LifeLong ventures into IoT products category; targets tier 2,3 markets

Home-grown consumer durable company LifeLong has ventured into Internet of Things (IoT) category with its smart home solutions. Designed to address common problems to manage electrical appliances, the IoT products will be launched in three main categories -- sensors and detectors, lights and fans, and gadgets and appliances.

Sensors and detectors category will include gas, door, water leakage, and smoke detectors, while lights and fans segment includes switches, plugs, IR blaster, and strip lights. The company plans to launch robot clear and smart body fat scale under the gadgets and appliances categories.

"What makes the Lifelong IoT range different is how our products address common problems. They manage electrical appliances, ensure judicious usage of electrical appliances, and make homes more secure. For example, Lifelong was the first to address a common lacuna in smart bulb designs. We designed our smart bulb to automatically light up once the electricity is restored after a power failure. Even the smart water leakage detector uses a simple design to address the common problem of the overhead water tank overflow," Lifelong Online India CEO and co-founder Bharat Kalia said.

The IoT products are built for India and tailored to meet local conditions, Kalia said. According to the company's in-house research, there is a high demand for these products in tier 1 and tier 2 markets. With aggressive pricing, the company anticipates a quick penetration in tier 3 and 4 markets.

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"We have ensured that our products are functionally better, addressing smaller pain points that have been ignored so far. More importantly, tier 2 and tier 3 cities are a significant part of our target segment. The availability and affordability of our range gives these consumers the opportunity to experience these products for the first time. So, we think we are in the right place at the right time," Kalia added.

The company has been working on the range for over 6 months. While the products will be sourced from China initially, the company plans to shift manufacturing to India once revenue picks up.

"This encourages and nurtures the manufacturing facilities in India to learn and improvise on our current skillset. Because a few of our IoT products are already on the market, such as the smart bulb and the smart plug, we will be moving their manufacturing to India shortly. In the five years of LifeLong, we have come a long way in contributing to the Indian manufacturing ecosystem," Kalia said.

Headquartered in Gurgaon, Lifelong is a direct to customer brand. Its products are available for purchase on Amazon, Flipkart as well as the company's website. "It gives us a direct connect with our customers, helping us understand feedback and gather data. In general trade, this is difficult to replicate," Kalia said.

LifeLong is trying to work directly with retailers or adopt a model like Udaan that can bridge the gap with customers offline.

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