Car market in slow lane, Mercedes rides high on branded merchandise sales

From watches and shades to fitness bicycles, online shoppers have been lapping it up all in a big way; 75% of shoppers in 18-34 age bracket, firms' revenue tops Rs one crore from this biz

Even as the broader car market has seen significant slowdown, following the Covid-19 pandemic, Mercedes-Benz India is seeing huge traction for its branded accessories and merchandise. From watches and sunglasses to trekking/fitness bicycles, online shoppers seem ready to loosen purse strings, says Santosh Iyer, vice-president-sales and marketing at the firm. The aggregate transaction value of these has exceeded Rs 1 crore, even as the number of visitors has crossed the 100,000-mark — a threefold jump in six months.
 
Encouraged by the response, Mercedes now plans to list the accessories on Amazon. It is also looking to expand the fitness