A decade ago, when direct-to-consumer brands were nascent in India, Pankaj Gupta co-founded Daily Objects, a venture that sought to redefine the accessory market. Observing a lack of well-designed, high-quality products for modern lifestyles, Gupta envisioned a brand that could elevate the mundane. “We started DailyObjects almost a decade ago—way before D2C brands really became a thing,” Gupta told financialexpress.com. While many saw gadgets, Gupta saw the missed opportunity around them. “Most tech accessories looked the same—dull, black and white, no personality. I wanted to bring colour and joy to everyday life through design.”
Hailing from a modest village in Rajasthan and educated in Hindi-medium schools, Gupta once held an H1B visa and a promising tech job in the US. But it took only a few days to realise he wanted more than a cubicle life. “I didn’t want that kind of life, just climbing the corporate ladder, stuck in the same loop. So I left it all behind,” Gupta recalled. Abandoning that trajectory, he briefly experimented with online phone sales before identifying a gap in quality accessories. In 2012, he launched DailyObjects, not with sleek phones or flashy gadgets, but with a singular focus on well-designed, functional lifestyle accessories. “Good accessories were hard to find, especially online,” he recalled. The brand’s earliest products weren’t trying to win on price, but on appeal. That discipline remains unchanged.
The journey was fraught with challenges. In 2017-18, the company teetered on the brink of financial collapse but persevered through disciplined innovation. “What sets us apart is that we’re not just a marketing company repackaging stuff from elsewhere,” Gupta said, emphasising their in-house design and R&D. From a monthly revenue of Rs 2 crore in 2020, Daily Objects now commands Rs 20 crore. The company’s strategy is deliberate, prioritising depth over breadth. Previously, the company secured $10 million in a Series B funding round led by 360 One Asset. “For the next 12 months, our focus is to go deeper into our existing categories rather than launching anything new,” Gupta said. Tech, bags, and desk essentials dominate their portfolio, with bags contributing 40% of revenue. Sustainability is integral, evident in their new collection, made from 100% recycled materials, and smartphone cases featuring designs by Indian artisans. “We pay them fairly and promote their work across the Indian market,” he added.
In India’s market, Gupta targets the mass premium segment, where consumers value quality over mere affordability, with Bangalore, Mumbai and NCR seeing the most demand. “I’m selling a phone case for Rs 1,800 on our website, and we also have ones for Rs 900. And people are still choosing the Rs 1,800 one,” he said. With 47% of customers returning and Rs 240 crore ATT, Daily Objects has apparently defied the price-sensitive stereotype. DailyObjects’ fastest-growing vertical is bags, launched just four years ago, which now contributes nearly 40% of revenue. But expansion isn’t about adding more SKUs for the sake of it. “Our focus is to go deeper into our existing categories rather than launching anything new. We want to truly own these categories and be the best in them,” Gupta noted.
Distribution channels are expanding strategically. While 70% of sales originate from their website, recent launches on quick commerce platforms like Blinkit and Zepto signal broader ambitions. Digital marketing, particularly via Meta platforms absorbing 60-70% of ad spend, drives customer acquisition, with a goal to shift 30-40% of traffic to organic sources.
Looking ahead, Gupta envisions an enduring legacy. “Picture abhi baaki hai,” he said, alluding to a potential IPO without a fixed timeline. Despite a loss in FY24 due to internal restructuring, the company’s trajectory is upward, Gupta concluded.