Attracting a customer may require a marketing campaign, but retaining them requires creating a product that becomes indispensable. At the Techsparks 2026 event by YourStory, founders of BRÜK, Sangit Krishna, and Qubo, Nikhil Rajpal, explained why design, reliability, and a deep understanding of consumer behavior are key elements for building long-term brands.
Examples of such products include surveillance cameras that allow parents to monitor their children or air purifiers that seamlessly integrate into the daily home routine. Despite differences in needs, these goods share a common trait: their success depends on whether they become part of the consumers' daily lives.
For consumer brands, merely trying to get a customer to try the product is just the initial stage. The more complex task is persuading them to return, especially in a market where choice is vast, competing products are easily accessible, and new brands constantly emerge.
Nikhil Rajpal, co-founder of the smart device manufacturer Qubo, noted that the transition from regular product use to habit formation cannot be measured solely by usage metrics. He stated: 'True product-market fit happens when you achieve these basic usage indicators. If you talk to consumers, are they using it in superlative degrees? Are they saying things like, 'I can't live without this now'? That's when you know you've probably achieved product-market fit.'
In his view, the absence of a product often serves as the best indicator of whether something has become a habit. Rajpal emphasized: 'A habit is not defined by usage metrics. A habit is defined by the anxiety it causes in your absence,' drawing a parallel with fast food and delivery platforms.
Krishna from BRÜK noticed an opportunity in the drinkware market while observing an emerging trend among consumers. He pointed out that people are starting to match their mugs with their clothing and bags, similar to how they do with other lifestyle accessories.
He also saw a gap in the Indian market for premium drinkware that offered superior finishing and build quality. The idea was to create a product combining functionality and aesthetics, offering an alternative in a category dominated by established players. BRÜK's product development focused on everyday convenience, especially for office workers. Krishna noted: 'We were very precise about these details. It has to be comfortable to hold, carry, and use.'
The general principle is that the product must solve a real consumer problem before the brand can expect it to become an everyday item.
Qubo's experience in the home security category provides another example. Rajpal reported that consumers are generally reluctant to experiment with security products because the consequences of failure can be serious. He advised: 'You just need to do your job well. Provide reliable service that consumers can trust.'
For Qubo, consistent performance and reliability are the foundation for gaining trust, especially in categories where consumers are unlikely to easily switch to other brands once that trust is established.
Since customer acquisition is becoming increasingly expensive, brands often use features, incentives, and performance marketing to encourage repeat usage. However, Rajpal believes that retention should primarily be a result of the product's utility itself. He argued: 'Marketing can help you with acquisition, get users to try it for the first time. The product is responsible for users coming back and using it every day.'
He cautioned against over-reliance on rewards such as points, bonuses, and cashback for bringing customers back to a platform. Instead, brands should work based on consumer needs and create products that naturally encourage repeat usage.
For brands selling durable goods like mugs, repeat purchases present a different challenge. Unlike perishable goods, customers are unlikely to replace their drinkware every few weeks or months. In addition to expanding the product line, BRÜK is exploring adjacent categories, such as lunch boxes and protein shakers, based on its understanding of consumer daily routines.
Krishna added that founders must constantly observe how consumers use products, including how they adapt them beyond their original purpose. He cited accessories people add to their mugs and various bottles they carry to the office and gym as opportunities arising from daily observations. He concluded: 'If you watch a person from morning till night, you will get ideas. There is nothing magical about it. Just walk around and observe.'
Another challenge for new consumer brands is convincing customers to pay more when cheaper alternatives and established brands already exist. Rajpal described two possible approaches: competing with existing brands through differentiated offerings or disrupting the market by providing comparable functionality at a lower price through operational efficiency.
As consumer trust is gained, a brand can gradually move away from a penetration pricing strategy and improve its margin. Krishna stated: 'People are willing to pay if you have a quality product. The most important thing is the build quality, the quality, materials, and finish.'
For him, the strategy of lowering prices to increase volume is not always correct. A smaller, but clearly defined customer base willing to pay for the product can be more valuable.
Ultimately, building a sustainable consumer brand requires more than just visibility or an aggressive acquisition strategy. In a saturated consumer market, this can be the strongest competitive advantage a brand can create.
