Are you a store owner still relying on traditional methods like pen and paper?
We understand the daily struggles you face—from managing your stock to monitoring your staff. Amid all the firefighting, tracking your daily sales, cash flow, profits, and expenses often gets overlooked. It’s tough to make better business decisions in the midst of all this chaos, isn’t it?
But not anymore. The solution is right in your hands—your smartphone. Get the Zobaze POS app, specifically designed to simplify business operations for small and medium-sized business owners.
Our suite of B2B utility mobile applications enables you to run your business effortlessly from anywhere, right from the comfort of your fingertips.
Zobaze provides apps like Zobaze POS for retailers, Restokeep for restaurants, and Bizli for small stores, offering features like:
Tried by; Zobaze has expanded to 190+ countries, achieving over 2 million downloads.
AHA moment; Users say goodbye to traditional methods, saving both time and effort, while gaining better visibility into their sales and profits. Zobaze has a 4.5-star rating on the Google Play Store from 20,000+ reviews.
Brag-worthy; For store owners with limited exposure to technology, being able to manage their business through a smartphone is something worth bragging about. The fact that word of mouth is the second-largest source of user acquisition is proof of that.
To structure the ICP mapping and get a clear understanding of our customer base, I combined both user calls and a survey approach.
After speaking with over 50 users and validating the hypothesis through a survey, which gathered insights from 230+ users, I created this ICP mapping.
Reference to the Survey
Criteria | ICP1 | ICP2 | ICP 3 | ICP 4 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Name | ​Raju | Praful | Bhagat | Nancy |
Age | ​35-45 | 25-35 | 30-35 | 30-40 |
Location | Tier 1 & Tier 2 cities | Tier 1 & Tier 2 cities | Tier 1 & Tier 2 cities | Tier 1 cities |
Tech Literate | Limited - knows basic smartphone features | Moderate - uses social media apps often | Moderate - uses social media apps often | High - aware of software and payments |
Business Type | ​Small Stores | Retail | Wholesale | Restaurant /Cafe |
No. of staff | 0 | 1-3 | 3-5 | 5+ |
Organization Structure | Owner alone or with a family member when absent | Owner + Staff | Owner + Manager + Staff | Owner + Manager + Partner + Staff |
Pain points for downloading | 1. Time-consuming manual processes. 2. Hard to manage customers in peak hours. 3. Difficulty tracking in-debt customers. | 1. To manage Inventory. 2. To track Sales. 3. Billing. | 1. Manage bulk inventory. 2. Manage invoices. 3. Manage staff. | 1. Simplify restaurant operations (inventory/orders). 2. Reduce manual work. |
AHA moments | 1. Easy-to-use POS. 2. Affordable. 3. Data security. | 1. Saves time. 2. Simplified store operations. 3. Visibility into sales. | 1. Organized operations. 2. Professional client interactions. 3. Sales visibility. | 1. Efficient staff management. 2. Smooth restaurant operations. 3. Sales visibility. |
Decision influencer | local community or family-run business circles | competitors or online recommendations | Trusted peers or colleagues | Partner + online recommendations |
Decision Blocker | 1. Fear of data security. 2. Afraid of tech literacy and digital systems. | 1. Prefers free over paid plans. 2. Looks for immediate benefits. | 1. Concerned about compatibility. 2. Prefers referrals for tech. | 1. Needs convincing for partner. 2. Always seeking new features. |
Appetite to pay | Low - prefers affordable options, hesitant to invest | Medium - Willing to pay but compares options | High - Willing to pay for long-term solutions | High - Loyal if product meets business needs |
Other tools used | WhatsApp for orders and communication. Tally or Excel for accounting. | QuickBooks, Excel, CashBook for accounting. WhatsApp for expense tracking. | Accounting apps, Invoice maker. WhatsApp for attendance. | Social media for promotion. Food delivery apps. Excel for accounting. |
Business Goals | 1. Reduce workload and stress. 2. Maintain good customer relations. | 1. Focus more on strategy than operations. 2. Expand multiple businesses. | 1. Scale existing business. 2. Improve operational control. | 1. Serve customers better. 2. Open new branches and manage centrally. |
Social Media apps used | WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube | WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram | Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp | Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp |
Free time spent | Watching social media or movies | Spending time with friends and social media | Netflix and social media | Spending time with family |
Decision Time | High - cautious and slow to decide | Low - quick decision-maker | Medium - considers options thoroughly | High - thorough research before deciding |
Criteria | Adoption Rate | ​Appetite to Pay | Frequency of Use Case​ | ​Distribution Potential | TAM​ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ICP 1 - Small Stores | Low - hesitant to adopt | Low - cost conscious | Low | Low | Medium |
ICP 2 - Retail | Medium - Will adopt with right value proposition | Medium - compares all options | Medium | Medium - active on social media. | High |
ICP 3 - Wholesale | Medium - Adopts but looks for reliability & trust | High - for efficient tools | Medium | High - Wholesaler customers are Zobaze customers | Low |
ICP 4 - Restaurant | High - Open & Must-to-have | High - invests in right tools | High | High - Active on social media. | High |
Based on the ICP prioritization framework, Zobaze should primarily focus on ICP 2 - Retail and ICP 4 - Restaurant. Then ICP 3 - Wholesale.
Reasons:
Store Revenue world-wide (Last 30 days) | Acquisitions world-wide (Last 30 days) |
---|---|
|
|
Note: Above revenue includes only in-app purchases & no Ad revenue.
The data above highlights two key points:
Tool used to capture the data ---> Sensor tower.
App | Strengths | Weaknesses |
---|---|---|
Khatabook |
|
|
Vyapar |
|
|
Loyverse |
|
|
MyBillBook |
|
|
Kyte |
|
|
As Zobaze designs its roadmap, the most effective way to calculate its Total Addressable Market (TAM) is through the Bottom-Up method. To eliminate as much assumptions as possible.
How?
Note: Above analysis only focuses on SMEs. The overall global POS software market size is as below.
Enterprise Limitation
Although Zobaze serves enterprises with 500+ staff, it lacks several key features that are typically required by businesses, such as: Invoicing, Social media integrations, Waste management tools, and Desktop and iOS versions.
iOS Market Share
Globally, 30% of smartphone users are on iOS, which Zobaze does not support. This reduces its potential market size further.
Fixed POS Preference: Desktop version
Fixed POS systems account for 55% of the global POS revenue share, and Zobaze's current offering primarily targets mobile users.
Thus, the final Serviceable Available Market (SAM) for Zobaze is ₹25,200 crore.
Among all competitors, Zobaze is the only Mobile POS available only on Android, making it challenging to predict an exact SOM.
While the total TAM is ₹1 lakh crore, competitors have a broader reach—they are available on both iOS and desktop, offer advanced features (such as invoice generation), and cater to larger businesses. This places them in both the space Zobaze operates in (the ₹25K crore SAM) and the entire ₹1 lakh crore TAM.
So, we're considering competitor acquisitions on Android.
Vyapar: 10 Million.
Khatabook: 50 Million.
MyBillBook: 5Million.
Kyte: 1 Million.
Loyverse: 1 Million.
Zobaze: 1 Million.
i.e., All are in the ratios of ---> 10:50:5:1:1:1
So, out of 25,200 crores (Zobaze SAM), SOM could be - ₹370 crore.
So, out of 25,200 crores (Zobaze SAM), SOM could be - ₹370 crore.
Zobaze empowers SME business owners to take complete control of their operations by providing real-time visibility into sales, profits, and cash flow. It replaces manual tasks, helping them save time and organize their store operations.
In a recent survey, 84% of users reported that Zobaze helps them effectively track their sales, profits, and cash flow. Additionally, 54% mentioned that Zobaze has helped them save time and organize their store operations.
User Story:
As a retail store owner, I want a system that helps me easily manage inventory, sales, and billing, so I can focus on growing my business and save time on day-to-day operations.
2. Restaurant (ICP 4 - Nancy)
User Story:
"As a restaurant owner, I need a solution to manage my staff, orders, and inventory efficiently so I can ensure smooth daily operations and focus on customer satisfaction."
Zobaze, launched in 2018 and currently in the early scaling stage, has explored various acquisition channels, including organic through ASO, paid campaigns via Google Ads, and partnerships through reseller programs.
While these channels have shown success, there remain gaps and ample opportunities to expand our user base further. With our experience and the historical data, our focus now is on deep diving into existing channels rather than branching into new ones.
Zobaze is in the early scaling stage, so we need to limit additional effort and costs for acquiring new users. However, the focus is on channels that deliver faster results, offer flexibility, and can scale as company goals evolve.
Channel Name | Cost | Flexibility | Effort | Speed | Scale |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Organic - ASO | ​Low | High | Medium | High | Medium |
Paid - Google Ads | High | High | Medium | High | High |
Referral Program | Medium | Medium | High | Low | Low |
Product Integration | High | Low | High | Low | Low |
Referral program | Low | Medium | Low | Medium | Medium |
So, relying on existing channels & diving deep into them seems fruitful.
As a mobile-first platform with products primarily on Android, Google Play Store serves as Zobaze's largest distribution channel.
With over 77% of users searching directly on Play Store rather than on the web, this channel is crucial for reaching and engaging our target audience effectively.
ASO is all about using the right keywords (metadata) to drive users to your store listing, then capturing their interest with powerful screenshots. Sounds simple? Not quite!
Let’s break down how users actually search on Play Store:
The real opportunity lies with users who search by use case—they’re exploring and open-minded, checking out the top results without any brand bias. Capturing these users requires well-chosen keywords to bring them to your store listing.
But once they’re there, how do you get them to hit “Download”?
Your content and visuals need to connect with user goals and highlight those key “aha” moments. Think of it as telling a story that guides them from curiosity to commitment.
There are two types of users:
Always solve for the Explorers
Historical Data Insight: So far, Zobaze has focused on localization, tailoring store listings for users from different regions with relatable visuals and translations to capture users searching in various languages. This approach has led us to create Custom Store Listings (CSLs) aimed at specific audience groups. But is localization alone enough to fully capture our target market?
Let’s take a closer look at our own product, feature by feature:
Different ICPs, Different Needs
Each of our target customer profiles (ICPs) has unique needs when they search on the Play Store:
While our app covers all these features, each ICP uses specific keywords in their search. A single, generic title, description, or screenshot won’t effectively capture each of these users.
A Solution: Search-term Based Custom Store Listings (CSLs) - With Google Play Console’s recent updates, we can now create CSLs that adapt titles, descriptions, and visuals based on user search terms, making each listing highly relevant to individual needs.
Proof in Practice
Competitors like Vyapar are already leveraging this strategy and seeing 5x the daily acquisitions compared to Zobaze. By adopting search-term-based CSLs, we can target our audience more accurately, boosting visibility and conversions on the Play Store.
Now that we’ve built a search-term (POS) basis store listing with right keywords and clear value communication, it might feel like the work is done—but not yet. To measure success, we’ll need to track store listing visitors, acquisitions, & conversion rates closely.
Observations:
To address this, we’ll run a 14-day experiment, covering two weekends when user exploration is usually higher, to monitor and re-evaluate key metrics.
Now we have targeted only POS search term, with the many CSLs we need to create for each feature and use case, the potential is huge.
Once these are all live, we could increase our user base by 50%, reaching 2 million users.
Why PAID channels when we have built a kickass strategy for Organic?
The idea of paid ads is to get future customers today by being fast-paced. The best businesses are often futuristic.
So, let's kickstart with the fundamentals.
As a B2B SaaS platform using a freemium model, the best way to calculate LTV is by dividing the Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) by the churn rate.
LTV = ARPU / Churn rate = INR 544.
In 2023, we spent INR 3 per user install. Now, we’re calculating the cost per paying user. Since only 2% of our users are paying, the actual CAC is INR 182 (see calculation below).
CAC : LTV = 182 : 544 = 3:1
This means that for every 1 rupee spent on acquiring a customer, 3 rupees (or more) are generated in lifetime value. Which is considered decent in SaaS companies.
Wait! Haven't we already mapped out our ICP? So why do it again? -- To hit the bullseye.
Unless we’re sure our ads are reaching the right ICP—the users who showed the highest PMF—we’re inviting everyone in. Let’s focus on attracting the right ICP, the ones who retain long enough to boost our LTV.
Who would it be among Praful, Nancy, & Bhagat?? Read the above lines again - users who showed highest PMF & retain long enough - Praful - The Retailer, right. Praful frequently uses Facebook and Instagram and actively searched for apps like Zobaze on Google. Also, users actively searching on Google has high intent.
Since we’re already running Google Ads, let’s identify any gaps and optimize them further. Additionally, let’s explore Meta Ads for greater reach.
We are having two Ad groups: 01 & 02 as below:
Ad group 01 | Impr. | CTR | Conv. rate (install) |
Free Point of Sale for Retail | 10553 | 7.88% | 36.66% |
Billing App for Pharmacy Stores | 6778 | 3.39% | 34.35% |
Point of sale and Inventory | 13713 | 8.42% | 37.75% |
Retail Point of sale offline | 6488 | 5.07% | 35.56% |
Inventory for Retail Store With Barcode & Know your high margin, high frequency SKU's | 10087 | 1.84% | 39.78% |
Billing, Inventory Management, Customer Management & Expense Management for Retail Shop | 6843 | 3.46% | 37.39% |
Billing app for Small and Medium Business | 6590 | 1.7% | 46.02% |
Restaurant POS & Online Order | 1917 | 9.7% | 43.55% |
Billing, Inventory & Customer | 8083 | 5.16% | 31.74% |
Know your shop report from anywhere | 1304 | 0.15% | 50% |
Ad group 02 | Impr. | CTR | Conv. rate (install) |
Try out to know your margins | 2685 | 6.96% | 32.45% |
This app is not a accounting software, this app is a bookkeeping cashflow management app. | 4546 | 8.91% | 16.67% |
Over million happy customers are using app to improve their profits | 5310 | 9.15% | 19.3% |
Understand your daily sales | 3102 | 6.22% | 17.35% |
Try out to know your daily cashflow, low stock inventory and inventory gives high margin | 4957 | 9.26% | 17.83% |
Try out the app and improve your profits with no new sales. | 4455 | 9.72% | 17.01% |
Increase your margins by 10-20% , just by adding sales & expenses of the store. | 5026 | 8.18% | 14.84% |
Summary
Ad group | Impressions | Interactions | Interaction rate | Conv. rate | Conversions |
Ad group 1 | 647352 | 30812 | 4.76% | 8.04% | 2477 |
Ad group 2 | 603645 | 73428 | 12.16% | 3.84% | 2817 |
In Ad Group 01, we’re using direct communication, while Ad Group 02 uses a more indirect approach. As a result, Ad Group 02 has a higher interaction rate, but Ad Group 01 leads with a higher conversion rate.
Interactions are based on Creatives & copies. Conversion rate is based on how relevant the store listing is to the ads.
This shows that users from Ad Group 02 aren’t finding our app’s store listing to be what they expected.
With Google Play Console’s new option to create Custom Store Listings (CSLs) for specific ads, we can adjust the listing to better match their expectations and increase conversions.
With our organic strategy of creating feature-specific Custom Store Listings (CSLs) based on search terms (e.g., POS), we can align this with our Google Ads strategy. By designing ad copies and creatives tailored to each CSL, we can improve targeting and boost conversions.
Since we already have a CSL for POS, let’s start there for the Google Ads strategy. Once this is set, we can apply the same approach to other features as their CSLs go live, such as Billing & Invoice, Inventory Management, Staff Management, Sales Tracking, and more.
Variant 01
Heading: All-in-one POS for your Store.
Description: Spend time on increasing revenues not managing your store.
Variant 02
Heading: Try our Easy-to-use POS for free
Description: Leave the operations burden to us. Your store needs the digital touch.
Variant 03: Display Ad
We can apply the same strategy on Meta platforms, like Instagram and Facebook, where our Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is highly active.
Couldn't create a demo Ad on Meta as Business ID is mandatory to go ahead.
Users who come to the PlayStore listing through these ads will see a Custom Store Listing focused on POS, designed to improve conversions.
After the ads are live, we’ll track key metrics to see how effective this approach is, and we can tweak this or expand it to highlight other features like Billing & Invoice, Inventory Management, Sales Tracking, and more. This approach will also help us understand which features are most in demand, allowing us to refine our communication strategy.
KPIs to track:
By structuring our paid ads with custom store listings, we expect faster results and a 50% boost in acquisitions, noting that ads currently drive 70% of acquisitions for Zobaze.
-- Not prioritizing as of now basis the Acquisition channel prioritization framework --
This acquisition channel opens two doors for Zobaze: Referral program & Partner (Reseller) program. Each has its own pros and cons as below;
Factor | Reseller Program | Referral Program |
---|---|---|
Time to Set Up | Medium to High (Training, onboarding) | Low (Quick to set up) |
Time to Run | High | Low |
ROI Potential | High (Direct sales by resellers) | Moderate (Indirect, depends on referrals) |
Effort Required | High (Ongoing support, relationship mgmt.) | Low (Mainly tracking and occasional rewards) |
Operational Complexity | High (Commission, tracking, billing) | Low to Moderate (Simple referral tracking) |
Tech Needs | CRM, reseller portal, commission tracking | Basic referral tracking, unique codes |
Though a Reseller program offers a high ROI, at Zobaze's current stage (Early Scaling), a Referral program seems more conducive. A Referral program provides flexibility, takes less time to set up and operate, and requires less effort overall. With a robust tracking system in place, the Referral program should yield solid results, especially given our ICP, who tends to prefer trying referred products rather than exploring independently.
Taking all these factors into account, a Referral program appears more fruitful for Zobaze at this moment. As the product matures and all features are fully developed, we can then target a larger market through Reseller programs, which, for now, are too rigid and challenging to manage effectively.
Before designing a Referral program, there are three essential questions to answer: Whom to ask, When to ask, and Where to ask for referrals.
While it might seem obvious to ask existing customers to refer, it's not quite that simple. At this Early Scaling stage, it’s crucial to target only the right ICP consistently.
Not every user will randomly promote your product—so who should you target? The answer lies with those who have experienced the core value proposition of your product: users who have hit the AHA moment, and those who are likely to “brag” about it. These are the users primed to refer others and the ones you should target for your Referral program.
Timing is everything. Imagine you missed your train and quickly opened Paytm to book the next available option, booked a train, and finished your journey with relief.
If Paytm prompted you to refer a friend while you were booking, you’d likely ignore—or even resent—it. However, if they ask for a referral when you’re pleased with the journey and have just left a 5-star review, your likelihood of sharing increases. The simple takeaway? Ask users to refer when they experience their AHA moment—in their “happy flow.”
Inside the app! But it’s not just about location; think of it like real estate. Just as prime locations carry a premium, so do prime positions within your app. Avoid using valuable home page space for referrals.
Instead, follow this key rule: never interrupt transacting users, such as completing a subscription payment or engaging in a core activity.
When 84% of Zobaze users say Zobaze helps them in tracking sales/profits/cash flows. Let's explore this with a User story.
As a store owner, what truly matters is the money made at the end of the day before closing up. Imagine Zobaze sending a reassuring message like this right before they lock up:
Hey {business_owner},
Kudos to your hard work. Your business has made xxxx profits today.
But the real game begins when the user opens their store the next day and launches the app for the first time.
Hey {business_owner},
Good day starts by sharing goodness. Invite your friends & help them.
Every user experiences their own unique AHA moments and “happy flows.”
The possibilities are endless. With these varied touchpoints, we can continually refine our positioning to discover what resonates best with each segment.
Similarly, for someone with limited tech exposure, managing their entire business—their lifeline—right from their mobile is worth bragging about. Our users proudly say, “I run my business from anywhere!”
Even when users experience that AHA moment, they may not be inclined to refer on their own. What’s the motivator? Platform Currency—a form of reimbursement they earn for successful referrals.
What you offer must make your customers use your own product more.
Is it just money that we can offer?? Consider what other tools users might rely on in their business alongside your product—like printers, paper rolls, printer ink, Microsoft Excel, desktops, and so on.
To decide what to offer, we need to know the Return on Investment (ROI) and Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC):
Metric | Details | Calculation | Value (INR) |
---|---|---|---|
Monthly Subscription | Cost per month | - | 299 |
Annual Subscription | Cost per year | - | 2999 |
Referral Program | Platform currency reward for referrer per successful referral | -100 (if INR 100 is the offer) | -100 |
New User Discount (Monthly Plan) | 10% discount on the first monthly purchase for the referred user | 299 - (10%, if referee gets 10% off) | 269 |
Discount Cost per Referral | 10% discount for new user | -30 | -30 |
Net Revenue per Referral | Revenue after discount and platform currency | 299 - 100 - 30 | 169 |
Total Cost per Referral | Total cost (platform currency + discount cost) | 100 + 30 | 130 |
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) | Cost per new user acquired | 130 | 130 |
Return on Investment (ROI) | (Net Revenue per Referral - Total Cost per Referral) / Total Cost per Referral | (169 - 130) / 130 | 30% |
Earnings per Referral | Net earnings per successful referral | - | 169 |
Expecting 100 Referrers per month | Estimated total new users from referrals | 100 referrers * 3 | 300 new users |
Projected Monthly Revenue | Monthly revenue from new referrals | 300 users * 169 | 50,700 |
Projected Monthly Program Cost | Total monthly cost of referral program | 300 users * 130 | 39,000 |
Net Monthly Earnings | Monthly earnings after program costs | 50,700 - 39,000 | 11,700 |
To keep the program effective, we should also track key metrics like the Conversion Rate of Referrals, Referral Activity Rate, and the Retention Rate of Referred Users.
With positive earnings, we can enhance our strategy by adding milestone rewards for active referrers.
For example, we could offer products like printers, printer ink, paper rolls, or even a desktop based on the number of successful referrals they bring in.
Designing the Referral Program landing page is just as important as planning the strategy itself.
Key questions to address:
After making a referral, users want to track the status of their referral, which is key. Providing this visibility not only satisfies their curiosity but also encourages them to follow-up. This approach boosts engagement, as users feel invested in the process, enhancing the overall success of the referral program.
Note: Avoid being too pushy when encouraging referrers to remind their referrals.
With the right metrics in place and the referral program live, we can achieve at least a 20% growth in new acquisitions.
For reference, CRED gains 35% of its users through referrals, showing how powerful a well-structured referral program can be for acquisition with minimal effort.
As Zobaze approaches the Mature stage, it’s the ideal time to explore a Reseller (partner) program. Here are a few references from competitors successfully leveraging reseller programs:
Brand focused courses
Great brands aren't built on clicks. They're built on trust. Craft narratives that resonate, campaigns that stand out, and brands that last.
All courses
Master every lever of growth — from acquisition to retention, data to events. Pick a course, go deep, and apply it to your business right away.
Explore foundations by GrowthX
Built by Leaders From Amazon, CRED, Zepto, Hindustan Unilever, Flipkart, paytm & more
Crack a new job or a promotion with the Career Centre
Designed for mid-senior & leadership roles across growth, product, marketing, strategy & business
Learning Resources
Browse 500+ case studies, articles & resources the learning resources that you won't find on the internet.
Patience—you’re about to be impressed.