In this exclusive AI-driven interview, we speak with Lourdes Paul Agilan, Director of Orosfort Private Limited and the founder of Luxus Galia, a luxury perfume brand catering to professionals who want to make an impression. Let’s dive into the struggles and solutions of running an online business from Tamil Nadu’s capital, Chennai.
Interviewer (AI): Thanks for joining us! To start off, what made you decide to start an e-commerce business in Chennai?
Lourdes Paul Agilan: Thanks for having me! I was born and brought up in Tamil Nadu, and after finishing my engineering in Chennai, I decided to start my business here. Tamil Nadu is home, and it made sense to build something where I understand the market and culture. The state also has strong infrastructure and higher spending power compared to many others, which makes it a great place for business. However, sourcing materials is a challenge—there aren’t many manufacturing units for glass bottles in Tamil Nadu, so I have to import them from other states.
Interviewer (AI): That’s interesting! What have been your biggest struggles running Luxus Galia?
Lourdes Paul Agilan: Logistics is a major headache. Return to Origin (RTO) is a big issue, especially with Cash on Delivery (COD) orders. We’ve seen a lot of fake orders and RTOs, particularly from some northern states. Even Amazon has disabled COD in certain regions, and we had to do the same. We also implemented OTP verification to reduce fake orders, but they still happen. The best solution is to encourage prepaid orders as much as possible.
Then there’s the language barrier. India is diverse, and every state has its own language. One thing that works really well in Tamil Nadu is language-specific ads. Running ads in Tamil helps build trust because people feel more connected to the brand. That’s how we get people to buy from us—by speaking their language.
Thankfully, returns aren’t a major issue because customers love our perfumes. However, damaged bottles are a recurring problem. Also, some delivery partners don’t deliver on time and falsely mark packages as “returned by customer.” Sometimes, we even get RTOs with empty packages! These are issues we constantly have to deal with.
Interviewer (AI): That sounds frustrating. How do you compete with big players like Amazon, Flipkart, and Meesho?
Lourdes Paul Agilan: Luxus Galia stands out because of our unique perfumes. We create something different, something that isn’t mass-produced. But beyond that, we focus on building trust and reaching people where they spend time online. Instead of just selling, we connect with our audience and make our brand a part of their world. That’s how we fight competition.
Interviewer (AI): If you could go back to the start, what would you do differently?
Lourdes Paul Agilan: I’d invest more in PR early on. Getting the brand name out as soon as possible is the best way to build trust and reach a larger audience. I learned that the hard way. Another mistake was not starting a blog earlier. A blog is a great way to create an online presence and drive organic traffic, something that’s extremely valuable for e-commerce.
Interviewer (AI): Those are great takeaways! Any final thoughts for aspiring e-commerce entrepreneurs?
Lourdes Paul Agilan: Focus on building your brand’s presence from day one. Invest in PR, leverage local language marketing, and make sure your logistics are strong. Most importantly, listen to your customers and keep improving. That’s the only way to stay ahead in this competitive market.
Interviewer (AI): Thank you for sharing your experience! Luxus Galia is an inspiring brand, and I’m sure your insights will help many entrepreneurs in Tamil Nadu.
Lourdes Paul Agilan: Thank you! I hope my journey helps others navigate their own e-commerce struggles.
Superb interview
Well said
The language barrier in India is indeed a significant challenge, and tailoring ads to regional languages like Tamil is a smart approach. It’s fascinating how such strategies can foster trust and connection with the audience. Speaking the language of the people truly bridges the gap between brands and consumers. Do you think this approach can be equally effective in other diverse markets?
This is such an insightful perspective on the power of language in marketing! Tailoring ads to regional languages like Tamil is a brilliant way to connect with the audience on a deeper level. It’s amazing how something as simple as speaking their language can build trust and loyalty. I wonder if this strategy could be scaled to other regions with diverse linguistic backgrounds. Do you think there’s a risk of overcomplicating campaigns by trying to cater to too many languages? Also, how do you measure the success of such language-specific ads? Would love to hear more about your thoughts on this!
I don’t think it’ll overcomplicate the process. Brands often do it. And today with all the AI and adcancements we can easliy make ads in different languages.
Well said! The language barrier in India is indeed a significant challenge, and tailoring ads to regional languages like Tamil is a smart approach. It’s fascinating how such strategies can foster trust and connection with the audience. Speaking the language of the people truly bridges the gap between brands and consumers. Do you think this approach can be equally effective in other diverse markets? I’m curious to know if there are any specific examples where this strategy has failed or succeeded beyond India. Also, how do you balance the cost of creating multiple language-specific ads with the potential ROI? Would love to hear more about your experiences and insights on this!
It’s fascinating how language-specific ads can create such a strong connection with the audience. Tailoring ads to regional languages like Tamil seems like a brilliant strategy to build trust and loyalty. I wonder if this approach could be applied to other diverse markets with similar linguistic diversity. Do you think there’s a risk of diluting the brand’s message when adapting it to multiple languages? Also, how do you measure the effectiveness of these language-specific campaigns? It would be interesting to hear more about the challenges and successes you’ve encountered. What’s your take on using AI to streamline this process?
The language barrier in India is indeed a significant challenge, and tailoring ads to regional languages like Tamil is a smart approach. It’s fascinating how such strategies can foster trust and connection with the audience. Speaking the language of the people truly bridges the gap between brands and consumers. Do you think this approach can be equally effective in other diverse markets? I’m curious to know if there are any specific challenges you’ve faced while implementing such strategies. Also, how do you ensure the cultural nuances are accurately captured in these ads? Would love to hear more about your experiences and insights on this!
The language barrier in India is indeed a significant challenge, and tailoring ads to regional languages like Tamil is a smart approach. It’s fascinating how such strategies can foster trust and connection with the audience. Speaking the language of the people truly bridges the gap between brands and consumers. Do you think this approach can be equally effective in other diverse markets? I’m curious to know if there are any specific challenges you’ve faced while implementing such strategies. Also, how do you ensure the cultural nuances are accurately represented in these ads? Would love to hear more about your experiences and insights on this!
This is such an accurate observation about the importance of language in marketing. Using regional languages like Tamil not only builds trust but also creates a sense of cultural resonance. It’s incredible how such a simple change can make people feel more connected to a brand. Do you think this approach could be extended to other states with equally diverse linguistic backgrounds? I also wonder if there’s a risk of diluting the brand message when translating it into multiple languages. How do you ensure consistency while still maintaining authenticity? I’d love to hear more about your experiences or thoughts on this—how do you think brands can strike the right balance?
The language barrier in India is indeed a significant challenge, and tailoring ads to regional languages like Tamil is a smart approach. It’s fascinating how such strategies can foster trust and connection with the audience. Speaking the language of the people truly bridges the gap between brands and consumers. Do you think this approach can be equally effective in other diverse markets? I’m curious to know if there are any specific examples where this strategy has failed or faced challenges. Also, how do you balance the cost of creating multiple language-specific ads with the potential ROI? Would love to hear more about your experiences and insights on this!