AskMe
AskMeBazaar was an Indian mobile commerce marketplace launched in 2012 connecting buyers and sellers via mobile app, monetizing through transaction commissions. The company shut down in August 2016 after primary investor Astro Holdings withdrew funding.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersGurugram, India
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
AskMe firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AskMe
- Legal name
- AskMe
- Website
- https://askme.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- AskMeBazaar was an Indian mobile commerce marketplace launched in 2012 connecting buyers and sellers via mobile app, monetizing through transaction commissions. The company shut down in August 2016 after primary investor Astro Holdings withdrew funding.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AskMe industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mobile Commerce Marketplace
- akta.pro primary industry
- Vertical/Specialty Marketplaces (BPAMAGAB)
Keywords
Where AskMe is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gurugram
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Markets served
AskMe business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Marketplace Commission: AskMeBazaar operated as an online marketplace connecting buyers and sellers, earning commissions on transactions facilitated through the platform.
Distribution channels1 record
AskMe product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AskMeBazaar was an Indian mobile commerce (m-commerce) online marketplace that enabled users to buy and sell products via mobile devices. The platform operated as a digital marketplace connecting buyers with third-party sellers for consumer goods before shutting down abruptly in August 2016 after primary investor Astro Holdings withdrew funding.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- AskMeBazaar
Companies that use AskMe
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
AskMe technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AskMe partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
AskMe competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Snapdeal: Snapdeal was one of the largest Indian horizontal e-commerce marketplaces during AskMeBazaar's operating period, competing directly for sellers and buyers. It was part of the same competitive cohort that pressured AskMeBazaar's unit economics.
- LocalBanya: LocalBanya was an Indian online grocery and general marketplace that operated in the same period as AskMeBazaar. It was another failed Indian startup from the same cohort, indicating similar competitive and capital pressures.
- ShopClues: ShopClues was an India-focused online marketplace for SMB and value buyers and was explicitly mentioned alongside AskMeBazaar as a competitive peer in the same era. Like AskMeBazaar, it operated a horizontal marketplace model targeting price-sensitive Indian consumers.
- Infibeam: Infibeam is an Indian e-commerce platform and marketplace that overlaps with AskMeBazaar's general merchandise and electronics categories. It has operated both retail and marketplace models in India, making it a comparable marketplace operator.
- TinyOwl: TinyOwl was an Indian mobile-first startup explicitly mentioned in the same competitive cohort as AskMeBazaar. It also shut down during the same period of Indian startup failures, illustrating the market-wide dynamics.
Broad incumbents
- Flipkart: Flipkart was the dominant Indian e-commerce marketplace during 2012-2016, exerting significant competitive pressure on AskMeBazaar. Its scale and capital base made it the market leader that smaller competitors had to contend with.
- Paytm Mall: Paytm Mall is a major Indian online marketplace backed by Paytm's payments ecosystem. It competes in the same horizontal marketplace category AskMeBazaar once served and benefits from cross-traffic from digital payments.
- Amazon India: Amazon India launched in 2013 and rapidly expanded into the categories where AskMeBazaar operated. Its deep capital and logistics investments reshaped the competitive landscape and were a major headwind for AskMeBazaar.
Emerging players
- Myntra: Myntra was one of India's leading vertical e-commerce platforms (fashion/apparel) during AskMeBazaar's lifetime. While focused on a different vertical, it competed for the same Indian consumer wallet share and marketplace seller attention.
- Jabong: Jabong was an Indian horizontal e-commerce marketplace that competed for consumer attention during AskMeBazaar's operating period. It was eventually acquired by Myntra, but during its independent run competed in the same broad market.
Market position
Customer concentration
AskMe social profiles
Digital presenceAskMe financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AskMe leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
AskMe funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AskMe M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AskMe
What does AskMe do?
AskMeBazaar was an Indian mobile commerce (m-commerce) online marketplace that enabled users to buy and sell products via mobile devices. The platform operated as a digital marketplace connecting buyers with third-party sellers for consumer goods before shutting down abruptly in August 2016 after primary investor Astro Holdings withdrew funding.
Is AskMe a public or private company?
AskMe is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently closed.
When was AskMe founded?
AskMe was founded in 2012. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is AskMe based?
AskMe is headquartered in Gurugram, India, in the Asia region.
How does AskMe make money?
One revenue line is on record: marketplace Commission.
Who are AskMe's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Snapdeal, LocalBanya, ShopClues, Infibeam and TinyOwl. Broad incumbents are Flipkart, Paytm Mall and Amazon India. Emerging players are Myntra and Jabong.
Does AskMe have an API?
No public API is recorded for AskMe.
What industry is AskMe in?
AskMe's product category is Mobile Commerce Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAGAB, Vertical/Specialty Marketplaces.