The overall e-commerce opportunity in India and China is comparable, yet it's hard to see any single player in India emerging with Alibaba-like market share.
Snapdeal has been on the deal street for raising fresh funds in order to muscle up for the growing competition in e-commerce.
Snapdeal also in talks with China's Alibaba and Taiwan's Foxconn to raise $1 bn.
Unlike the race to buy airwaves by telecom companies, airports by infrastructure companies and city gas networks by energy companies, the race to develop super apps by consumer-facing companies in India has not brushed up against any regulatory issues. Officials at the ministry of electronics and information technology and at other regulators are happy they do not have to meddle in who among the Tata group, Reliance Industries Ltd, Flipkart or Paytm will manage to build an app that sweeps in customers. Unlike separate apps a customer uses on her mobile to order groceries, buy food or airline tickets or just make payments, a super app can perform all these functions.
The proposed e-commerce rule book issued recently by the ministry of consumer affairs does not mention foreign companies or foreign direct investment (FDI) at any place, unlike most other government guidelines for the sector so far. That is a heartening development since the latest proposals could be fine-tuned as e-commerce policy.
The market price action seems to point in this direction. Let's hope we finally break out. It is about time! asserts Akash Prakash.
Chetan Bhagat emerges as India's best-selling author of 2015.
Mobile phones, televisions, refrigerators, laptops and stationary items will be allowed to be sold through e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal from April 20 during the lockdown, officials said on Thursday. The clarification from a senior home ministry official came a day after Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla issued revised guidelines for the extended lockdown period till May 3.
Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd, run by India's richest man Mukesh Ambani, on Tuesday raised Rs 5,512.50 crore from Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), taking the total fundraise to Rs 37,710 crore in less than four weeks.
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The Council includes companies like Tata Motors, Flipkart, Airtel, P&G, Madison World, ICICI Bank, HUL, Micromax and Future Group among others.
The investor has now put together a fund of $3.75 billion to back private companies.
The likes of Microsoft and Cohesity have offered crore plus salaries to some students.
Dark pods are physical stores or warehouses which will be accessible only to Swiggy staff and which will host groceries, pharmacies, and cloud kitchens.
Firm has shortlisted 4 candidates for engineering head post
Snapdeal's rival Flipkart had last announced its GMV in March this year -- $1 billion. Many rounds of funding later, sources estimate Flipkart's GMV at about $3 billion, a figure Snapdeal is trying to catch up with.
LG, Samsung, Videocon, Sony and Panasonic have instructed their trade partners that products sold through online marketplaces without their knowledge during flash sales will not get the benefit of after-sale service and warranties.
Zomato has the potential to be an equally important milestone for Indian equity markets, notes Akash Prakash.
The labour ministry on Friday appointed Tata Sons, promoter of the major operating companies of the Tata group, a knowledge partner for enhancing employability and entrepreneurship among the youth.
Valued at $5 billion, Byju's has seen growth sky rocket in the last two years on the back of mega VC top-ups.
In 2018, venture debt providers cumulatively deployed Rs 1,300 crore. This year, the market is expected to absorb venture debt of Rs 1,800 crore to Rs 2,000 crore. So what makes this asset class so attractive?
"We are concerned about the data localisation law and the new e-commerce regulations...they do not fully take into account the needs of all stakeholders, including American and other foreign companies," acting principal deputy assistant secretary of the US, Thomas Vajda said.
Ericsson filed a case claiming Xiaomi has been violating eight of its patents.
Alibaba, the world's biggest e-commerce firm by transaction value, supports small businesses on its platforms.
The legal regime does not permit home delivery of medicines, tough owing to situation of COVID-19 pandemic and an emergency-like situation, the government allowed the home delivery of medicines but it was meant for only neighbourhood pharmacies, AIOCD said.
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has suspended its sales in India following directions of the Delhi High Court, restraining sales of its products.
Handset maker Motorola has said its latest smartphone - Nexus 6 - priced Rs 43,999 onwards, can be pre-ordered in India on Flipkart from Tuesday.
In the start-up world, hitting the $1-billion mark, which accords the "Unicorn" tag, is a milestone. Enterprises typically reach the milestone only by series C or series D, or three to four funding rounds later. Zeta achieved it at the first one. On May 25, the six-year-old banking tech firm raised $250 million from Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, at a post-money valuation of $1.45 billion. "This is the first time we have raised institutional money," Zeta co-founder Bhavin Turakhia beamed on the conference call. This trajectory is uncommon in start-ups.
Amazon India is waiting for clarifications from the government on several aspects of the latest FDI guidelines to be able to carry on with business in the country. Sources said, no new investment is likely till at least the second half of 2019.
An emergency arbitration hearing between Amazon and retail conglomerate Future Group took place last week and a verdict is expected in the next few days, according to sources.
'While we may speculate about personality politics, the reality is that there are more important issues that drive the India-US relationship.'
Competition in the booming multi-billion dollar Indian smartphone market is further set to intensify with e-commerce giants Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal all set to launch Google's much-awaited sub-$100 (around Rs 6,000) handsets on Monday.
In its first acquisition in India, the American online retail giant is planning to buy out the fashion portal
However, the firm continued with its operation in the Indian market.
Chinese mobile brands are deeply entrenched in the Indian market. A move to bar them may send a bold diplomatic message. But its cost for the local industry is anybody's guess. In the event that Chinese brands face curbs, two handset makers - Samsung and Apple - squarely stand to gain.
E-commerce companies are seeing an increase in demand for products such as fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, flour, rice, and lentils, and personal hygiene items like sanitisers and soaps and household cleaning products. Other products include instant noodles, baby food and Ayurvedic items. "There is even a huge spike in pet food," said a person.
The Tiger Global-backed company says the layoffs would affect all teams.
It is still "discounts" that e-commerce players have to rely on to bring in customers, though they might claim otherwise.
While the talks are still at a preliminary stage, sources said major retail players had held discussions with Amazon
The Chinese billionaire and founder of Alibaba is said to be planning a significant investment in business to business e-tailing as well as payment services and logistics companies.
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