Aware that India’s challenging e-commerce market should be worth $127 billion in 2025, up from $11.2 billion last year, Seattle, Washington-based Amazon is doing things differently in India, reports the Wall Street Journal.
- Allowing cash-on-delivery payments: Due to consumers’ fear of online fraud coupled with the fact that the majority of consumers do not have credit/debit cards, Amazon delivery staff are authorized to collect cash payments for the ordered goods.
- Motorcycle deliveries: Congested roads in India sometimes hamper timely deliveries. Using motorcycles for this purpose, Amazon has been able to reach people in hard-to-access places.
- Advertisements in Hindi: The company’s television commercials project the large variety of goods (80 million) available on its site. The commercials that are in Hindi, emphasize family bonds, and the penchant for Indians wanting more choices: “Aur Dhikao” (show more).
- Smaller warehouses: Because of transporting challenges, Jeff Bezos, chief executive of Amazon, recommended using a greater number of smaller facilities to store goods awaiting delivery.
- “Amazon Chai Cart” program: Amazon devised a three-wheeled, mobile tea cart which it wheeled through cities’ business districts as part of its “Amazon Chai Cart” program, to discuss and attract retailers over a cup of tea.
According to Amazon, the cart traveled more than 9,000 miles in 31 cities, interacting with more than 10,000 sellers and serving some 37,200 cups of tea.
