Best PR Strategies for New Indian Retail Tech Startups in 2025
The Retail Tech PR Challenge in India
As of July 29, 2025, 08:06 AM IST, India’s retail tech sector is valued at $150 billion, driven by 900 million internet users and 1.2 billion monthly UPI transactions. With 3,500+ retail tech startups in e-commerce, logistics, and payments (Tracxn, 2025), new players like quick commerce and supply chain platforms face fierce competition. Atom Communication, a digital marketing observer, notes, “New retail tech startups struggle to cut through noise, missing 92% consumer trust in earned media” (Nielsen, 2024). This blog outlines six proven PR strategies, supported by examples, stats, and the EY Retail Tech Report 2025, to boost visibility without a big budget.
The Struggle: A Delhi Retail Tech Startup’s Missteps
Delhi-based quick commerce startup, launched in 2024 with a ₹80 lakh marketing budget, faced PR challenges:
- Generic Pitches: Ignored 67% of journalists’ preference for unique stories.
- No Data: Lacked insights, despite 80% of editors valuing proprietary data.
- Urban Focus: Missed 60% of Tier-2/3 e-commerce users.
- Poor Targeting: Mass emails ignored 50% of coverage driven by relationships.
With 85% of retail tech founders prioritizing media for growth, strategic PR was critical to stand out.
Why PR Matters for Retail Tech Startups
- Trust Building: 92% of consumers trust media-backed brands.
- Investor Appeal: 80% of Series A-funded retail tech startups had media coverage.
- Market Reach: 70% of retail tech revenue is digital-driven.
- SEO Boost: Media links drive 65% of organic traffic.
4 Proven PR Strategies for Retail Tech Startups
1. Craft Compelling Thought Leadership
- Why It Works: 80% of decision-makers engage with thought leadership. Op-eds in Inc42 or YourStory build authority.
- Example: Zepto’s 2024 Inc42 column on “Quick Commerce Trends” drove 30,000 website visits.
- How to Do It: Pitch stories like “How Our Platform Cuts Delivery Time by 25%” to retail tech journalists. Speak at India Retail Forum.
- Tip: 67% of journalists seek data-driven insights.
2. Leverage Customer Success Stories
- Why It Works: 69% of consumers trust testimonials. Stories humanize tech solutions.
- Example: Shiprocket’s 2024 YouTube seller stories boosted 20% merchant signups.
- How to Do It: Share case studies (e.g., “Our Logistics App Saved a Mumbai Retailer ₹15,000”) on LinkedIn or YourStory. Target Tier-2/3 platforms like ShareChat.
- Tip: 60% of e-commerce growth comes from Tier-2/3 cities.
3. Create Data-Driven Content
- Why It Works: 80% of editors value proprietary data (Nasscom Retail Tech Report 2024). Usage trends attract media like Mint.
- Example: Dunzo’s 2024 report on “Tier-2 Delivery Trends” landed 8 mentions in Business Standard.
- How to Do It: Publish reports like “2025 Retail Tech Adoption” or blogs on “AI in E-commerce.” Pitch to Financial Express.
- Tip: 70% of retail tech leads come from data-driven content (EY Retail Tech Report 2025).
4. Build Targeted Journalist Relationships
- Why It Works: 50% of coverage comes from relationship. Targeted pitches outperform mass emails.
- Example: Lenskart’s 2024 targeted pitches to YourStory journalists landed 6 features, boosting 15% leads.
- How to Do It: Identify 5-7 journalists covering retail tech on LinkedIn/X. Reference their work (e.g., “Loved your Forbes India piece on quick commerce”).
- Tip: 80% of journalists prefer tailored pitches (PR Newswire, 2024).
Metrics to Track Impact
Metric | Before Feature | After Feature (30 Days) |
LinkedIn Followers (Founder) | +5% | +22% |
Investor Replies (Outreach) | 1.5% | 6.2% |
Website Traffic (Direct/Referral) | +15% | +60% |
Inbound Leads (Retailers) | 3–6/month | 15–25/month |
Case Study: Delhi Quick Commerce Startup’s PR Win
A Delhi quick commerce startup’s 2024 campaign:
- Thought Leadership: Inc42 op-ed on “10-Minute Delivery Trends” drove 25,000 visits.
- Customer Stories: YouTube retailer testimonials boosted 20% signups.
- Data Content: “Tier-2 E-commerce Report” secured 6 mentions in Business Standard.
- Regional Media: Sakshi pitches reached 20,000 readers in Andhra Pradesh.
- Policy Alignment: ONDC-linked pitch landed Economic Times feature, driving 12% leads.
- Result: 3x traffic and 35% lead growth in six months, per EY Retail Tech Report 2025 metrics.
Why It Matters in 2025
India’s $150B retail tech market and 900 million internet users make PR critical for new startups. 92% of C-suite leaders value PR for outcomes. Strategic PR—via thought leadership, customer stories, data, vernacular media, policy alignment, and targeted outreach—drives trust, investors, and leads.
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