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The key thing that people need to be aware of is that Amazon is still not allowed to sell anything in India. They are exclusively a marketplace because the Indi

The key thing that people need to be aware of is that Amazon is still not allowed to sell anything in India. They are exclusively a marketplace because the Indian govt does not allow foreign investment into e-commerce. Instead for now they are an intermediary. The end customer pays Amazon the money who passes it onto the actual seller (after taking some commission). Amazon might even handle the logistics for some sellers. But the transaction is between the marketplace seller and the customer. Until Amazon is granted approval to become a seller on their own right, their impact on Indian e-commerce will be much more limited than it would be otherwise.

ajju 13y ago
Such bureaucratic B.S.
ankitml 13y ago
looks like a negative commission right now.
ErrantX 13y ago
So out of interest; what's it like in India at the moment, buying online? For example; with Amazon in the UK and can order before about 5pm (often later) and have it arrive tomorrow. That even works for some marketplace sellers. Is there comparable service from Indian retailers? (I ask out of genuine interest to see how the markets compare!)
- tcube 13y ago
  Well there is Flipkart (http://www.flipkart.com/ http://www.flipkart.com/). They usually take about 2-3 days to deliver. Again that depends where you are located and the product you are ordering. But they do have a huge collection of stuff.
- sameerp1 13y ago
  The most interesting thing about Indian e-commerce shipping to me (someone who lived 28 years in the USA and the last 1 year in India) is that there is no concept of choosing delivery speed. There is only standard shipping. You need the product tomorrow? Well you're out of luck. It'll be there in a couple days if you're in a metro, which definitely isn't bad for standard shipping. But you don't get to control the shipping speed. (Note #1: I have gotten some items the next day, but it was out of luck. If you live in Mumbai, New Delhi, or Bangalore, this will happen occasionally that the warehouse on the outskirts of the city will have the product and you'll get it the next day. But it's just not close to guaranteed.) (Note #2: I heard or read something that Flipkart, often known as "India's Amazon", will soon be offering expedited shipping for an additional fee).
  - fakeer 13y ago
    >>You need the product tomorrow? If you are in a metro then you get the item shipped next day. I've shopped with Flipkart, Myntra etc and this has always been the norm and when usually it becomes 2-3 days it's because your stuff is being sent from a warehouse in another metro. As I live in B'lore Myntra has almost always done 1-day shipping or 2 at most. You want your items to be shipped to a small town? There's a problem. You want to ship it to your parents in a very small town or rural area? Forget it! There are other services like eBay India, which has recently, started 3-4 day shipping. Earlier for them it was 7-8 minimum as standard. Deal sites like SnapDeal etc follow the same minimum 7-8 days golden rule. Sites like IndiaPlaza are plague. You get your stuff in months or fortnights and then you congratulate yourself. The thing is there are so many options in India, even on smaller scales, for online shopping and people actively use them where they best deals. In USA when I try to buy sth, to get it via a friend who is coming form USA, I have more or less one option - Amazon!
    - prakster 13y ago
      Hey Fakeer, Do you have an idea (or know someone who does) as to 1. How is the Shipping Label (with tracking# if that's feasible) generated? 2. Which are the major couriers picking up the packages from the small ecommerce shop locations and delivering them? 3. Is the Indian Post Office a major player at all (in the US, the USPS is the largest ecommerce delivery company...bigger than UPS, FedEx and DHL combined)
      - kamaal 13y ago
        >>Is the Indian Post Office a major player at all I don't think Indian Post Office is good option for courier stuff like a mobile phone, or a book. But they are pretty good if you want to send a money order, letter or a registered post.
      - krat0sprakhar 13y ago
        My dad happens to lead the e-commerce division at a logistics company and from what I've heard, Indian Post Office is not a major player at all. A large of e-commerce companies/startups are using Bluedart (now merged with DHL) as their primary logistics provider and tracking is provided as a service to the customers. Flipkart, I believe, runs their own logistics service.
general_failure 13y ago
Allowing foreign investment into e-commerce can't come soon enough. The main reason the e-commerce space in India has not picked up fast enough is this.
- shreyansj 13y ago
  Why do you feel that foreign investment into e-commerce is the solution?
  - ajju 13y ago
    a solution? I don't think there is a problem to solve. I do think allowing FDI in e-commerce can only help the Indian consumer (not to mention the economy, because it will result in more hiring, more exit options for e-commerce startups etc)
  - kamaal 13y ago
    There are many reasons. Biggest is competition works wonders for consumers. Secondly, It creates an environment where a lot can be learn't from others. The current environment for start ups in India is in large part due to inspiration, effect and to an extent competition from the silicon valley.
- kamaal 13y ago
  I think FDI in e-commerce and retail sectors is something that will come to pass in India. Its inevitable.
  - amjd 13y ago
    It will. But when, nobody knows.
    - plinkplonk 13y ago
      And hence the need for deep pockets, and patience. Both of which Amazon has, in spades.
- 13y ago
Indyan 13y ago
Btw, a lot of the big names in the Indian e-commerce space are also using the marketplace model instead of the inventory model. And they are doing this out of their own volition, as it reduces costs and increases diversity. Eg. Snapdeal, PepperFry, and Shopclues. Even Flipkart recently opened a marketplace, which will complement its inventory model. Here's an article quoting Snapdeal CEO as saying that inventory model is dead in India: http://www.livemint.com/Industry/D2Xufph6zu7w9ZYg8Ze0dM/Snapdeal-CEO-defends-marketplace-model-looking-for-acquisit.html http://www.livemint.com/Industry/D2Xufph6zu7w9ZYg8Ze0dM/Snap...

ajju 13y ago

Such bureaucratic B.S.

ankitml 13y ago

looks like a negative commission right now.

ErrantX 13y ago

So out of interest; what's it like in India at the moment, buying online? For example; with Amazon in the UK and can order before about 5pm (often later) and have it arrive tomorrow. That even works for some marketplace sellers. Is there comparable service from Indian retailers? (I ask out of genuine interest to see how the markets compare!)

tcube 13y ago
Well there is Flipkart (http://www.flipkart.com/ http://www.flipkart.com/). They usually take about 2-3 days to deliver. Again that depends where you are located and the product you are ordering. But they do have a huge collection of stuff.
sameerp1 13y ago
The most interesting thing about Indian e-commerce shipping to me (someone who lived 28 years in the USA and the last 1 year in India) is that there is no concept of choosing delivery speed. There is only standard shipping. You need the product tomorrow? Well you're out of luck. It'll be there in a couple days if you're in a metro, which definitely isn't bad for standard shipping. But you don't get to control the shipping speed. (Note #1: I have gotten some items the next day, but it was out of luck. If you live in Mumbai, New Delhi, or Bangalore, this will happen occasionally that the warehouse on the outskirts of the city will have the product and you'll get it the next day. But it's just not close to guaranteed.) (Note #2: I heard or read something that Flipkart, often known as "India's Amazon", will soon be offering expedited shipping for an additional fee).
- fakeer 13y ago
  >>You need the product tomorrow? If you are in a metro then you get the item shipped next day. I've shopped with Flipkart, Myntra etc and this has always been the norm and when usually it becomes 2-3 days it's because your stuff is being sent from a warehouse in another metro. As I live in B'lore Myntra has almost always done 1-day shipping or 2 at most. You want your items to be shipped to a small town? There's a problem. You want to ship it to your parents in a very small town or rural area? Forget it! There are other services like eBay India, which has recently, started 3-4 day shipping. Earlier for them it was 7-8 minimum as standard. Deal sites like SnapDeal etc follow the same minimum 7-8 days golden rule. Sites like IndiaPlaza are plague. You get your stuff in months or fortnights and then you congratulate yourself. The thing is there are so many options in India, even on smaller scales, for online shopping and people actively use them where they best deals. In USA when I try to buy sth, to get it via a friend who is coming form USA, I have more or less one option - Amazon!
  - prakster 13y ago
    Hey Fakeer, Do you have an idea (or know someone who does) as to 1. How is the Shipping Label (with tracking# if that's feasible) generated? 2. Which are the major couriers picking up the packages from the small ecommerce shop locations and delivering them? 3. Is the Indian Post Office a major player at all (in the US, the USPS is the largest ecommerce delivery company...bigger than UPS, FedEx and DHL combined)
    - kamaal 13y ago
      >>Is the Indian Post Office a major player at all I don't think Indian Post Office is good option for courier stuff like a mobile phone, or a book. But they are pretty good if you want to send a money order, letter or a registered post.
    - krat0sprakhar 13y ago
      My dad happens to lead the e-commerce division at a logistics company and from what I've heard, Indian Post Office is not a major player at all. A large of e-commerce companies/startups are using Bluedart (now merged with DHL) as their primary logistics provider and tracking is provided as a service to the customers. Flipkart, I believe, runs their own logistics service.

general_failure 13y ago

Allowing foreign investment into e-commerce can't come soon enough. The main reason the e-commerce space in India has not picked up fast enough is this.

shreyansj 13y ago
Why do you feel that foreign investment into e-commerce is the solution?
- ajju 13y ago
  a solution? I don't think there is a problem to solve. I do think allowing FDI in e-commerce can only help the Indian consumer (not to mention the economy, because it will result in more hiring, more exit options for e-commerce startups etc)
- kamaal 13y ago
  There are many reasons. Biggest is competition works wonders for consumers. Secondly, It creates an environment where a lot can be learn't from others. The current environment for start ups in India is in large part due to inspiration, effect and to an extent competition from the silicon valley.
kamaal 13y ago
I think FDI in e-commerce and retail sectors is something that will come to pass in India. Its inevitable.
- amjd 13y ago
  It will. But when, nobody knows.
  - plinkplonk 13y ago
    And hence the need for deep pockets, and patience. Both of which Amazon has, in spades.
13y ago

Indyan 13y ago

Btw, a lot of the big names in the Indian e-commerce space are also using the marketplace model instead of the inventory model. And they are doing this out of their own volition, as it reduces costs and increases diversity. Eg. Snapdeal, PepperFry, and Shopclues. Even Flipkart recently opened a marketplace, which will complement its inventory model. Here's an article quoting Snapdeal CEO as saying that inventory model is dead in India: http://www.livemint.com/Industry/D2Xufph6zu7w9ZYg8Ze0dM/Snapdeal-CEO-defends-marketplace-model-looking-for-acquisit.html http://www.livemint.com/Industry/D2Xufph6zu7w9ZYg8Ze0dM/Snap...