Online Shopping

Quick commerce drives 45% of festival purchases this year: Report

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 debuts AI shopping assistant to rival tools from Google, OpenAI

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

OpenAI's ChatGPT now offers Shopping Research: Here is how it works

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

Why dangerous toys keep flooding EU websites despite strict safety rules

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

Logistics firms turn to smart routing, AI to fast-track festive returns

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

Flipkart doubles electric vehicle fleet to over 20K in sustainability push

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

Ecommerce to grow 16% in Southeast Asia as video, AI reshape shopping

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 retail reliance easing; electronics still lead: Report

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

AI using your data to set personalised prices online: How it can backfire

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

Amazon India's festival sale draws 70% of traffic from smaller cities

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

Amazon, Flipkart deploy war rooms for ₹1.2 trillion festival battle

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

Scam-free September: Amazon India's tips for safe festive online shopping

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

Amazon's Lens Live AI lets you shop products with visual search: What is it

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 to add 12 lakh seasonal jobs, 70% from tier-3 and tier-4 cities

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

E-shoppers delay buying ahead of GST changes, festive sales likely to rise

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 .

FedEx, UPS, DHL executives to face fresh scrutiny in India's antitrust case

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

Reliance Retail's AJIO launches four-hour delivery service in six cities

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

Udaan acquires retail technology startup ShopKirana ahead of IPO

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

60% users say e-commerce platforms block negative reviews: Survey

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 adds shoppable ads on CTV, mastheads on mobile for YouTube in India

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