once you receive an item it is good courtesy to update the status as received and leave
positive feedback if you are satisfied. (Don‟t give feedback only when you are unhappy with
something, though afcourse that is also very welcome)
NOW WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? SWAP ‘TIL YOU DROP!
We are so happy that you have become a part of the swapzaar.com community, consider this the
extension of your personal closet, your own zone where you choose to grow or reduce your
wardrobe and belongings in a way that suits your attitude and style. Now hurry up and get
swapping ;)
FORUM
Be a part of the thriving swapzaar.com community by chatting in the forum! Talk about what's hot
in fashion, eco ideas, get advice, give advice & general chit chat


Page
11


Annexure 2 some screen shots of the website beta version under development (60%
complete needs another 1 month of work) Talks to integrate payment gateway are on.
Vendor finalized, preliminary approval given, paperwork under progress.


Page
12


Our facebook page (already up and running)


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13

Swapzaar business proposal

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