Category business

India, 14th February 2023– Bengaluru-based fintech startup, CheQ Digital Pvt Ltd, has announced the public launch of its flagship CheQ app, after a successful beta campaign that saw it clock INR 60 Crore worth of transactions in 30 days.

Starting today, users will be able to download the CheQ app (available on Android & iOS) and join a waitlist. Once on the waitlist, they can unlock early access by referring 2 more users to the app. To incentivize early adopters, the company is offering 100 CheQ Chips as a signup bonus and an additional 100 chips on every successful referral.

CheQ Chips are the app’s in-app currency received as a reward for every payment on CheQ. They can be redeemed for vouchers from the top 40 brands in the country or converted to cash & taken to the bank. The beta period saw more than 16,000 vouchers being redeemed by users, with those from Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Swiggy & Zomato being the most popular.

Commenting on the launch of the waitlist, Aditya Soni, Founder & CEO, CheQ said, “We are thrilled with the results of our beta program, which saw more than 7,000 active users make over 45,000 transactions over a short period of time. This success far surpassed our original goal of onboarding 500 users and serves as a huge confidence boost for us. With the launch of our waitlist, we take our first step toward making CheQ India’s best credit repayment platform.”

Founded in 2022, CheQ aims to help users understand, manage and leverage credit in ways that augment their lifestyle choices. And while doing so, make the experience fun and rewarding. The CheQ app will allow users to pay their credit card bills, loan EMIs from one place and get 1% back as CheQ Chips on every payment.

The company raised $10 million in July 2022 in a seed round that saw participation from marquee investors like 3one4 Capital, Venture Highway, Multiply Ventures, Mars Shot Ventures, and Veda VC.

New Delhi, February 14, 2023: PokerBaazi, India’s biggest poker platform, today announced the launch of their latest and biggest app update of the year with their campaign #UpGreat. The new update will bring in an improved and refreshed way to enhance the user experience on the PokerBaazi app. The company’s last major app update came in May 2021 with the rollout of version 2.0 which was an entirely new product based on the latest tech stack. While the company has added more to it with follow-up app updates since PokerBaazi 3.0 is more focused on bringing powerful yet meaningful enhancements to make the Poker gameplay experience more engaging and immersive.

Staying true to its launch campaign called #UpGreat, this version of the Poker app delights its customers with a new animation engine that brings the game animations much closer to a real-life experience. Along with this, the brand’s in-house technology team has ensured further ease of use for its users by enhancing its UX design on both app navigation and gameplay screens. It has also featured a new and innovative game format called ‘All-in or Fold’ which is expected to drive more user engagement.

Speaking about the launch, Mr. Navkiran Singh, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer, of Baazi Games said, “While working backward and analyzing user interaction at every stage of the game, we brought in several improvisations in the entire user journey to deliver a whole new experience to our users. Technology is a driver in the product industry today and with our motto of ‘never stop improving’, we love to constantly innovate and improvise. Our users have shown immense love for our product and today, I am really proud that we are delivering this truly #UpGreat update to them.”

The latest app version comes with powerful tech upgrades which provide 2x game loading speed while consuming up to 50% lesser CPU consumption.

Avneet Rana, Co-founder at Baazi Games, who also heads the product & technology, said, “Being a multiplayer gaming platform, a fast and seamless user interface (UI) is a key element and tech innovations to improve the gameplay experience by incorporating the finest design and UX details has been one of the USPs of this update. A considerably better app performance, added engagement features, and a new game format will not just entertain our existing users but also engage the users who join our platform new. ”

PokerBaazi has been at the forefront of technological advancements from the very outset. As India’s leading Poker operator, PokerBaazi is set on its vision to make Poker a household game in the country by making the game more engaging and adaptable for Indian audiences.

With Valentine’s day being just around the corner, Mobex has introduced a special offer that comes with several benefits like earphones at an unbelievable discount, launching new gadgets, and much more. Here’s everything you need to know about the Mobex Valentine’s Day offer.

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, Mobex is running a special offer for the 14th of February in which they will be giving away earphones at just Rs. 14! Along with that, they are also offering a discount of flat 14% off on all their products which you can claim by using the product code “LUV14” valid till the 14th of February. Additionally, they are also launching a refurbished iPhone 14 starting at Rs. 62,999 only.

Founder of Mobex, Mr. Krunal Shah said, “I adhere to the fundamental principle “Choose nature before new” and hence established Mobex with the purpose of providing consumers with a cost-effective way to upgrade the gadgets they already own while maintaining sustainability as the cornerstone. The product selection includes anything from smart watches to laptops, audio products, and smartphones. Additionally, we provide all kinds of electronic repair services and have reached the pinnacle of quality and customer service owing to our more than a decade of expertise and knowledge of the industry.”

India, 2023: With Valentine’s Day around the corner, dedicate this time of the year to celebrating self- love! True happiness always begins with loving yourself. So this month of love, be your own Valentine by gifting yourself a metal that is just as unique and rare as you are – precious platinum.

Born from the stars, platinum is one of the rarest metals to exist on this planet, akin to the rare and progressive choice of young women who wear their identity proudly on their sleeves. Platinum’s intrinsic durability and strength, allows this white metal to stay untarnished through the passage of time, and lend itself to timeless jewellery designs. Crafted from 95% pure platinum, Platinum EVARA by PGI India offers a curated collection of exquisitely crafted platinum jewellery. Embedded with meaning, every piece in this collection is an ode to the woman who stays true to her core and embraces all parts of herself.

Be it casualwear, party wear, workwear or even Indian wear, the stunning collection by Platinum EVARA promises to take the style quotient a notch higher by offering designs that complement and elevate different looks across occasions. The versatile range includes an array of designs that range from captivating necklaces and alluring wristwear to intricately crafted earrings and elegant rings. Delicae yet seamless forms, combined with alluring diamond cuts come together to create one-a-kind pieces that seamlessly complement your outfits while making a discerning style statement.

As much as we cheer for our loved ones, it is equally important to also be your own biggest cheerleader. There is no love like self-love and no better time to accept and appreciate yourself, as you take those strides to own your individuality. So, this Valentine’s Day, celebrate self-love as you pick from a stunning array of platinum jewellery pieces from Platinum EVARA’s curated collection for yourself!

Platinum dancing lines:
This elegant chain, crafted in rare platinum features cylindrical platinum forms of mismatched lengths. Symbolic of life’s many highs and lows, and your decision to face them all while owning the woman within in her purest, most unabashed form.

Platinum beaded glory:
You are defined by the many facets of your personality that seamlessly come together to create your unique identity. This is represented in the multi-faceted design of this interlinked bracelet, where rose gold and platinum pellets come together to form a unique design narrative.

Platinum Seamless Elegance:
This bracelet with fluid lines of platinum coming together in a diamond studded centre is a statement in simplicity. A reminder that you must celebrate your unique identity even in those seemingly simple yet meaningful everyday moments that bring you joy and comfort.

Platinum Magical Hurricane Earrings:
Wear these magical hurricane earrings and let the world know who you are. Crafted in platinum, a metal known for its inherent resilience, these earrings can stand the test of time akin to your own story.

Platinum Starfall
Like a stunning medley of shooting stars falling from the night sky, this piece is designed to remind you that you leave an indelible impression on those around by simply walking through life, being true to yourself.

Platinum EVARA offers a curated selection of exquisitely crafted platinum jewellery pieces for women, which is available across leading jewellery retail stores in India.

by Akash Pharande, Managing Director – Pharande Spaces

In a recent report on housing prices in the country’s top cities, real estate consultants PropTiger.com found that average residential real estate price tags rose by 7% in 2022. In Pune, prices rose by 8% when compared to 2021. The consultants correctly attribute the price rise to the increased construction cost and the continuing demand wave, which began after Covid-19 and had been going strong ever since.

The fact that housing prices are rising like this after many years of relatively slow or neutral growth is notable. It means different things to different people – those who have already bought their homes are grateful for having acted in time. Those sitting on the fence feel the heat rising – the time to postpone the decision is running out.

Housing prices tend to increase due to a combination of factors, including inflation, supply and demand dynamics, and the overall state of the economy.

Inflation

Inflation plays a significant role in driving up housing prices, but what is it exactly? To put it simply, inflation is the overall increase in prices and concurrent decrease in money’s value or purchasing power over time. As inflation rises, the value of the rupee decreases, meaning that people must spend more money to buy the same amount of goods and services.

Like everything else, the cost of building materials, construction labour, and other expenses associated with housing construction also rise. In a slow housing market, developers will try to safeguard their customers from this increased cost as much as possible since demand would ebb otherwise. However, they can only do it for so long – and when housing demand is healthy, there is no reason not to pass on the increased costs to homebuyers in the form of higher prices.

Demand and supply

The dynamics of supply and demand also contribute to increasing housing prices. When there is more housing demand than supply, prices tend to rise. This can happen for several reasons. For example, if there is a growing population or a large influx of people into a specific area, there will be more demand for housing in that area, but the supply of housing may not be able to keep up. At a more micro-level, a well-known builder’s project may sell so well that there is more demand than supply. This leads to higher prices for the available homes.

There is another angle to the supply-demand argument – namely, that if interest rates are attractively low and it is easier for people to obtain home loans, more people can afford to buy homes, increasing demand and driving up prices. Interestingly, while home loan interest rates are increasing in India, this has not dampened housing demand by much.

Indians are still gung-ho about buying homes because they know that property prices are rising even faster than interest rates. In India, buying a home is one of the top-most priorities for most families. They will wait and watch for a certain amount of time to see if prices and/or interest rates are likely to fall. When they see them rising instead, the homebuyer instinct is activated.

State of the economy

The state of the overall economy can also impact housing prices. When the economy is strong, and people have more money and feel confident in their job security, they are more likely to buy homes, increasing demand and driving up prices. In contrast, when the economy is weak and people are struggling to make ends meet, they may delay buying a home or choose to rent instead, reducing demand and putting downward pressure on housing prices.

The state of the economy does not affect every category of homebuyer equally. In the Indian context, we have seen that luxury housing buyers who come from a place of existing wealth are less impacted by overall economic performance and least affected by interest rate hikes. Middle-class buyers are affected, but as already mentioned, their homebuying decisions are based on more than just how well the economy is doing.

However, there is no doubt that many lower-income Indians who typically buy affordable housing are forced to shelve their plans until the economy picks up, paid employment prospects to improve, or the government rolls out special incentives specifically aimed at helping them realize their homeownership dreams. Conversely, government policies such as tax incentives or subsidies for affordable housing buyers can increase demand and drive up prices.

While housing prices tend to increase over time, the rate of increase can vary significantly depending on various factors. For example, housing prices may be relatively stable in some areas or even decline over time due to a shrinking population or a weak local economy.

With all the action now happening in the Indian housing market, the Indian homeownership mindset now finds the pressure building. Will housing prices eventually edge into complete unaffordability? While interest rates may moderate over time, property prices will not follow suit as demand is high and prices have awakened after several years of stagnation. More than ever before, there may be no time like the present to get off the fence.

VingaJoy cool gadgets that you can consider giving your beloved one’s this Valentine’s Day: –

1. VingaJoy smartest and sleekest smartwatch, —”FITLIFE ULTRA W-500,” – Rs. 3,999

Combining many features FITLIFE ULTRA W-500 is a stylish smartwatch for anyone searching for a wide range of capabilities without paying a premium price. The watch has multiple built-in sports modes and the largest HD screen available. It provides value for money through its high-quality display, user-friendly interface, long battery life, and fashionable appearance. VingaJoy FITLIFE ULTRA W-500 is a perfect option if you’re looking for a smartwatch that won’t burn a hole in your pocket. The watch provides 72 hours of nonstop working and also comes with a free extra strap. Furthermore, a high-resolution and immersive visual experience is provided for all notification alerts. Some other noteworthy features include camera control, music control, and a voice assistant. Available with a 6-month warranty, the VINGAJOY FITLIFE ULTRA W-500 is available at offline stores across India.

2. VingaJoy BT – 780 ECOBUDS 2.0 TWS Earbuds – Rs. 1,590

VingaJoy TWS earbuds offer 20 hours of playback on a single charge and can last for up to 200 hours on standby. It comes with an in-built mic that gives you premium sound quality audio on the go. VingaJoy earbuds are comfortable to wear, with noise-isolating features that ensure an amazing audio experience. Its secure sporty fit design makes it the right pick for outdoor activities like running, jogging, etc. VingaJoy BT-780 is very lightweight and offers hands-free functionality while doing sports or driving. The new earbuds are equipped with Type-C fast charging and offer Hi–Fi Sound quality. Further, the BT-780 is equipped with the Bluetooth V5.1 ensuring the fastest pairing and strong signals over a longer operation range from the source. It comes with dual mic support along with a touch control feature to control your playlist, and receive calls. These earbuds can be used separately after successful auto-pairing.

February 14, 2023 — People in the United States bought 250 million roses to give to their valentines on Feb. 14, 2019. The very next year, during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, consumers stopped buying flowers. The growers in South America who supply American florists and supermarkets with beautiful blooms couldn’t sell their crops and had to burn them.

Photo of roses courtesy of Pexels“The industry was highly affected by the 2020 pandemic. People stopped getting married, people stopped having graduations, they stopped having big conferences, or any type of meeting where you would need flowers,” said Barbara Leshyn, floral design instructor for Virginia Tech’s School of Plant and Environmental Sciences. “People lost jobs, from the grower to shipping, to wholesale, to retail.”

However, as the U.S. emerged from lockdown, Leshyn said the floral industry rebounded in a huge way, and so far the recovery, and the fondness for giving flowers, show no signs of slowing down. “We saw record sales in 2021, we saw record sales in 2022, and our projection is that in 2023 we will have record sales specifically for Valentine’s Day.”

Leshyn said the floral industry is doing even better now than it was before COVID-19 arrived. In 2021, the industry rapidly ramped up to meet demand and ended up clearing $6 billion in sales, a new record. That figure includes both cut flowers and the potted plants one buys for home gardens. Breaking out flowers alone, florists made $360 million in sales as opposed to $220 million in 2019, according to the Society for American Florists. Though final figures for 2022 are not yet available, they are likely to be even higher, Leshyn said.

“Valentine’s Day shoppers will see prices higher than they were in 2019, but on par with prices from 2022,” said Leshyn. “Though the European floral industry has been affected negatively by recession and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. market’s ties to South America provide security. We look good for the next year or two.”

Florists have a lot to look forward to this Valentine’s Day, with the National Retail Federation predicting that consumers will spend a record $25.9 billion and that 37% of those shoppers will buy flowers. Yet what about the long view for these fragile blooms?

“Long-term concerns have grown because older generations have generally been florists’ dependable customers. The industry has responded by courting new, younger customers through TikTok,” Leshyn said. “When you have an industry that relies on a perishable product, they have to be pretty forward thinking all the time.”

Submarine Pens, is India’s Largest manufacturer of a range of high-performance roller pens and ballpoint pens. Submarine Pens, home to the finest writing instruments and currently featuring over 5 models, never shies from surprising its customers. This time, Submarine Pens’ new Coffee Pen is a COFFEE TREAT (literally!) for its patrons to powerfully express themselves. Mrp for coffee pen – ball pen 300 roller pen 400.

This one-of-a-kind collection comes in five modern styles and emits the passion, finesse, and amazing quality that let one relate to the enjoyment of being in a café. As they write with the new Coffee Pen from Submarine, customers can sense the aroma of the coffee beans.

The Coffee Pen collection includes a number of modes, such as Americano, Cappuccino, Mocha, Espresso, Latte & Macchiato. You can buy the Submarine coffee pen collection very soon at Archies gallery, top A+ Stores, & online retail. So the next time you’re frantically jotting down notes, you can take a break for a moment of relaxation and take a good, long whiff of your coffee-scented pen.

The season of love has arrived! And what better way to celebrate the day than binge-watching some of the most intriguing love stories Netflix has to offer? Forget the old cliched displays of affection, be it long-stemmed roses or boxes of chocolate or candlelit dinners, as we have curated a list of films that you can stream with your beloved on this Valentine’s Day.

Ante Sundaraniki

Featuring Nani, Nazriya Nazim in the lead role, Ante Sundaraniki, a Netflix Telugu rom- com takes you through the lives of a Christian woman, Leela (Nazriya Nazim), and a Brahmin guy, Sundar (Nani), who fall in love and get married. In an attempt to convince their parents, the children tell different stories, and create a comical disaster by complicating their situation. Ante Sundaraniki is a sweet romantic comedy movie and a perfect binge watch for Valentine’s Day

Available in Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada.

Virata Parvam

Vennela (Sai Pallavi), a typical Telangana country girl who draws a lot of inspiration from literature and her father’s Oggu Katha. The most wanted naxal commander Aranya alias Ravanna (Rana Daggubati), whose poem Vennela just so happens to read, captures her heart. The central conflict of this romantic action thriller is how Vennela and Ravanna’s paths connect and if Vennela succeeds in winning her heart. A romantic action film that celebrates love and has powerful emotions, Virata Parvam proves to be a memorable Valentine’s Day film.

Available in Telugu, Tamil & Malayalam

Krishna Vrinda Vihari

Directed by Annish Krishna, the Telugu romantic comedy stars Naga Shaurya, Shirley Setia and Radhika in prominent roles. The story revolves around Krishna (Naga Shaurya), who falls in love with his project manager Vrinda (Shirley). However, descending from an orthodox family, he strives to convince his family to marry Vrinda. This rom-com is an inspiring watch on Valentine’s Day as it takes you through a series of twists and tales of love.

18 Pages

18 Pages, Netflix romantic drama features Nikhil Siddhartha, Anupama Parameswaran, and Ajay in the lead. The movie takes you through the life of Siddhu (Nikhil Siddhartha) and Nandini (Anupama Parameswaran). Heartbroken Siddhu finds himself immersed in the enigmatic world of Nandini when he stumbles upon her two-year-old diary. This love-story will enlighten your Valentine’s Day as it will anticipate you to see whether Siddhu and Nandini actually meet.

Love Today

Consider giving your partner access to your phone for the entire day. That sounds impossible, right? Well, that is what Love Today is all about. This rom-com features a young couple who swap phones for 24 hours, at the request of the girl’s suspicious father. Directed by Pradeep Ranganathan, the movie stars Pradeep Ranganathan, Ivana, and Yogi Babu in the lead. This film is a great watch for Valentine’s Day as it makes two strangers fall in love.

Available in Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada.

New Delhi, February 14, 2023: Times Prime, the leading lifestyle subscription app has forged an association with Prooh Technologies Pvt. Ltd, an AD network of uber premium digital and static road-facing inventory, to further engage the brand’s audience with its successful quirky campaign – ‘Members’ Fest. This expansion of the outdoor campaign is from Cyber Hub, Gurgaon to 35 sites across the Delhi NCR region and will showcase the brand’s new offer launches and exclusively curated events. It will run for three months and feature 35 digital screens strategically placed in popular shopping and dining destinations.

Placed at strategic high footfall locations across Delhi NCR, we were able to touch over 30 million prospective members in a span of just 15 days during our unique benefits campaign called Members’ Fest. A campaign designed to spark curiosity about Times Prime, drive engagement and encourage new customer trials.
The 360 approaches to the campaign helped us set new landmarks with a 247% increase in organic traffic, 85% increment in website visits, and a 700% jump in purchase intent shown through searches of Times Prime coupons. The 15-day campaign introduced benefits from fan-favorite brands like MX Gold, McDonald’s, WOW Skin Science, Zoft, Organic Harvest, Myntra and gratified over 1 lakh members.

“Our 15-day extravaganza of exclusive benefits and experiences was a major success. The targeted approach drove engagement, brand awareness, and interaction. To keep raising the bar, we’re partnering with PROOH Technologies for better innovation and adopting the latest marketing technologies.” – Harshita Singh, Business Head, Times Prime.

“This is an industry first initiative combining audience planning, programmatic DOOH AD placement around cohort movement patterns and buying DOOH and OOH space on no fixed rental instead on impressions delivered,” says Vishnu Mohan, Co-Founder of PROOH Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

As one of the most preferred lifestyle super-apps, Times Prime offers an extensive range of benefits on a single platform, from shopping to entertainment and lifestyle, brands like Starbucks, Myntra, Uber, Disney+ Hotstar, SonyLIV, Google One, and many more. Times Prime positions itself as a unique Super App that curates subscriptions and benefits besides elevating lifestyle with superior & exclusive access to global brands and experiences. The campaign is designed to create a sense of urgency and dramatize the importance of availing the benefits of Times Prime subscription.