Bengaluru, Nov. 5 -- Garima, a 38-year-old homemaker in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, used to navigate the virtual aisles of Flipkart with the ease of a seasoned online shopper. For years, the blue-and-yellow banner was her family's gateway for all kinds of apparel, from school shoes for her two children to festive kurtas for her husband. Flipkart was a reliable, big-city name offering variety at her fingertips.

But by 2020, the familiar listings on Flipkart started to feel limited. The prices, once appealing, seemed less so as her children started rapidly outgrowing their clothes. For a short while, she switched back to purchasing apparel from the local market in Lucknow.

Then came Meesho. Suddenly, Garima found herself once again scrolling ...