Market assessment.
Is there demand at your price point, and where?
- Demand and competitor scan
- Price-point and margin check
- Priority cities and segments
Enter India with a team on the ground.
India is one market on paper and many markets in practice. We help European brands choose where to start, which channels to use and what it takes to comply, then stay on the ground in Delhi to make it happen.
Why India, and why it's hard
The opportunity
- A very large and young consumer market.
- Fast growth in digital commerce and payments.
- Rising demand for international, design-led and premium brands.
- A strong manufacturing base for brands that also want to source.
The friction
- Category-specific certification and labelling.
- Very different buying behaviour between cities, regions and income groups.
- Pricing that has to absorb import duties, GST and channel margins.
- Partners who are hard to vet from abroad.
We exist for the gap between those two columns.
Who it's for.
- FMCG
- Fashion & textiles
- Beauty & personal care
- Home & design
- Food & beverage
- Lifestyle
- Apps & SaaS
- Consumer electronics
- Health & wellness
- Sports & outdoors
- Pet care
- Kids & toys
Established European brands with a proven product at home and the capacity to support a new market.
What we handle
E-commerce & marketplaces.
Sell through your own D2C site or India's marketplaces, with payments, warehousing and fulfilment that work locally.
- Marketplace selection and onboarding (e.g. Amazon.in, Flipkart, Myntra, Nykaa, Ajio, Tata CLiQ, depending on category)
- Quick commerce where relevant
- Local payments, warehousing and returns
Distribution & retail.
Distributor search, modern-trade and chain-store access, and agency or liaison sales.
- Distributor and importer shortlists
- Retail and modern-trade introductions
- Commercial terms and onboarding support
Marketing & localisation.
Positioning, content and launch activity adapted to Indian buyers without losing what makes your brand European.
- Positioning and pricing communication
- Creator and social launch plans
- Packaging and copy localisation
Regulatory compliance.
We identify category requirements early and coordinate the right local specialists.
- Importer Exporter Code (IEC) and GST setup
- BIS certification, FSSAI licensing or CDSCO cosmetics registration where your category requires it
- Legal Metrology packaging and labelling rules
Entity, office & sourcing.
When you need more than a distributor: the right legal setup, a local team, or production in India.
- Distributor vs liaison office vs subsidiary
- Office, hiring and local accounting partners
- Factory identification and quality control
Routes to market
| Route | Speed to market | Control | Typical first step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketplaces | Fast | Medium | Marketplace onboarding via an importer of record |
| Distributor or importer | Medium | Lower | Distributor shortlist and terms |
| Own D2C site | Medium | High | Local payments, logistics and an importer of record |
| Own entity | Slower | Highest | Entity choice and registration |
Most brands combine routes. Pre-entry tells you which combination fits your category.
How it works
- 01
Assess
2–3 weeks
Validate demand, pricing, positioning and practical barriers before committing resources.
- 02
Plan
3–4 weeks
Build the market, channel, compliance and launch plan around your actual readiness.
- 03
Connect
Ongoing introductions
Meet relevant distributors, retailers, suppliers and specialists through qualified introductions.
- 04
Grow
On-ground partnership
Keep momentum with local representation, channel management and hands-on execution.
Packages for India
India Pre-entry
Market fit, competitors, pricing direction and compliance gaps, in a clear opportunity report. For brands that want certainty before committing.
Tailored quote after a free callDiscuss ↗
India Access
Channel mapping, localisation, a market-access plan and introductions to verified partners. For brands ready to act.
Tailored quote after a free callDiscuss ↗
India Growth Partner
Ongoing representation across distributors, retail, e-commerce and compliance. Your local office without the overhead.
Tailored quote after a free callDiscuss ↗
Do the mathsIllustration, not a forecast
What if 0.1 % of the population bought?
Market you are entering
0.001 %0.01 %0.1 %1 %10 %
Purchases per customer per year
Revenue per year€68.6M
€68,600,000
1,400,000 customers × €49 × 1 per year
A simple illustration based on population alone. Your real market depends on category, price point, income segment and channels. Measuring that is exactly what a Pre-entry assessment does.
Get a real estimate for your categoryYour customers1 dot ≈ 583,000 people
FAQ
Can we sell in India without our own company?
Often, yes. Marketplaces, distributors and importers can act as importer of record. We assess the trade-offs for your product.
Which city should we start in?
That depends on category, price point and channel. We usually recommend a focused start in a few cities or channels rather than national launch.
How do import duties affect our price?
Duties, GST and channel margins stack up. Pre-entry includes a pricing corridor so you know your shelf price before you commit.
Do we need certification before shipping?
Some categories do, for example food, cosmetics and certain electronics and consumer goods. We check this first, because it affects your timeline.
Can you help us manufacture in India too?
Yes. We identify factories, coordinate samples and quality control, and manage the relationship.
Who will we work with day to day?
Johannes and the DoorsOpen team in Delhi, with specialist partners for legal, tax and certification when needed.