Why big boys of India Inc lost the e-commerce game to Flipkart, Amazon

While the physical retail businesses of those like Tata group, Birla, Future and Reliance are doing well, they have failed in their online foray

The Walmart-Flipkart blockbuster $16-billion deal has put the focus back on the top Indian conglomerates which tried their hand in the e-commerce business but failed to make any dent in an ecosystem dominated by nimble-footed new players. 

However, the big Indian corporate groups' foray into physical retail has gone well, especially in the fashion vertical, even as the grocery business remains a laggard. 

Analysts say the big boys of India Inc missed the e-commerce bus as they focused on the Walmart model of setting up offline retail stores across India, instead of following the Amazon model of an online marketplace.