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Monday, October 13, 2014

Shopping Mania






Last week was a watershed in the history of E Commerce in India! A few things happened that are set to change the rules of the game when it comes to shopping! Companies like Flipkart and Snapdeal, created a sensation by literally taking the retail market by storm on a scale that was hitherto unknown. The ongoing ‘Diwali Dhamaka ‘sale by the biggie Amazon has set the markets ablaze. Imagine both Flipkart and Snapdeal managed to rake in Rs 600 crores in just a day! We have seen the business being transacted by the retailers by giving discounts to the public with attractive schemes from time to time and retaining the loyalty by traditional methods like discounts, accumulation of points on the loyalty cards which can be redeemed at a later date!

The beauty of this way of shopping lies in the fact that without physically moving out of the house or office one can see ‘virtual store’ with a complete catalog and details of items available including 3-D views . All data between the transactions and exchange with individuals or with other business partners happens electronically including the buying and selling by using totally secure systems.

This concept has brought about efficiencies in the supply chain management, delivery logistics, warehousing and home delivery of products in a time bound manner. Virtually every type of shopping starting from retail goods, booking holidays ,air/rail / bus tickets, insurance policies, complete banking, payment of all kinds of bills for utilities is now possible thus eliminating the need to travel for completing these activities!

Just imagine all this has happened  barely in last 40 years (in 1971-72) with the advent of ARPANET in sale of cannabis  between students of Stanford and MIT( Massachusetts Institute of Technology ) laying the foundation of first ‘e commerce’. The formal ‘Online Shopping ‘was initiated in 1979 by Michael Aldrich. From these humble beginning Tim Berners Lee wrote the first browser of World Wide Web in 1990, thereby opening the flood gate for rapid developments to see more browsers like Netscape, Mozilla and many more. The volume of business grew at a staggering pace seeing an exponential growth in the next few years. India’s business in this domain has seen a rise of 30% in 2014 compared to the year 2013.

Currently the reach of internet in India is limited thus the volume of this business is  just the ‘tip of the iceberg’! Imagine with the connected world this can bring about a sea change in the way we live! Already in advanced countries and in big cities in India one can get even the groceries and organically grown vegetables and fruits at the doorstep at the click of the mouse.

The conventional business and small retailers are crying foul and have approached the government to lay down the norms to protect their business and even existence.  At least in India which has a very diverse milieu of population spread from villages to small and big cities the fears are unfounded, as there is ample space for all to coexist. However, the harsh reality is that in the Darwinian world only the fittest will survive!

PS- Images Kind Courtesy Google

25 comments:

  1. Yes, only the fittest and richest can survive!

    I didn't know about ARPANET! Good information!

    Son got me a book yesterday through Flipkart! He gets everything from flipkart!We are not yet so confident to give our card details online...It takes lot of time for people of our age to get into the 'mainstream'!

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    1. The things are changing for better and we need to keep learning all the time now:)

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  2. I'm not complaining! In fact, I plan to do all my furniture shopping online.
    Happy to come back to e-retail boom.

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    1. Wishing you a lot of happy deals in the festive season, Purba! Am sure you will enjoy shopping with just a mouse,click:)

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  3. 'Just imagine all this has happened barely in last 40 years (in 1971-72) with the advent of ARPANET in sale of cannabis between students of Stanford and MIT( Massachusetts Institute of Technology ) laying the foundation of first ‘e commerce’. "

    I NEVER KNEW ABOUT THIS. Thank you!!!!!!
    It is indeed sad for the retailers and everyone...but lesser money and lesser time is the reason we opt for e-shopping.

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    1. Thank you Red for liking that info:) E shopping will become more and more popular if the trend of big discounts continue!

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  4. Technology has advanced at an unimaginable rate over the past few decades. Well written.

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  5. You already know how much I love shopping online. Though there was a huge fiasco around Flipkart's sale, I guess online shopping is a clear win-win for customers.

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    1. I am well aware that you love e shopping and this post will strike the right chord with you Rachna:) Despite the fiasco, Flipkart and Sanapdeal are singing their way to the bank!

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  6. I was one of the maniacs on Filpkart shopping for my husband's shoes and it kept giving me error, though I am used to online shopping more for convenience than anything else, I do feel sad for the vegetable push cart vendors on roads, since people prefer to buy even veggies online.

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    1. Thanks Padmaja for reading! It is fun to learn at any age:)

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  7. I love online shopping :-) :-)

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  8. The best will survive. 600 crores is an astonishing figure. I wish my venture lasted a couple of years more, now Indians are accepting online shopping.

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    1. It takes time to see the benifits of these new changes, Saru:)

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  9. Yes e-commerce is setting the market place ablaze. Retailers who stock physically and sell through stores will definitely be hurt. But then that is the way of the world. Join the bandwagon or quit !

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    1. True Rama! You have seen the world and the wise words come from your experience!

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  10. 600 crores is a mind boggling figure. Practically everyone I know ordered something or the other from these two sites, including me.

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    1. Ha ha... many joinded this bandwagon to make likes of Flipkart richer, Rachna!

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  11. Online shopping is a great advantage for people with disability and elders who can’t reach stores. Amazing to know that it all began even at early 70... Complain is something usually rises when someone rose against them and become a challenge. But what’s happening with online reservation for train journey seems reckless, because not everyone afford the knowledge or use of internet... so the agencies harvest the tickets totally and resale it for more money Wish the railways hold some percentage of tickets to those patiently wait for long in the queue.

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    1. Absolutely true Jeevan, that online shopping is a boon for many! Unfortunately in case of Railways there are far too many people for them to handle things effectively, but believe me I have spent many hours in queue many years ago and still come back back empty handed:( Since then things have changed a lt for better!

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  12. I love to shop online! But I think I will buy my vegetables and fruits in the store..:-)

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    1. True Tanya, at least we can choose what to shop from where now:)

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  13. Well said Ashwini! Coud'nt agree more!

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