E-commerce next hottest thing: Ratan Tata

Said to be considering a personal investment in e-commerce firm Snapdeal, chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, Ratan Tata Wednesday said e-tailing was the next hottest thing in the market.

"E-tailing gives you access to a wide range of products which you can buy sitting in the comfort of your homes. You buy things using your phones or computers and even return them if you don't like. It gives, creates a new dimension to buying," Tata said at an interactive programme here.

"It's a huge market and certainly e-tailing is going to be the next hottest thing," Tata said.

He, however, refused to comment about his plans to invest in Snapdeal.

The Tata Sons' former chairman also said the group, which has set up the Tata Centre for Technology and Design in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will be re-entering the education scene.

"We are looking to re-enter the education sector, partly with distance education and partly in physical campus," he said.

Tata, who transformed India's largest private sector conglomerate with a string of marquee global acquisitions, said acquiring British automotive company Jaguar Land Rover was a courageous decision.

On challenges during his tenure as chairman, Tata picked out the labour unrest in its Pune plant and the relocation of the Nano car plant from West Bengal to Gujarat.