Epik’s New "Try and Buy" Commerce Model

Epik, a Bangalore‑based experience‑commerce marketplace, announced the launch of the world’s first "Try and Buy Everything Store," allowing customers to either have an expert visit their home ("Try at Home") or demonstrate products live via video call ("Try on Video"). In both formats the expert demonstrates the product, explains features, compares options and assists the customer in making a purchase decision; only after the demo does the transaction occur. The company claims that this approach keeps product returns between zero and low single‑digit percentages.

Event Launch – Epiklogue, 18 September 2026

The model was unveiled at the Epiklogue event held on Friday, 18 September 2026, where brand partners from smart‑home, smartphone, personal‑electronics, kitchen, cleaning, skincare, perfume, premium cookware, travel‑accessories and premium‑apparel categories gathered. The evening featured a 45‑minute stand‑up set by comedian Anmol Garg, who humorously highlighted the challenges of buying premium goods in Bangalore.

Technology and Fulfilment Engine

Epik’s proprietary "experience commerce engine" underpins the serviceability and fulfilment layer. It calculates the optimal number of demo units, allocates them to appropriate demo partners, and matches each customer with the nearest partner at a convenient time. The engine combines AI‑driven product cataloguing with a human‑in‑the‑loop expert, positioning the human guide as essential in an AI‑saturated market.

Brand Partnerships and Festive Offers

Several multi‑billion‑dollar multinational corporations have entered exclusive product‑launch partnerships with Epik. During the festive season, these partners will provide special offers through the Try and Buy model. Notable partners quoted at the event include:

  • Manu Sharma, Managing Director, Dreame Technology India, stating that premium technology is best understood when experienced at home, allowing consumers to see product performance in a real‑life setting before purchase.
  • Pushpa V, Head of Marketing, Philips India (Personal Care), emphasizing that consumers now seek experiential understanding beyond feature lists, which Epik’s approach delivers.
  • Gotama Gowda, Founder and CEO of Epik, described the platform as a “river” between the “ocean” of e‑commerce and the “lake” of modern trade, delivering an AI‑plus‑human solution that eliminates checkout delays and caters to mass‑premium shoppers.

Strategic Backing

Epik is financially backed by Info Edge, the group behind Naukri, Zomato, Blinkit and Policybazaar, underscoring strong investor confidence in the new commerce paradigm.

Disclaimer

The press release is distributed under an arrangement with PNN; PTI assumes no editorial responsibility.