Hero MotoCorp sells 100,000 bikes worth Rs 500 crore on Snapdeal

At a time when its offline sales are facing rough weather, two-wheeler major Hero MotoCorp has clocked sales of 100,000 motorcycles and scooters on online marketplace Snapdeal.

At an average of Rs 50,000 for each unit, the value of the sales achieved online would be approximately Rs 500 crore. This feat, the first by a domestic two-wheeler maker, has been achieved in about five months of the launch of online sales.

Tony Navin, senior vice-president (electronics and home) at Snapdeal said, "We partnered with Hero Motocorp in December, 2014 to launch their motorcycles online. The response from our customers has been fantastic. I believe this hybrid model, where Snapdeal becomes the e-commerce platform for the wide dealership network will give a fillip to the two wheeler sales in India."

Enthused by the response, the Delhi-based two-wheeler manufacturer is working to develop its own online retail sales venture, likely to go live later this year. "This is the first time we experimented with the online platform and the response has been phenomenal. We are developing our own online channel and experimenting with setting up a virtual showroom soon," said a spokesperson. Hero MotoCorp had showcased a digital showroom during Auto Expo 2014.

Navin added a buyer gets access to the complete assortment of Hero motorcycles and scooters, including all the colours and variants, which might not be always available offline. Also, free insurance is offered to every customer who makes an online purchase. Snapdeal last week also tied up with Piaggio Vehicles to sell scooters online. The tie-up with Hero took place last December.

Hero MotoCorp sells 6.63 million two-wheelers every year