Big brands try to reach out to shoppers directly

Companies are attempting out new methods, together with launching their very own e-commerce websites, taking orders by way of WhatsApp calls and organising swift home-deliveries as they search to deal with a world that has been remodeled by the coronavirus pandemic.

With footfalls in malls and shops nearly disappearing, many attire and residential home equipment manufacturers are devising methods to achieve out to the buyer straight.

Benetton, as an example, plans to launch its India-specific web site earlier than the top of the yr. While gross sales by on-line retailers reminiscent of Amazon, Flipkart and Myntra contributed roughly a fifth of its gross sales earlier than the pandemic, it expects the quantity to rise to nearly 1 / 4 by the top of the yr. Currently, solely 77% of the retailer’s shops are open. “Online is seeing a big surge right now because of the current environment,” stated Sundeep Chugh, chief government officer, Benetton India. Similarly, LG Electronics India has rolled out its on-line store for patrons in 9 cities after beta-testing its web site final month. However, offline commerce channels proceed to be the spine of the corporate in India. “Covid has changed the paradigm of how customers are looking at buying certain products. Online has become an important function, and we see that a lot of new customers are coming from tier 2-3 towns,” stated Deepak Taneja, enterprise head, on-line and e-commerce at LG Electronics. The firm has seen on-line demand choose up in classes reminiscent of dishwashers, microwaves and washing machines amid the lockdown.

Bengaluru-based e-commerce options agency Tenovia Solutions, in the meantime, has seen its enterprise surge by about 80% previously 4 months due to demand for constructing e-commerce web sites and serving to corporations maximise digital revenues. As Indian consumers transfer on-line, there’s a surge in curiosity from corporations which are eager to arrange their e-commerce channels, stated Murali Balan, chief government and co-founder of Tenovia.

While manufacturers increase their on-line presence, will probably be arduous for them to match the attain, depth of choices and reductions provided by Amazon, Flipkart and Myntra.

Shuchi Bansal contributed to the story.