Ameen Khwaja Pioneering the Indian Smartphone Accessories Market with pTron

Success often springs from seizing opportunities, hard work, and unyielding determination. Ameen Khwaja, an electrical engineer by profession, embodies these principles. He didn’t shy away from building a brand from the ground up, leveraging his skills and spotting a niche in the burgeoning smartphone accessories market. Ameen Khwaja‘s journey began with a degree in electrical engineering from the University of East London. During his time there, he freelanced for around 70 bed and breakfast hotels near Buckingham Palace, helping them develop their websites. This experience gave him valuable insights into digital technology and online commerce.

After completing his studies, Ameen returned to India in 2005 and worked as a consultant for various insurance companies. However, he soon realized that his true passion lay elsewhere. The mid-2000s marked the boom of the smartphone industry, leading to a surge in demand for smartphone accessories. Ameen sensed a significant opportunity. In 2015, Ameen embarked on his entrepreneurial journey by launching the e-commerce website LatestOne.com. Initially, he imported smartphone accessories from China to sell on his platform. However, he soon identified a gap in India’s smartphone accessories market. Ameen recognized that despite the growing demand, the market lacked diverse and affordable options.

The Birth of pTron: Elevating Smartphone Accessories

Ameen’s entrepreneurial spirit led to the birth of pTron in 2015. This brand was conceptualized to cater to the growing demand for consumer electronics and mobile accessories. It offered an extensive range of products, including Bluetooth headsets, true wireless stereo (TWS) devices, smartwatches, portable Bluetooth speakers, and networking products. One of pTron‘s key strategies was to manufacture products through third-party units in China and assemble them in India at their Hyderabad unit. This approach allowed them to maintain competitive pricing while ensuring product quality. Initially, pTron products were exclusively available on LatestOne.com, and within three years, the brand reached a value of Rs 220 crore. Remarkably, the company achieved this without external funding. Ameen attributes their success to cost-effective digital marketing, primarily leveraging Facebook. At its peak, pTron received around 450 orders per day.

However, Ameen faced a significant challenge when Facebook increased its marketing prices, and well-funded e-commerce giants launched massive sales campaigns. Additionally, Facebook’s privacy issues adversely affected sales.

Reinventing and Conquering E-commerce Giants:

Undeterred by these setbacks, Ameen executed a strategic pivot. In 2017, he expanded pTron‘s presence to various e-commerce platforms, including Amazon, Flipkart, and Snapdeal. This decision proved pivotal, catapulting pTron into the mainstream and making it a customer favourite. Today, pTron receives approximately 5,000 orders daily, with their bassbuds wireless headsets emerging as the fastest-selling product. Ameen’s resilience and strategic adaptability shine as he leveraged the same e-commerce giants that once posed a challenge to grow his business exponentially.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges, disrupting businesses worldwide. pTron was no exception, experiencing a complete sales halt for two months. In response, Ameen decided to partially shift manufacturing to India to enhance self-sustainability. The company began manufacturing its popular bassbuds wireless headsets domestically, despite a 12 to 15 percent increase in custom costs. Ameen emphasizes the importance of making India self-reliant, especially in manufacturing essential components like PCBs and molds.

Despite the hurdles, pTron achieved the remarkable milestone of selling 1.5 lakh pieces per month. Ameen’s ambitious goal is to sell six million pieces per year in the next two to three years. The company also plans to expand its product range to approximately 225 SKUs. Additionally, pTron aims to bolster its research and development efforts, with a focus on increasing domestic manufacturing.

Ameen Khwaja‘s journey from electrical engineering to entrepreneurship, and his relentless pursuit of success with pTron, exemplify the spirit of innovation, adaptability, and hard work that drives India’s burgeoning tech industry.