Skip to main content

Online revenue sales set the cash registers ringing for India’s e-tailers

A majority of businesses are very keen on adopting online platforms for increased revenue sales in India. Over 54% of businesses reported a growth of more than 20% since going online in revenue sales. These were the findings from a research study conducted by strategic market research consultancy Spire Research and Consulting spanning from August to October 2014. The full report is also available upon request.

The research study aptly titled, ‘India’s E-Tailing Industry – Seller’s Perspective’ was released at a press conference held in New Delhi today. The study was conducted across 13 states in India spread over 300 retailers in 3 sectors consisting of apparel, consumer electronics and food. These insights concentrated on current online shopping trends and its effect on sellers. Furthermore, the data was gathered through one-on-one, online and telephonic modes of communication.
More businesses are going online and using it as an extension of their brand
As shown in Table 1 above, Spire’s study revealed majority of businesses have accepted online platforms as an extension of their brand. Businesses in the apparel (82%) and food (80%) sectors seem to have an advantage by going online as compared to consumer electronics (72%). Moreover, consumer electronics seem to have a lower potential as consumers are more inclined to be involved in the purchasing process.

There is expected growth from other sectors as well which consist of baby products, books, home décor and jewelry. Japnit Singh, Senior Director, Singapore and India of Spire Research and Consulting commented by adding in, “We are pleased to introduce this study on the e-tailing space, considering the country is one of the fastest growing markets for e-commerce globally. The research clearly shows that, sellers in India have a positive sentiment towards e-commerce with maximum traction seen in apparel and food businesses. Our study clearly indicates a growing trend towards adoption of online channels. Over 50% of businesses accounting for significant revenue share from online sales even right now, with revenue shares set to rise significantly over the next five years.”

Most businesses expected to benefit from online sales
As shown in table 2 above, most businesses are leveraging online sales to gather up to 20 – 50% revenue due to emergence of more online specialists, convenient payment modes and increased awareness among inexperienced sellers. Spire forecasts that by 2020, 45% of businesses will see their online share grow to between 20 – 50% of sales.
Challenges for sellers in e-tailing industry

Despite challenges – e-tailing is set to grow further. There were relatively few obstructions faced by sellers/respondents when Spire conducted the study which consisted of:
Lack of robust payment mechanisms
Cash On Delivery (COD) options were prone to risks as well as payment delays
Difficulties in logistics and order placements
Challenges for sellers in e-tailing industry
On the other hand, businesses were expected to gain sales revenue from traditional/offline channels with sellers following a dual strategy of combining online with offline sales. Furthermore, the report also revealed the e-tailing space would eventually be dominated by a few large capital heavy organizations given the need for nationwide logistics infrastructure and a currently limited consumer base. At the same time, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities were expected to have a faster adoption rate with greater sales margins derived directly from online channels. Furthermore, these channels will follow integrated strategy combining both offline and online sales.

Conclusion

The Spire study revealed that over 54% of businesses reported a growth of more than 20% in revenue sales since going online. Now widely accepted as an extension of any brand – online channels are raking in the moolah. With the study covering 3 major sectors – businesses in the apparel and food industries had more profits than those in the consumer electronics sector.
Spire believes that despite challenges such as lack of robust payment infrastructure, risk in COD payment options and difficulties in logistics as well as order placements – the e-tailing industry in India is poised for growth. Moreover, the study gives clear indications of an emerging trend towards adoption of online channels – with over 50% of businesses accounting for significant revenue share from online sales.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Spire appointed Official Research Partner to the BMW Malaysian Open once more

The BMW Malaysian Open has carved a place in the tennis world’s calendar of key events. This year, it was held from 14 to 20 April 2014 at the Royal Selangor Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Spire was honored to be appointed as the Official Research Partner of the BMW Malaysian Open for the third consecutive year. In collaboration with the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour and the Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia (LTAM), Spire was excited to be a partner to this global sporting event. It witnessed world-class players in action, including Karolina Pliskova, Hsieh Su Wei and Venus Williams. As the Official Research Partner, the Spire Malaysia team contributed its research expertise in developing fact-based insights from spectators, so as to aid the organizers in improving the event for the coming years. The Spire team was thrilled to be a part of this exciting tournament once again. https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/events/spire-appointed-official-research-...
Post a Comment
Read more

China leads e-commerce growth through smartphones

400 million Chinese consumers make online purchases and China’s e-commerce market is set to reach USD1.57 trillion by 2018, making it the world’s largest. As smartphone penetration continues to surge in Asia, online retail is evolving. Will mobile commerce become the dominant mode for online purchases in Asia? Japnit Singh, Senior Director at Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights in China Daily – Asia Weekly. China’s e-commerce retail sales in 2015 increased by 42.1% to reach USD672 billion. This is equivalent to over 40% of global e-commerce retail sales. As the online retail experience continues to evolve, more purchases are made using smartphones. Growth factors responsible for this e-commerce boom include the rise in demand for imported products due to rising incomes, new online platforms and initiatives by the government. Cross-border consumer e-commerce added up to about USD40 billion (in 2015) – more than 6% of China’s consumer e-commerce in total. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

India’s new CSR law – Will mandating corporate charity work?

With the implementation of the Companies Act 2013 earlier this year, the Indian government has made history by requiring eligible Indian businesses to “turn CSR from voluntary activities to mandated responsibilities”. Will this succeed in boosting the non-profit sector without hobbling economic competitiveness? And will it set an example for the world to follow? CSR in India The term Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) came into common usage in the early 1970s. The 20th century witnessed a shift in focus of global CSR from traditional philanthropy – giving out donations – towards more direct and sustained engagement by business in both broad-based and cause-specific interventions. In India, CSR has traditionally been an activity that was performed in a perfunctory manner, but not deliberated. Although India’s CSR still remains within the philanthropic space, its focus has shifted to institutional building (educational, research and cultural) with the aim of lifting communi...
Post a Comment
Read more

How will policies affect the construction industry?

-  Mr. Japnit Singh, Senior Director, Singapore and India, Spire Research and Consulting India, as the world’s seventh largest country by area and second biggest by population, is one of the most dynamically growing, but largely untapped construction equipment markets. From 2013 to 2020, it is estimated to grow six times to a size of USD20 billion to USD25 billion. The Planning Commission, Government of India, jointly with the Indian construction industry has set up Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC) to take up activities for the development of the Indian construction industry. The Council, for the first time in the country, provides the impetus and organizational infrastructure to raise quality levels across the industry. This helps to secure wider appreciation of the interests of construction business by the government, industry and peer groups in society. CIDC is a change agent to accelerate a process of self-reform that should enable the industry...
2 comments
Read more

Thailand unrest fails to deflate the Thai economy

Thailand has been beset by continuous political tension since 2008. And now, anti-government protestors vow to “shut down” Bangkok. But the protests have not derailed foreign direct investment or economic growth. Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his thoughts on the outlook for Thailand’s economy in China Daily – Asia Weekly. Despite the on-going political unrest, Thailand’s economy continues to grow steadily. One of the drivers of this growth is foreign direct investment. The Thai Board of Investment, one of the region’s most respected investment boards, has managed to maintain investor confidence thus far. However, adverse impacts have been felt on Thailand’s stock market, currency and inbound tourism during this period of intense political strife. Perera shared that the Thai tourist industry has been hit by flight and tour cancellations. Having said that, other key sectors such as chemicals, automotives, information and communica...
Post a Comment
Read more