Big e-commerce meets small business: A balancing act for Amazon, Flipkart

As trader groups cry foul against them, Amazon and Flipkart learn to do business with small business

International retail chains have historically considered micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) a roadblock for their India investments. That backdrop can hardly be wished away at a time when marquee global e-commerce companies are caught in a tumultuous relationship with small businesses and the government is clearly backing the underdog.

Are e-commerce majors such as Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart attempting to erode the business opportunities of small traders and MSMEs through their deep discounts, "predatory pricing" and preferential terms for select sellers on their online marketplace platforms, as the popular narrative suggests? Or, is there another side to the story: