Online Shopping

The top three platforms, Blinkit (45 per cent share), Swiggy Instamart (25 per cent share) and Zepto (23 per cent), together have about 90 per cent market share

Perplexity has launched its conversational shopping assistant with guided product discovery and PayPal-powered checkout, competing with tools from Google and OpenAI

OpenAI has introduced Shopping Research in ChatGPT to help users make informed buying decisions through personalised guides, real-time insights and detailed comparisons

A new EU study found most toys sold on major online platforms are unsafe, with toxic materials and choking risks, raising questions about weak checks and gaps in rules for foreign sellers

As online orders and returns surge during the festive season, logistics firms like Shiprocket, Prozo, and Zippie are turning to smarter routing, automation, and network optimisation

E-commerce firm steps up drive toward a fully electric last-mile network by 2030, launching pilot for long-haul EV trucks on key routes

Southeast Asia's digital economy is set to grow 15% in 2025, led by a boom in video-based shopping and AI tools that are changing how people buy fashion, beauty, food and travel services online

India's online shopping habits are becoming less reliant on festive periods, although mobiles and electronics continue to dominate the September-October sales spike, according to a study by consulting firm Redseer. The country's online retail sector is gradually moving towards a more balanced, year-round demand curve. However, categories like mobiles and electronics remain highly reliant on the annual festive surge, making them the riskiest to manage operationally, the report said. "India's online retail landscape is evolving towards a more balanced demand curve, but Mobiles and Electronics still dictate the rhythm of the festive season. "Mobiles have the most dramatic swing, with a Seasonality Index Difference of 1.7. Electronics follows closely with a difference of 1.3. Both peak sharply in September-October, with Mobiles reaching a monthly index close to 2.3 and Electronics nearing 2.0. This heavy reliance on the festive season confirms their demand is highly concentrated," Redse

Artificial intelligence (AI) is quietly remaking how companies set prices. Not only do prices shift with demand (dynamic pricing), but firms are increasingly tailoring prices to individual customers

Platform records 2.76 billion visits during month-long sale as premium products and same-day delivery expand beyond metros

E-commerce giants mobilise round-the-clock operations with food, entertainment as India's shopping season is projected to grow 27 per cent

Of all the scams impersonating Amazon reported by our customers globally in 2023, two-thirds involved fake "order" or "account" issues.

Amazon's new Lens Live feature lets iOS shoppers scan items in real time, see instant matches in a carousel, and use Rufus AI for quick product insights and answers

Meesho will create 12 lakh seasonal jobs across its seller and logistics network ahead of the festive season, with most roles coming from tier-3 and tier-4 cities

The planned GST changes have prompted some e-shoppers to postpone purchase decisions in hopes of lower taxes on certain products like consumer goods and electronics, say analysts, while emphasising that the blip is only temporary and sales are set to rebound as clarity improves and festive fervour takes hold. Goods and services are currently charged under a four-tier system with rates ranging from 5 per cent to 28 per cent. GST reform, proposed by the Centre, says that most goods will be charged at either 5 per cent or 18 per cent. Durables such as washing machines, air conditioners and refrigerators will be among the goods charged lower rates under the new GST regime. The GST Council, chaired by Union Finance Minister and comprising ministers from all states and UTs, will meet on September 3 and 4 to discuss the reform. As the industry prepares for the rollout of GST 2.0, the e-commerce sector is witnessing a noticeable shift in consumer behaviour, particularly around high-value .

Many foreign and domestic companies are bullish about the Indian courier and parcel delivery market

The move comes after Myntra launched its two-hour delivery service called M-Now in select areas of Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai

Udaan has acquired ShopKirana in an all-stock deal, aiming to enhance its FMCG expertise, tech capabilities, and supply chain strengths as it prepares for an IPO in the coming years

As India nears 900 million internet users, e-commerce platforms face scrutiny over fake or censored reviews, with calls for mandatory government enforcement of BIS standards

Google introduces shoppable CTV ads and mobile mastheads on YouTube in India, enabling QR code interaction and new shopping features for users during key moments and product launches