Ecommerce

Meesho Mall's net merchandise value rose 93% year-on-year in the June quarter, while orders on the first day of its festive sale more than tripled as branded products gain traction in smaller towns

Ecommerce is the next big focus area for the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, its Chief Executive Officer Rajit Punhani said

Amazon India says non-metros account for 70-80 per cent of new customers, while demand for premium products rises in smaller cities and its Amazon Now quick-commerce service expands

The Confederation of West Bengal Trade Associations (CWBTA) on Monday expressed concern over the rising volume of online festive sales and the deep discounts offered by e-commerce platforms, saying the widening online-offline price gap was hurting traditional retailers. E-commerce companies have reportedly clocked around Rs 24,000 crore in sales in the first two days of the festive season, it claimed. The apex trade body said such a shift in consumer spending, coupled with aggressive price competition, was putting significant pressure on offline retailers and traditional markets. CWBTA president Sushil Poddar said the issue was not the growth of e-commerce but the large difference in prices between online and offline sellers. "Online sales of around Rs 24,000 crore in just two days clearly demonstrate the enormous scale of the shift in consumer purchasing. However, when such sales are driven by substantial price differences, the impact on offline traders cannot be ignored. Traditio

E-commerce firms are estimated to have sold goods worth around Rs 24,000 crore in the first two days of the festive season sale, driven by growth in order volumes, with mobile phones accounting for the biggest share in value terms, according to consultancy firm Redseer Strategy Consultants. The consultancy firm estimated that shoppers placed about 8-9 crore orders across all platforms, including Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, Ajio and many other marketplaces. Redseer Strategy Consultants, Associate Partner, Nikhil Dalal told PTI that the first two days pointed to India's festive e-commerce basket getting wider. The growth is being led by order volumes, with consumers spreading spend beyond mobiles into fashion, electronics and appliances as well. "Value fashion stood out, as shoppers from Tier 2 and smaller towns bought festive wear at accessible price points. The first two days saw over USD 2.5 billion (close to Rs 24,200 crore) in GMV, and around 60-65 million shoppers have already ...

Meesho reported 75 per cent Y-o-Y growth in orders on day 1 of its Mega Blockbuster Sale, with transacting customers increasing 60 per cent Y-o-Y.

Flipkart attributed the growth in sellers to its zero-commission model, simplified onboarding and AI-led tools aimed at improving selection, pricing and catalogues

Amazon Now has doubled its footprint in two weeks, bringing minute-level deliveries to customers in cities including Amritsar, Abohar, Jalandhar, Ambala, Mangalore, Manipal, Vizag, Kochi, Changanasser

AI agents could soon handle shopping decisions and transactions for consumers, forcing ecommerce, travel, and insurance platforms to rethink pricing, customer engagement, and security

The amended rules require ecommerce platforms to disclose prior prices, clearly identify sponsored listings and provide more seller and product information from January 1, 2027 onwards

Flipkart's quick-commerce arm has expanded to nearly 1,200 micro-fulfilment centres across more than 150 cities as competition in instant delivery intensifies

India's e-commerce and quick commerce platforms are gearing up for the festive season, with industry and analysts expecting healthy value growth and divergent spending trends, as strong consumer appetite for premium products co-exists alongside bargain-hunting by value-conscious shoppers. A key growth engine in e-tailing, quick commerce's widening appeal beyond everyday groceries into fashion, electronics, and beauty is likely to gather further pace this festive season, building on the gains during the recent festival-led shopping cycles. Shubham Nimkar, Research Analyst at Counterpoint Research, believes the festive season will be "healthy in value terms, but more measured in volume terms". While consumers will be willing to spend, higher prices are making them more selective, he said, with premium products in the consumer electronics segment likely to perform well, even as value-conscious consumers stay highly deal-driven. He added that rising smartphone prices, driven by higher

Quick commerce is projected to drive as much as half of incremental e-retail growth, while AI and smaller-city shoppers reshape digital retail, according to a report by research consultancy Infisum

AICPDF seeks mandatory norms linking SKU capacity with storage space, along with standards for ventilation, sanitation, temperature control and food segregation

What the $20 billion, New York-based Colgate-Palmolive announced last week was unique in the world of corporate-startup alliances

Shareholder approval clears a regulatory hurdle as Swiggy prepares an inventory-led qcom model that could boost reported revenue, margins and operational control

The Karnataka government has directed authorities to suspend, until further orders, the food licences of e-commerce platforms Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and Bigbasket over the online sale and distribution of Dhatura fruits/seeds, citing public health and food safety concerns. The government also ordered the immediate suspension of the licences/registrations of establishments and sellers supplying products to the three online platforms. It directed all concerned food business operators to remove listings, advertisements, and promotional material relating to Dhatura intended for food or human consumption. Known as 'thorn apple' in English, this plant is called 'Umathai' in Tamil. "In accordance with the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Rules/Regulations made thereunder, the concerned competent authorities have been directed to take necessary action for the suspension, until further orders, of the food licences issued to the e-commerce platforms, namely Amazo

Amazon has introduced graded cancellation fees linked to order value and will raise closing fees, while Flipkart has rolled out penalties based on seller cancellations

Nafed plans to open modern stores in six cities and turn some outlets into dark stores as it expands its retail business

Today's opinions examine the RBI's inflation dilemma, rising life insurance surrenders, India's employment crisis, possible UPI charges and the shift from food to nutrition security