We plan to bring eChai across 100 cities in India. It starts with eChai Startup Demo Day on 26 September, all in person. 11 cities confirmed, 199 founders registered. Any city that reaches 20 interested founders is on too. See your city
A playbook

Get GST-ready and compliant

Register, get GST-ready across states, and clear the licenses you need to sell.

4 steps, 25 questions, laid out in the order you'll hit them

Each step is a topic with the real questions D2C founders ask; open whichever one you're stuck on for the answer and the resources on it.

  1. 1
    Registering your business

    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 →
  2. 2
    GST registration & basics

    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 →
  3. 3
    GST across states & e-commerce

    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 →
  4. 4
    Product licenses & certifications

    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 →
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