UBON Targets 25 Percent Online Business Share with Quick Commerce Push

The mobile accessories market is growing rapidly in India. Although Korean and Chinese companies dominate the smartphone segment, the Indian company Ubon has maintained its leadership in the offline mobile accessories market. The company holds a 35 percent offline market share (Tier 2 and Tier 3) in mobile accessories, more than any other brand. Ubon provides various products, including neckbands, headphones, earbuds, chargers, cables, and power banks. Gadgets 360 spoke with the company's co-founder, Lalit Arora, to learn more about Ubon's strategy. A few of the responses have been edited and shortened for easy understanding.

What do you think today's Indian consumer looks for in a tech accessory brand like UBON?

Today's buyers are definitely much more aware and choosy than they used to be. They are looking for accessories that can handle the rough and tumble of everyday use and still last. For the younger crowd, design has really become a form of self-expression, so they lean towards products that look trendy and modern and say something about their personality. At the same time, you can't ignore that price is still a massive deciding factor. Customers have come to expect features like fast charging, long battery life, clear audio, and the latest Bluetooth tech. Still, they want all of that at a price point that feels fair and reasonable.

Service plays just as big a role. People really value brands that make returns or exchanges hassle-free. They also connect with brands that make an effort to be culturally relevant, whether that's through cricket partnerships, festive deals, or just having a strong local presence. At UBON, we try our best to tick all these boxes, building products and experiences that genuinely fit into the fabric of everyday Indian life.

What customer pain points do you think exist in the audio/wearable accessories space?

The market is incredibly crowded, but what's often missing is consistency. You have a lot of low-cost accessories that might look appealing at first, but they frequently fail to last or perform as promised, which just leaves customers feeling frustrated. On the other end of the spectrum, international brands generally offer better quality, but their prices are simply too high for a huge portion of buyers, especially when you look at Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

This situation often forces people to choose between cheap products that don't work well or expensive ones they can't really afford. UBON's goal is to bridge this gap. We want to offer customers durable and stylish options such as our neckbands, TWS earbuds, and speakers at prices that fit their budget. Our goal is to make quality technology something people can aspire to own without it being too expensive.

How would you differentiate UBON technologically from competitors like boAt or Noise?

Look, it really comes down to our journey and what that has taught us. UBON is a homegrown Indian brand, and we've been doing this for 25 years, primarily in the offline world. A key difference is that we've never taken any outside funding; we are completely bootstrapped. Every step this company has taken was built on our own hard work and the relationships we've built with our customers, often face-to-face.

When you build a business that way, it keeps you incredibly grounded. You can't just chase every flashy trend or get caught up in short-term hype. You're forced to listen and to focus on what people actually need and what provides genuine, lasting value. So, that's where our tech differentiation really comes from. I think what sets us apart is that we value practicality just as much as we value innovation. You see, it's easy for brands to get excited about cosmetic features or the 'next big thing'. We pour our energy into a different question: 'How does this genuinely make an Indian consumer's daily life a little bit easier?' That's the real test for us.

A great example is our CL 35 neckband. It ships with an extra battery, a simple but incredibly useful feature that saves people from the constant anxiety of charging, especially when they're out and about. At UBON, our tech is really designed around durability, efficiency, and versatility. Whether we're talking about longer playtime, smarter charging, quad mic systems, or even built-in holders, everything we design is meant to solve a real problem. Our mission is pretty clear. We want to make premium-quality audio and wearable tech accessible to everyone, at prices that actually make sense for the Indian pocket.

UBON Bullet Series CL-35 Wireless Neckband
Photo Credit: UBON

How would you improve the customer experience for UBON's online and offline buyers?

For us at UBON, customer experience is at the heart of everything we do, both online and offline. Since the majority of our customers still shop offline, our main focus there is on making the whole process simple and enjoyable. We achieve this by working with well-trained retail partners, creating interactive in-store displays, and setting up live demos so people can literally hear and feel the UBON sound before they decide to buy. If a product does happen to be faulty, we've made sure it can be returned without any hassle and that the issue gets resolved quickly. We also keep our retailers in the loop with new schemes and offers, so customers always get extra value, on top of easy replacements and solid after sales support.

For our online shoppers, the goal is to create an experience built on convenience and trust. We work to keep our website and marketplace listings clean and user friendly, with very clear product descriptions and authentic customer reviews. On top of that, we're building out faster customer support channels using WhatsApp and chatbots to handle any queries or complaints almost instantly. And, of course, ensuring speedy delivery and secure packaging will always be a top priority for us.

What's your vision for UBON over the next 3 to 5 years? What is your current market share and your target for the next five years?

Over the next 3 to 5 years, our vision for UBON is straightforward. We want to solidify our position as India's most trusted tech accessory brand, across both online and offline channels, while proudly continuing to support the Make in India initiative. Our core mission is to deliver products that are high quality, long lasting, and affordable, connecting with people all over the country, whether they're in a metro city or a Tier 2 or Tier 3 town. At the moment, our market share in the mobile accessories space in these regions is about 35 percent, and we're targeting to grow that to 50 percent within the next five years.

Currently, about 95 percent of our business is driven by offline sales, leaving just 5 percent from online. We have a goal to increase that online contribution to 25 percent in the next two years. To make that a reality, we'll start rolling out online exclusive models beginning next year, with a sharp focus on quick commerce platforms. Looking beyond that, we're also planning to launch a line of home appliance products before Diwali this year. Further down the road, we are fully committed to expanding our digital footprint and introducing innovative products like smart wearables, IoT enabled devices, and AI powered accessories, all designed and manufactured with pride right here in India.

Do you think IoT or AI has a role in UBON's future product line?

AI and IoT are definitely the future, and as a tech company, we can't shy away from them. We can make our products smarter and more intuitive through these technologies, which we're constantly working on. Through IoT, UBON devices like smartwatches, neckbands, and speakers can communicate with each other. This further enhances our ecosystem. For example, your UBON smartwatch can monitor your health data and instantly create the perfect workout playlist for your UBON earbuds. Furthermore, UBON speakers automatically adjust their sound depending on whether you're indoors or outdoors. AI will enhance the user experience in the future. Integrating AI into our products helps us improve user behavior. Through AI, we strive to make UBON products a more seamless daily experience for users.

Which states are currently generating significant business for the company in India? Is the company considering launching an IPO in the future to support its expansion plans?

Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Punjab are some of the states where UBON is performing particularly well, and Uttar Pradesh is another major contributor to our sales. Our partnership with the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL has definitely helped give the brand even more visibility in those regions.

As for an IPO, right now, we are reinvesting all of our earnings straight back into the business to fuel our growth, so an IPO isn't on the immediate horizon. It is, however, something we might consider down the line if it aligns with our long term expansion strategy.