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Amazon India is now live

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Re: Amazon India is now live

#31

Post by hpagey »

I think the key to successful ecommerce model in India is hybrid of online and offline experiences. I had the following idea floating in my mind for long time now . Let me know if it makes sense

a) You franchise out "ecommerce" physical shops. This is a physical location where customer can come in surf ecommerce websites and place an order.

b) There is someone at this shop who will collect money on behalf of ecommerce websites. This could be cash credit debit whatever. Make these shops available at every nukad (every street). Hell give other shop owners these ecommerce terminals (just like sim card selling process or prepaid minutes fulfillment process) .

c) The packages are shipped to this shop or your home. Since these shops are conveniently located, near train stations, in airports, malls, picking up packages is not an hassle.

d) serve complimentary hot tea while people are shopping.

The actual order is fulfilled at an warehouse just like amazon.

Re: Amazon India is now live

#33

Post by ankitml »

sameerp1 wrote: post #22

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 sel…

looks like a negative commission right now.

Re: Amazon India is now live

#35

Post by calpaterson »

samirahmed wrote: post #3

Interestingly amazon is in the backseat here and it will be interesting to see how they succeed. From my understanding http://www.flipkart.com/ is the dominant player in the online shopping marketing in India

The reason they are in the backseat is that protectionist legislation prevented them from trading in India. The end result is that Indian book prices are quite high for a country with largely third-world living standards.

Re: Amazon India is now live

#37

Post by ErrantX »

sameerp1 wrote: post #22

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 sel…

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!)

Re: Amazon India is now live

#38

Post by tcube »

ErrantX wrote: post #37
sameerp1 wrote: post #22

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 sel…

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!)

Well there is Flipkart (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.

Re: Amazon India is now live

#39

Post by sameerp1 »

ErrantX wrote: post #37
sameerp1 wrote: post #22

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 sel…

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!)

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).

Re: Amazon India is now live

#40

Post by mey »

drivers99 wrote: post #34
mey wrote: post #15

Finding it odd that they are using an image instead of unicode for INR, ₹. Is the browser support simply not there?

I can't see the symbol you posted, so apparently not. (both FireFox 21.0 and IE8, Windows 7).

I see it fine on Chrome (latest stable) Win 7 Pro, but that explains it.
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