An area

Get legal & compliant

Register, get GST-ready, protect your name, and clear the licenses you need to sell.

Registering your business 6

The right entity to sell and to raise.

I'm just starting out, should I register as a proprietorship, LLP, or private limited company? 4 → Once I've decided on Private Limited, what's the actual step-by-step to incorporate it? 4 → Is it worth applying for Startup India / DPIIT recognition, and what does it actually get me? 4 → I'm a solo founder with no co-founder, does an OPC (One Person Company) make more sense than an LLP? 4 → Beyond incorporation, what other registrations do I actually need before I can legally take my first order? 4 → All 6 questions in Registering your business →
GST registration & basics 6

Get GST-ready before your first online sale.

Do I need a GST number before I make my very first sale, or can that wait? 20 → What's the actual step-by-step to register for GST myself, without paying a CA? 18 → What documents do I need lined up before I start the GST application? 16 → I'm a small maker just starting out, does the GST composition scheme make sense for me? 20 → How long does GST registration actually take and what does it cost? 18 → All 6 questions in GST registration & basics →
GST across states & e-commerce 7

Place of supply, TCS, and selling pan-India cleanly.

Do I actually need a GST registration to sell online, or can I start without one? 4 → A customer in another state ordered, do I charge IGST or CGST + SGST? 4 → Why is Amazon/Flipkart holding back a cut of my payout, what is this TCS? 4 → I store stock in a 3PL or Amazon FBA warehouse in another state, do I need a separate GST registration there? 4 → What HSN code and GST rate apply to my product, and where do I look it up? 3 → All 7 questions in GST across states & e-commerce →
Trademark & brand IP 6

Own your name before someone else does.

Should I trademark my brand name before I even launch, or can it wait till I have traction? 4 → How do I check if my brand name is already taken before I fall in love with it? 4 → What trademark class do I actually file under for my D2C brand, just one, or more? 3 → How much does trademark registration actually cost and how long does it take in India? 3 → What's the difference between the ™ I'm already using and getting an actual registered ®? 3 → All 6 questions in Trademark & brand IP →
Product licenses & certifications 6

FSSAI, cosmetics, BIS, drug, legal-metrology, get legal to sell.

I'm selling packaged food/snacks online, what FSSAI license do I need, and does my turnover matter? 4 → I make skincare/cosmetics at home or with a small manufacturer, do I need a CDSCO license before I can sell? 2 → I import or sell gadgets/electronics, what's this BIS CRS mark I keep hearing about? 3 → What exactly has to be on my product label/pack to be legally compliant under Legal Metrology? 3 → How do I even figure out which licenses apply to MY specific product, is there a single checklist? 3 → All 6 questions in Product licenses & certifications →
EPR & sustainability compliance 6

Plastic EPR, packaging rules, and green claims that hold up.

Do I actually need EPR registration for my D2C brand's plastic packaging, and what happens if I skip it? 3 → What's the actual step-by-step to register for EPR on the CPCB portal? 4 → What are the recycled-content and QR code traceability rules I need to hit in 2025-2026? 3 → Can I call my packaging 'eco-friendly' or 'sustainable' on my product page without getting into trouble? 3 → Where do I actually source compostable or plastic-free packaging in India without blowing my per-order cost? 3 → All 6 questions in EPR & sustainability compliance →
Data privacy & the DPDP Act 6

Handle customer data legally under India's DPDP Act.

Do I actually need to worry about DPDP as a small D2C brand, or is this a big-company problem? 3 → What exactly counts as valid consent under DPDP for my checkout and signup forms? 3 → What do I need to put in my privacy policy, and how do I actually draft one? 4 → What tools should I use to get DPDP-compliant without hiring a lawyer for every step? 3 → What actually happens to my brand if I don't comply, what are the real penalties? 3 → All 6 questions in Data privacy & the DPDP Act →
Business insurance & risk 6

Cover product liability, inventory, and shipping risk.

Do I actually need product liability insurance as a small D2C brand, or am I overthinking it? 3 → What does product liability insurance in India actually cost and cover? 3 → My marketplace is asking for liability insurance before I can keep selling, what do I actually need to show them? 3 → How do I insure my inventory against fire, theft, or damage sitting in a warehouse? 3 → What about goods lost or damaged in transit or shipping, is that covered separately from warehouse insurance? 3 → All 6 questions in Business insurance & risk →
Counterfeits & IP enforcement 6

Stop fakes and hijackers on marketplaces and your store.

How do I get my brand onto Amazon Brand Registry and Project Zero to fight counterfeits? 4 → What's Flipkart's equivalent, and how do I actually report a fake or unauthorised listing there? 3 → Someone's hijacked my own product listing and is undercutting my price, what do I do? 3 → Do I need a trademark before I can even start protecting my brand, and how do I register one in India? 3 → My brand is being sold as fake on Instagram and WhatsApp, not just on marketplaces, what do I do? 3 → All 6 questions in Counterfeits & IP enforcement →
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