Indian online retailer Craftsvilla.com is to open 50 franchised bricks-and-mortar stores within 18 months.

“We see this as a step towards quantum growth in our business by mixing offline and online business models and utilising the strength of our brand, supply base, current customer base and technology to reach more and more customers in India,” said CEO Manoj Gupta.

“We are always looking for finer innovation in our business model to retain our competitive advantage and we believe our efforts in expanding our franchise network in India will boost that advantage further,” added COO Monica Gupta.

Craftsvilla.com began trading online in 2011, connecting local artisans and designers to customers. It offers an assortment of products including clothing, jewellery, handicrafts, footwear, gifts, books and more.

The online retailer also plans expanding its supply base of more than 200,000 products.