Quikr Launched Quikr Next Instant Messaging Service

 

In a move to enable seamless transactions between its users, online classifieds company Quikr has launched a new product, Quikr Nxt. The new product, the company claims, is the world’s first instant messenger by a classifieds company, and allows users to chat using the website or mobile app. The messenger has been integrated into Quikr’s mobile app, mobile site and website.

While launching the product on Wednesday, Quikr CEO and founder Pranay Chulet said Quikr Nxt could revolutionise the domestic digital classifieds industry.

It allows buyers and sellers to immediately get in touch through chat, using Quikr’s mobile app, mobile site and even its desktop site. “The benefits of Quikr Nxt are that buyers/sellers do not need to share their contact number or e-mail address and the only point of reference is the Quikr ID. This prevents bombarding by multiple e-mails and phone calls and safeguards the user’s privacy,” Mr. Chulet said. “E-mails are not real-time and phone calls are invasive while chats are most convenient.”

The new feature has been undergoing trials in the last few months, and was being tested in about a dozen cities. Quikr has more than 30 million active users, and Nxt is the latest in a line of product innovations by Quikr, including Maximum Selling Price (MSP), the Missed Call service and the like.

Quikr operates in over 13 categories and 170 sub-categories including mobile phones, household goods, cars, real estate, jobs, services and education. Mr. Chulet said real estate was the largest category given the size of transactions.

Close to 80 per cent of traffic was from mobile phone users, and this could go to 90-95 per cent in a year, he said. “Quikr is a mass market platform, and we are five times the size we were a year ago. We are fully funded for now and do not require additional funds,”

Quikr raised over Rs.900 crore in 2014 from investors, including Tiger Global Management, Kinnevik, Matrix Partners, eBay Inc, Warburg Pincus among others.

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