Amazon Announces Zero Referral Fees on Over 1.2 Crore Products; Move Aimed at Boosting Growth of Lakhs of Sellers Across India

• Zero referral fees on products under ₹300, enabling significant savings on low-price items for sellers.
• Applicable across 135 product categories like apparel, shoes, fashion jewelry, grocery, home décor and furnishings, beauty, toys, kitchen products, automotive, and pet products amongst others.
• Simplified flat shipping rate introduced for sellers using external fulfilment (Easy Ship and Seller Flex): National shipping rates now start at ₹65, down from ₹77.
• Sellers shipping more than one unit at a time stand to see up to 90%+ savings in selling fees on the second unit.

Amazon India today announced its highest-ever reduction in seller fees to support lakhs of small businesses selling on Amazon.in from across the country. In a move aimed at further boosting growth of sellers on Amazon.in, the company has introduced zero referral fees on over 1.2 crore products that are priced below ₹300. Referral fees is a commission that sellers pay to Amazon for each product sold. The zero referral fees apply to more than 135 product categories.

Amazon has also brought in a simplified flat rate for sellers using external fulfilment channels like Easy Ship and Seller Flex, with national shipping rates now starting at ₹65, down from ₹77. While Easy Ship is a fulfilment channel where Amazon collects packages from a sellers’ location and delivers them to customers, as part of Seller Flex, Amazon manages a portion of the sellers’ warehouse as an Amazon fulfilment center.

Additionally, the company has reduced the weight handling fees for lightweight items under 1 kg by up to ₹17, lowering the overall fees that sellers pay to Amazon. Sellers shipping more than one product unit at a time stand to see up to 90%+ savings in selling fees on the second unit. These changes will enable sellers to offer a wider selection, competitive offers and grow their business. The revised fees come into effect from April 7, 2025.

Amit Nanda, Director, Selling Partner Services, Amazon India, said "At Amazon India, we are committed to enabling the growth of all sellers because we strongly believe that our success lies in their success. By eliminating referral fees on crores of products and reducing shipping costs, we're making it more lucrative for sellers to sell on Amazon.in. This initiative supports seller growth on Amazon by enabling them to offer a wider selection and present more competitive offers to customers, particularly on everyday low-value items. As we gain efficiencies in our operations, we ensure those benefits reach our sellers and customers.”

The combined effect of eliminated referral fees and reduced shipping costs translates to substantial savings for sellers.

In 2013, Amazon started its e-commerce business in India with just 100 sellers and a selection comprising mainly books, with deliveries in select cities. Today, Amazon.in has over 1.6 million sellers on its marketplace selling a wide variety of products from smartphones to household items, from stationery to kitchen products and from gardening tools to musical instruments to customers across all serviceable pin-codes in India. The company has been focused on digitizing small businesses to enable the largest selection, using technology to remove inefficiencies and deliver value to customers. This aligns with Amazon's vision of transforming the way India buys and sells. More than 90% of sellers on Amazon.in are small and medium businesses, and over 50% of the seller base is located in tier 2, 3, and 4 cities. This reflects Amazon's commitment to empowering local entrepreneurs and businesses across India, contributing to the growth of India’s digital economy.

Glossary:

• Easy Ship: Amazon collects packages from sellers' locations and delivers them to customers.
• Seller Flex: Amazon manages a portion of the seller's warehouse as an Amazon fulfilment center.
• Selling Fee: A combination of all fee types - referral fees, weight handling fees, closing fees and others.
• Weight Handling Fee: Charges associated with the physical handling and shipping of products based on weight.
• External Fulfilment: External fulfilment channels refer to Easy Ship and Seller Flex fulfilment channels.

Amazon Acquires ~ $54 Mn Land Near Mumbai for Hyperscale Data Centre

Amazon India has recently acquired a 38.18-acre land parcel in Palava, near Mumbai, from the Lodha Group (Macrotech Developers) for over INR 450 crore (approximately $54 million), reported Economic Times citing documents accessed through realty data analytics firm Propstack.

This land will be used to develop a hyperscale data centre, which is part of Amazon's broader commitment to enhancing India's digital infrastructure.

As part of the deal, Amazon Data Services India will also get access to the already sanctioned floor space index—permissible development potential—of around 4.16 million sq ft.

Key Details:

• Land Size: 38.18 acres
• Location: Palava, near Mumbai
• Cost: Over INR 450 crore
• Development Potential: Approximately 4.16 million sq ft of floor space index (FSI). 

This acquisition underscores Amazon's commitment to India's digital transformation and its plans to invest $12.7 billion in cloud infrastructure by 2030.

The development of this data centre will support the growing demand for reliable data storage and processing capabilities in India, benefiting various sectors such as payments, gaming, and emerging technologies like the Metaverse.

Amazon India has been actively expanding its data centre infrastructure across the country. Last year, Amazon Data Services India leased a 4-acre land parcel in Powai from Larsen & Toubro (L&T) through an 18-year lease, committing to INR 562 crore in rental payments.

In 2022, Amazon acquired a 54-acre land parcel in Thane for INR 1,870 crore to develop another hyperscale data centre. Amazon also signed an agreement to lease an additional 5.5-acre land parcel adjacent to the Powai site for INR 921 crore over 21.5 years.

Prior to these acquisitions, Amazon leased a commercial tower with a built-up area of 451,000 sq ft in Thane through a long-term sublease of over 15 years.

These investments are part of Amazon's broader commitment to India's digital transformation and supporting the growing digital economy.

Amazon India Partners With Startup India, DPIIT to Empower Startups Through E-Commerce

• Amazon India will collaborate with Startup India to help startups scale their businesses across the nation through e-commerce.
• Amazon India will partner with Startup India to support in increasing the reach of the Bharat Startup Knowledge Access Registry (BHASKAR) platform.
• Through the Amazon Saheli x Startup India program, Amazon will work to accelerate the e-commerce journey of select women entrepreneurs by building capacity, providing upskilling opportunities, and fostering growth.

Amazon India has announced that it will be working with Startup India under the aegis of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), to drive multiple initiatives aimed towards empowering startups to build and grow their businesses through e-commerce. Amazon will collaborate with Startup India to enable eligible startups to tap into opportunities in ecommerce by registering on Amazon India’s marketplace through a dedicated page on the Startup India portal. Amazon will provide dedicated onboarding experience to the startups, which will help them gain access to the domestic market as well as mentorship from Amazon leaders, go-to-market support and logistics guidance.

Further, it will partner with Startup India to empower women entrepreneurs in e-commerce, through its Saheli program. The collaboration will drive a high-impact learning program designed to fuel the e-commerce journeys of eligible women led small and medium businesses in India. Amazon’s extensive suite of services including Amazon Pay, Amazon Incentives, Amazon Business, Amazon Transport, AWS, Amazon Advertising, and Mini TV will be available to the women startups, who will be part of the program. It will cover a broad gamut of relevant industries including Fashion, F&B, Textile & Apparel, Toys and Games, Automotive, Art & Photography, Pets & Animals, Agriculture and many more.

Amazon signed a landmark LoI with @investindia, @DPIITGoI to help Indian startups scale on e-commerce, with dedicated mentoring for women entrepreneurs and promotion of #BHASKAR, India’s first startup registry. @PMOIndia @PiyushGoyal @JitinPrasada @startupindia @Chetankrishna pic.twitter.com/zuIIZDpdND

— Amazon News India (@AmazonNews_IN) October 9, 2024

Additionally, Amazon will partner with Startup India to create awareness about the Bharat Startup Knowledge Access Registry (BHASKAR) initiative, under the Startup India program. BHASKAR is a platform designed to centralize, streamline, and enhance collaboration among key stakeholders within the entrepreneurial ecosystem, including startups, investors, mentors, service enablers, and government bodies.

Sharing his views on the occasion, Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), said “Our collaboration with Amazon is aimed at empowering startups to unleash their entrepreneurial potential and access new growth avenues. By combining Amazon's e-commerce expertise with Startup India's role as the Government of India’s flagship initiative for the development of the startup ecosystem, we will provide a robust platform for Indian startups and businesses to scale domestically. Further, the collaboration of Startup India with Amazon India is a testament to our commitment to the empowerment of Indian entrepreneurs across sectors and regions and driving economic development in the country through entrepreneurship and innovation.

Mr. Chetan Krishnaswamy, Vice President – Public Policy, Amazon India said, “Startups in India are an inspiration to everyone because of their sheer determination and willpower to build successful businesses across different industries. By leveraging the power of e-commerce, they are scaling new heights, and catering to customers across different parts of the country with their innovative products. We are honoured to join hands with Startup India, DPIIT, to pursue our common goal of empowering entrepreneurs and driving economic growth in India.Additionally, it underscores Amazon India's dedication to fostering a diverse and inclusive ecosystem, where women entrepreneurs are equipped with the tools and opportunities to realize their full potential.”

This comprehensive partnership between Startup India and Amazon India will create a powerful platform to drive the growth of startups in India, enabling SMBs to scale their businesses through e-commerce and reach a vast customer base across all serviceable pin codes where Amazon delivers, becoming national brands.

The Amazon.in marketplace is operated by Amazon Seller Services Private Ltd, an affiliate of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN). Amazon.in seeks to build the most customer-centric online destination for customers to find and discover virtually anything they want to buy online by giving them more of what they want – vast selection, competitive prices, fast and reliable delivery, and a trusted and convenient experience; and provide sellers with a world-class e-commerce marketplace.

Amazon India Returns With Its Much-Awaited Prime Day on July 20th & 21st, 2024

Amazon India today announced the 8th edition of Prime Day will start on 12 AM on July 20 and end at 11.59 PM on July 21. The two-day annual extravaganza in India will offer access to Prime members to discover joy, access to incredible shopping deals, blockbuster entertainment, savings, and much more! From Smartphones, TVs, Appliances, Fashion & Beauty, Groceries & Everyday Essentials, Amazon Devices, Home & Kitchen, Furniture to everyday essentials, and much more, Prime members can enjoy new launches, never-heard-before deals, best of entertainment and savings.

Akshay Sahi, Director and Head of Amazon Prime, Delivery and Returns Experiences, India and Emerging Markets said “Prime Day is a celebration of the value we bring to our Prime members all year long. We are excited to offer Prime members two days of great deals and savings, thousands of new product launches from over 450 brands, blockbuster entertainment and more. Not just that, Prime members ordering from across India will be able to enjoy same day and next day delivery across millions of products.”

This Prime Day, Amazon will continue to support Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) and offer Prime members products from lakhs of sellers, manufacturers, start-ups & brands, women entrepreneurs, artisans, weavers, and local shops. During the event, Prime members will have the opportunity to discover deals on unique products across categories including fashion & beauty, electronics, and home décor from sellers under various programs such as Local Shops on Amazon, Launchpad, Saheli, and Karigar.

Sneak peek into Prime Day 2024

Shopping and Savings

48 hours of shopping and saving - Starting 12:00 AM on July 20 until 11:59 PM on July 21

Bank Offers: During Prime Day, save big with 10% savings on payment using ICICI Bank Credit/Debit cards, SBI Credit Cards and EMI transactions on ICICI Bank Credit Cards and SBI Credit Cards

New Launches from brands such as Intel, Samsung, OnePlus, Honor, iQOO, Bajaj, Agaro, Ecovacs, Lava, Crompton, Sony, Motorola, Boat, VU, Fire-Boltt, HP, Asus, Titan, Hisense, Trident, Acer, Lenovo, American Tourister, Plantex, Ethos Group, Voltas, Fossil, Mokobara, Lapo, Chetak, Borosil, Riversoft, Yale, adidas, Crocs, Mamaearth, IFB, Godrej, LG, Puma, CP Plus, Olay, HIT, Haier, Titan, Ugaoo, Oral B, Toshiba, Nautica, HUL, ITC, P&G, Himalaya and more and thousands of new launches from small and medium businesses across categories including home & kitchen, fashion & grooming, jewellery, handmade products, and many more.

New Launches: SMB: Thousands of new launches from small and medium businesses across categories including home & kitchen, fashion & grooming, jewellery, handmade products, and many more.

Power of Smart Tech: Choose Smart Living with Alexa and Stream Latest OTT content: This Prime Day, get the year’s best deals with up to 55% off on Echo smart speakers and Fire TV sticks. Kick-start your smart home journey and bring home the latest Echo smart speakers and Echo Show smart displays to experience the magic of seamless voice controls through Alexa. Elevate your at-home entertainment experience and stream latest OTT content with the best offers on Fire TV sticks

Save Big:

During Prime Day, save Big with 10% savings on payment using ICICI Bank Credit/Debit cards, SBI Credit Cards and EMI transactions on ICICI Bank Credit Cards and SBI Credit Cards

Amazon Pay ICICI Bank credit card is a lifetime free credit card with an always-on 5% cashback on shopping for Prime customers & 3% for non-Prime members. For Prime Day 2024, all customers enjoy an additional 5% instant discount on shopping. In addition to these shopping benefits, this card comes with unlimited benefits across travel bookings, bill payments and more on Amazon. Prime members can sign up for Amazon Pay ICICI Bank credit card and get welcome rewards up to INR 2,500, INR 300 cashback (only for prime) + rewards worth INR 2,200. Non-Prime members can sign up and get INR 200 cashback + rewards worth INR 1,800 + 3-month free prime membership. *T&C Apply

Prime members can continue to enjoy 5% cashback on unlimited rides with Uber when using Amazon Pay as their payment mode. Out of the 5%, they will receive 4% as Uber credit and 1% as Amazon Pay cashback, which can be availed to save more on future rides with Uber and fulfil shopping needs on Amazon.in

Entertainment and More

Mega Entertainment with Prime Video

Prime Video will deliver mega entertainment in the lead up to Prime Day by premiering 14 of the most anticipated series and movies across 5 languages.

Prime celebrations started more than a month early on Prime Video with the premiere of the global blockbuster Original series The Boys Season 4 (English), available with subtitles and dubs in multiple Indian languages. With new episodes dropping weekly, Prime members can continue to enjoy new seasons all the way to Prime Day. Further, Prime Video also premiered the documentary Federer: Twelve Final Days (English) that follows Roger Federer in the last twelve days of his professional career, dystopian thriller Civil War (English), social drama PT Sir (Tamil), the critically acclaimed Naach Ga Ghuma (Marathi), heist comedy Gam Gam Ganesha (Telugu), historical Original series My Lady Jane (English), direct-to-service comedy drama Sharmajee Ki Beti (Hindi), and action comedy entertainer Inga Naan Thaan Kingu (Tamil).

Prime Day celebrations don’t end here as Prime Video is also set to premiere the keenly awaited Season 3 of the award-winning blockbuster Original series Mirzapur (Hindi), available with subtitles and dubs in multiple Indian languages. This is in addition to the premiere of the action thriller film Garudan (Tamil), romcom Space Cadet (English), and spy comedy My Spy: The Eternal City (English).

Not just this, in the lead up to Prime Day, Prime Video has also launched Crunchyroll, on Prime Video Channels, enabling customers to watch their favourite anime content via an add-on subscription for just INR 79 per month. Additionally, Prime members can also enjoy up to 50% discount when purchasing add-on subscriptions of other popular video streaming services on Prime Video Channels including MGM+, Lionsgate Play, Discovery+, Sony Pictures Stream, Hoichoi, ManoramaMAX, Mubi, VROTT, among others.

Discover more with Amazon Music

This Prime Day, Amazon Music is set to enthrall music lovers with Desi Vibes – a flagship playlist featuring trending hits in Indian music with Artists such as Jonita Gandhi, Vishal Mishra, Devi Sri Prasad, Armaan Malik and several others. In addition to this, Amazon Music is all set to launch its mid-year wrap up series “2024 So Far” showcasing the playlists, tracks and artists that have ruled the charts so far this year. Also enjoy your favorite podcasts a week before First on Amazon Music than other streaming platforms such as “Be A Man Yaar Season 2” featuring Imran Khan, Kartik Aryan, Hrithik Roshan amongst others, Cyrus Says with Cyrus Broacha featuring well known celebrities, Insta Love Season 2 and many more. Prime Members can enjoy ad-free music with over 100 million songs in 20 languages, latest podcasts and unlimited offline downloads and new to prime members also get a Rs 150 cashback* this Prime Day.

Every Day Made Better with Prime: Amazon Prime is designed to make your life better every single day as it provides the best of shopping, savings, and entertainment in one single membership. In India, members get same day delivery on 1M+ products and one day delivery on 4M+ products, free with no minimum limit on cart order to our members through our Prime membership, unlimited 5% cashback on all purchases using their co-branded ICICI credit card, access to exclusive deals, early and exclusive access to our shopping events including Prime Day. Amazon Prime also provides unlimited access to award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime Video, unlimited access to more than 100 million songs, ad-free and over podcast episodes with Amazon Music, a free rotating selection of more than 3,000 e-books, magazines and comics with Prime Reading and access to the monthly free-in game content and benefits with Prime Gaming. Visit amazon.in/prime to join Prime now.

Amazon India and GAME Tieup To Boost Rural Women Entrepreneurship via E-commerce

Amazon India and GAME will collaborate to empower 25k+ women entrepreneurs across India

• Partnership will provide women entrepreneurs with essential tools, resources, and training to succeed in the digital ecommerce ecosystem
• Aiming to foster inclusivity and drive economic growth within rural communities. 

Amazon India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ‘Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME), to collaborate and promote digital growth of women entrepreneurs in India, especially in Tier-2, Tier-3 cities and beyond. Through this partnership, Amazon India will aim to support approximately 25,000 women entrepreneurs and artisans in their digital entrepreneurial journey. GAME is providing inputs in business capacity building, bridging digital marketing skill gaps and enabling them to aggregate as collected brands. With the objective of creating platform access and enabling financial independence for rural women entrepreneurs and artisans, this initiative will provide the necessary support and resources for them to thrive in the digital landscape.

The MOU between Amazon India and GAME aims to co-develop and facilitate broad-based entrepreneurship to accelerate and sustain the growth of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India. Amazon Karigar & Saheli will offer workshops/training, onboarding and AM support for sellers involved in this entrepreneurship without any financial investment.. This aligns with Amazon's commitment to bolster India's economy and create millions of sustainable jobs by 2030, through partnerships within the entrepreneurship ecosystem. Further, women entrepreneurs will be provided with hands-on training and support on digital marketing initiatives, performance marketing, product listing optimization, and advertising techniques, equipping them to adapt to current and future trends in the digital marketplace. Additionally, they will gain access to valuable data-driven insights and metrics get better knowledge on customer behaviour and market trends.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Gaurav Bhatnagar Head of Seller Acquisition and Development at Amazon India said, “It is truly inspiring to witness women entrepreneurs nationwide harnessing the power e-commerce to build and grow their business. Through innovative products, they are catering to customer preferences and establishing scalable enterprises that contribute significantly to societal well-being and economy. We are honored to be a catalyst in their entrepreneurial journey through our Saheli program. Our steadfast commitment lies in facilitating worldwide customer access, thereby empowering these women to realize their full potential in the dynamic landscape of Digital India.”

Sharing his views on this occasion, Mr. Ketul Acharya, President, Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship, “We are delighted to have partnered with Amazon for the Saheli program. GAME's Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) program seeks to enable women entrepreneurs by enhancing their livelihood opportunities and connecting them with diverse platforms and economic partners. Through this partnership, WEE at GAME is supporting Amazon in solving large-scale ecosystem challenges to women's economic empowerment with access to training in the digital marketplace as well as research and data about access to new markets."

Amazon launched its special program for women entrepreneurs, ‘Amazon Saheli’ in 2017, which seeks to bring to the fore locally made products from women entrepreneurs and local women owned businesses in India. As part of this initiative, Amazon works with partners and woman entrepreneurs to drive digitization and to provide requisite tools to woman entrepreneurs to enable them to become successful in their digital endeavours. Since its inception, Saheli has digitized over 1.8 million rural, hyperlocal and urban women-led businesses through its partner network, selling selection of products such as apparel, jewellery, groceries, on the ecommerce marketplace. The products are sourced from different (NGOs) across India. More than 80,000+ women artisans are involved in this partnership and benefit from it. The artisans produce and sell these products to support their livelihoods.

Amazon India has provided numerous opportunities for women across its ecosystem, including Seller Partners, Operations Network Partners, Community Beneficiaries, Employees, and Associates, all of whom play crucial roles in positively impacting Amazon's diverse customer base throughout the country. The company has made significant strides in introducing various benefits, programs, and initiatives to empower women both within and outside its organization. These efforts reflect Amazon's dedication to women's empowerment and its unwavering commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within its ecosystem culture, thereby enhancing the overall Amazon experience.

In reaffirmation of its commitment to women's empowerment, Amazon India launches the third edition of the #SheIsAmazon campaign on the occasion of the 49th International Women’s Day, under the theme #InspireInclusion. This campaign highlights 49 distinct programs, initiatives, and benefits implemented by various entities within Amazon to empower women both within and beyond the company. These initiatives have played a significant role in advancing women's professional journeys and stand as symbols of Amazon's dedication to their empowerment.

The Amazon.in marketplace is operated by Amazon Seller Services Private Ltd, an affiliate of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN). Amazon.in seeks to build the most customer-centric online destination for customers to find and discover virtually anything they want to buy online by giving them more of what they want – vast selection, competitive prices, fast and reliable delivery, and a trusted and convenient experience; and provide sellers with a world-class e-commerce marketplace.

About Amazon:

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.

About Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME):

GAME intends to unlock the potential of Mass Entrepreneurship (ME) in India. Three prolific entrepreneurs, Ravi Venkatesan, Madan Padaki, and Mekin Maheshwari, started GAME in August 2018 as a backbone organisation that aligns the ecosystem and mobilises action to address systemic challenges to job creation in India. GAME intends to bring together a cross-section of alliances, partners, funders, and other players in the ecosystem who can help inspire an entrepreneurial movement across the country. Its mission is to catalyse an India-wide movement of mass entrepreneurship for the growth of both existing and new enterprises, resulting in 50 million new jobs by 2030, where women own 25% of the businesses. To know more, please visit: https://massentrepreneurship.org/

Amazon India Launches New AI-Generated Customer Review Highlights

Kishore Thota - Director, Customer Experience & Marketing

• Amazon.in Improves Customer Reviews Experience with Generative AI
• New AI-Generated Customer Review Highlights is the Latest in a String of Reviews Innovations
• Generative AI Review Highlights feature helps customers to make informed purchase decisions

Amazon.in has announced the launch of AI-Generated Review Highlights, a new feature that provides a short paragraph right on the product detail page highlighting the products features and customer sentiment frequently mentioned across written reviews. This innovation empowers customers with enhanced product insights, enabling them to make informed purchase decisions with greater ease and confidence.

The AI-Generated Review Highlights serve as a valuable tool for customers seeking a quick understanding of a product's overall sentiment and key attributes. By providing a snapshot of the common themes from reviews, the highlights enable buyers to determine whether a product aligns with their needs and expectations before delving into detailed reviews. Furthermore, the feature facilitates easy navigation to specific reviews that address particular product attributes. For instance, a customer interested in understanding the ease of use of a product can tap to see the number of positive and negative mentions for "ease of use" and representative reviews.

"We are constantly seeking innovative ways to enhance the customer experience on Amazon.in," said Kishore Thota, Director, Shopping Experience, India & Emerging Markets, Amazon. "The introduction of AI-Generated Review Highlights marks a step forward in our efforts to empower customers with the information they need to make informed decisions."

Emphasizing Amazon’s commitment to continuous innovation, Thota stated, " We will continue exploring opportunities to provide review highlights in more places throughout the shopping experience to make it easier for customers to discover and evaluate products. Our ultimate goal is to simplify the review submission process, combat fake reviews, introduce new content types, and utilize AI to highlight key insights, ensuring that customers can confidently navigate their purchase decisions."

Leveraging AI for Trusted Insights

Amazon.in is committed to providing customers with a trusted and reliable e-commerce experience. The AI-generated review highlights utilize only Amazon's trusted reviews from verified purchases, ensuring that the insights presented reflect the genuine experiences of actual customers.

The AI-generated review highlights also feature key product insights and allow customers to more easily surface reviews that mention certain product attributes. For example, a customer looking to understand whether a product is easy to use can easily surface reviews mentioning “ease of use” by tapping on that product attribute under the review highlights. The new AI tool will be available in India starting December 12.

Amazon’s Commitment to Safe and Authentic Reviews

As Amazon enhances the reviews experience, it remains dedicated to maintaining the authenticity and relevance of content. Its Community Guidelines, help both machine learning models and human moderation keep the community safe and the reviews relevant, while providing a trustworthy environment for customers to express their genuine opinions. Amazon strictly prohibits fake reviews and content that misleads customers by providing information that is not impartial, authentic, or intended for that product or service. It continues to invest significant resources to proactively stop fake reviews. This includes machine learning models that analyze thousands of data points to detect risk, such as relations to other accounts, sign-in activity, review history, and any other unusual behavior, as well as expert investigators who use advanced fraud-detection tools to analyze and prevent fake reviews from appearing and being published on the marketplace.

About Amazon.in

The Amazon.in marketplace is operated by Amazon Seller Services Private Ltd, an affiliate of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN). Amazon.in seeks to build the most customer-centric online destination for customers to find and discover virtually anything they want to buy online by giving them more of what they want – vast selection, low prices, fast and reliable delivery, and a trusted and convenient experience; and provide sellers with a world-class e-commerce marketplace.

For more information, visit www.amazon.in/aboutus
For news on Amazon, follow www.twitter.com/AmazonNews_IN

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon

Amazon and A Not-for-Profit Launch Resource Center for Peoeple with Disabilities; To Provide Training, Mentorship, and Job Placement

Honorable Vice President of India Inaugurates Global Resource Centre for People with Disabilities

Amazon India and Sarthak Education Trust have partnered to launch the Global Resource Center, providing comprehensive training, mentorship, and job placement services to empower people with disabilities.

Amazon.in and Sarthak Education Trust, a leading non-profit organization working for the cause of People with Disabilities (PWDs), have joined forces to launch the Global Resource Center (GRC). The center, which was inaugurated in the presence of Hon’ble Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, aims to empower people with disabilities across India.

This collaboration between Amazon and Sarthak Education Trust (SET) marks a significant step forward in creating a more inclusive and empowering world for people with disabilities. The Global Resource Center stands as a testament to the transformative potential of collaboration, and its impact promises to resonate across the globe. Located in Gurugram, Haryana, GRC will act as a central hub, providing access to specialized training programs, assistive technologies, mentorship opportunities, and customized job placement services. The GRC will serve as a beacon of inclusivity, offering a comprehensive suite of resources tailored to the specific needs of people with disability who are Deaf and Hard of hearing (DHH), Blind low vision (BLV) or have locomotor disability. This collaboration leverages Amazon’s technology expertise and Sarthak’s expertise in skill development, training, and job placement for people with disabilities.

"This initiative signifies a giant leap towards inclusivity," said Hon'ble Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar. "By offering invaluable resources and opportunities to people with disabilities, the GRC reflects our nation's commitment to creating a society where everyone can contribute meaningfully. I commend corporates for their vision and dedication to fostering empowerment and embracing diversity."

The GRC's impactful programs will encompass capacity building in technology, e-commerce, logistics, and beyond, ensuring that people with disabilities have the skills and support needed to thrive in the digital economy. The Rozgarsarthi app, an integral part of the program, connects candidates with disabilities with opportunities at Amazon and other organizations. Additionally, Amazon equips people with disabilities with English language skills, provides mobile devices, a monthly remuneration of up to INR 20,000 and assists with travel and accommodation.

Abhinav Singh, VP of Customer Fulfilment, Amazon Transportation Services, Global Specialty Fulfilment, and Supply Chain at Amazon India, said, "The launch of the Global Resource Center marks a significant milestone in our commitment to empowering people with disabilities worldwide. This collaboration with Sarthak Education Trust will provide them with the skills, resources, and opportunities they need to thrive in today's digital economy. We are proud to play a part in creating a more inclusive and accessible world for all."

The joint effort between Sarthak Education Trust and Amazon has so far collectively impacted over 15,000 people with disabilities through training of talent pool of disabled people at GRC and job creation by influencing corporates through assistance with Rozgarsarthi app. They further aim to impact close to 70,000 and 72,000 people with disabilities by 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Dr. Jitender Aggarwal, Founder & CEO of Sarthak further added, ""Our Vision 2027 includes Empowerment of 10 Million PwDs across India, Sustainable Employment & Entrepreneurship for 0.2 Million skilled Youth with Disabilities, Expanding the CSO partner network under IDEA with 1000 partners; Supporting organizations in 50 developing countries; State-of-the-Art Global Resource Center in Gurugram and Hosting the 11th International Abilympics in India in 2027.Our strategic shift to focus on Tier 2-3 cities and in-house training aims to bridge the gap between demand and availability of skilled people with disabilities. We are determined to place 7500 people with disabilities including in Amazon India and other corporates next year, aligning with our mission of creating inclusive opportunities and empowering every individual, regardless of location."

In 2022, Amazon India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DePwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, to provide skilling and employment opportunities through job fairs to tens of thousands of people with disabilities across the country. The tripartite agreement between DePwD, Skill Council for Persons with Disability (SCPwD) and Amazon focuses on skilling, certification, entrepreneurship and is designed to enable people with disabilities’ participation in mainstream society. This is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision. In addition, Amazon also signed a MoU with Thiruvananthapuram-based non-profit Sarthak Educational Trust (SET) for reducing the skill gap in employable young people with disabilities. The launch of GRC is part of the MoU signed with Sarthak Educational Trust.

Earlier this year, in September 2023, Amazon India signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state governments of Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to provide skilling and employment opportunities across Amazon India’s operations network including in Amazon’s fulfilment centres, sortation centres and delivery stations for various roles including stowing, picking, packing, and sorting to candidates with disabilities.

Recently on December 3, 2023, Amazon India was honored with the prestigious National Award for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, awarded by the Government of India and presented by Smt. Droupadi Murmu, Honourable President of India. This esteemed recognition, bestowed by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DoEPwD), and Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, acknowledges the company's outstanding contributions toward creating an inclusive and accessible environment for individuals with disabilities.

About Amazon.in

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth’s Best Employer, and Earth’s Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfilment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.in/aboutus.

Gujarat-based NIFientreC and Amazon India Partner To Offer Innovative and Traditional Knowledge-based Products Online

Gandhinagar, Gujarat-based NIF Incubation and Entrepreneurship Council (NIFientreC) and Amazon India have partnered to make available products by grassroots innovators, outstanding traditional knowledge holders as well as student creativity based innovative products online to millions of customers.

An MoU was signed between NIFientreC and Amazon India today for online distribution of product of grassroots innovations, student creativity based innovations and outstanding traditional knowledge based ready to market products.

NIFientreC is a Technology Business Incubator (TBI) hosted by National Innovation Foundation (NIF), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. NIFientreC was established in the year 2015 with financial support from the DST for incubation and commercialization of technological ideas and innovations of grassroots innovators, outstanding traditional knowledge holders and students across the country.

The MoU signed by Er Rakesh Maheshwari, Executive Director, NIFientreC, and Mr. Sumit Sahay, Director, Amazon Seller Services Private Limited (ASSPL), will help strengthening the commercial dissemination of the innovative products from local startups and boost India’s startup culture in line with these announcements.

Manish Tiwary, Vice President, Amazon India, said that the partnership with NIFientreC is aimed at bringing the benefits of digitization and ecommerce to grassroot entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs and taking forward the student innovations from rural areas to sell to millions of Amazon customers in India and across the globe.  

"It is a milestone in India's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, and grassroots innovators will be brought closer to the consumer than ever before. This is an inclusivity paradigm that the rest of the world may want to replicate," said Dr Vipin Kumar, Director, NIF.

The MoU will accelerate the grassroots innovation delivery to the common people of the country, boosting the local economy and creating livelihoods. It will empower innovators from the deepest pockets of the country to leverage the benefits of inclusive e-commerce.

While the product offerings by mainstream entrepreneurs and those offered by start-ups turned unicorns are not new, the MoU will make innovations which are being done in rural parts of the country and stem from common people’s wisdom, available universally. The consumers will benefit by getting more choices, and since these innovations have their genesis in addressing of an unmet need in a particular locality, it can initiate a journey towards providing inclusive innovations to society and the world at large.

Post successful onboarding of these businesses, Amazon will also create a storefront to boost the discoverability of these rural innovations among customers.

Additionally, through this MoU, both NIFientreC and Amazon would ensure a capacity building of grassroots innovators regularly through masterclasses, workshops, and other interactive training programmes by engaging industry and subject matter experts so that they can march ahead in the start-up movement of the country at par with rest of the nation. They will be periodically trained on fundamental aspects of being a successful e-commerce participant so that upon getting on-boarded, they can be self-reliant, create visibility for their products, generate demand, and respond to it to have them reach even at the last mile.

Lockdown: Flipkart Resumes Operations, Amazon Says in Talks with Govt

After temporarily suspending operations earlier in the day, Walmart-owned Flipkart will resume its grocery and essentials services after assurance of safe passage of its supply chain and delivery executives by local law enforcement authorities.

Amazon said it was working with government authorities to enable it to deliver essential items.

Flipkart, along with rival Amazon India's Pantry service, were suspended temporarily on Wednesday morning as India entered into a 21-day lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.

"We have been assured of the safe and smooth passage of our supply chain and delivery executives by local law enforcement authorities and are resuming our grocery and essentials services later today (Wednesday)," Flipkart Group CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy said in a statement.

He added that the company continues to strengthen its supply chain in a safe and secure manner for its employees and consumers alike, and will leverage its robust delivery network to make products available to customers across the country.

Similarly, a note on Amazon India's Pantry page said, "Dear customers, due to local restrictions, we are not able to deliver. We are working with the government authorities to enable us to deliver essential items. We will communicate through e-mail/SMS when we have an update."

It also offered customers the option of cancelling their order.

E-commerce platforms have seen a manifold growth in orders on their platforms in India over the past few weeks as people logged online to stock up on food and household products as well as office items like routers and cables (to work from home) on concerns around spread of COVID-19 infection and restrictions in public movement that have now been enforced.

Snapdeal, in a statement, said it is operational and working regionwise to complete as many deliveries of essential goods to customers as possible as per local operating conditions.

"For the next few weeks, we will prioritise processing of essentials (orders relating to personal and home hygiene, safety, etc). We will continue to accept other orders too and are informing other buyers that these will be delivered once movement restrictions are lifted," it added.

Snapdeal said authorities in various cities, including Delhi, Gurugram and Bengaluru have discussed operating issues with various e-commerce companies.

"They have also started to roll out protocols which will allow essential operations to resume in a controlled manner," the statement added.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a complete lockdown across the country for 21 days, asserting that social distancing is the only way out for the country in its decisive battle against the coronavirus. More than 500 people have tested positive for coronavirus in India with around 10 deaths.

Interestingly, Amazon India had on Tuesday said it has temporarily stopped taking orders and disabled shipment of low-priority products as it focuses on delivery of essential items like household staples, hygiene and other high-priority products.

E-commerce players, including Amazon India and Milkbasket, have been facing disruption in delivery of even essential products to their customers.

The government, however, in its notification has allowed delivery of all essential goods including food, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment through e-commerce.

Industry watchers have said there is an urgent need for uniform classification of essential items across various states, and that instructions need to flow down clearly to the last mile, where the delivery agents are facing issues.

Industry experts also flagged challenges around movement of delivery personnel and staff, as well as interstate movement of goods amid lockdown across the country.

Ananth Narayanan, CEO and co-founder of Medlife, said one of its delivery personnel in Delhi was hit by the cops on the way back to the fulfilment centre.

"In the process he was injured and suffered bruises on his face and body. We now also have reports of similar incidents in Bangalore," he added.

Narayanan said the indiscriminate use of force against personnel delivering items specifically exempted by the government during the shutdown, will disrupt services.

"The essential services sector has to be free of harassment and violence. We request the state governments and concerned authorities to ensure that strict instructions are given to the police to permit delivery personnel with valid documentation perform their duties in these times of crisis," he said.

Some e-commerce players are also urging the government to expand the scope of essential products beyond food items and medicines to include other products, like cable and routers that may be required for customers who are working from home. PTI SR

Amazon Invests over Rs 2500 Cr into India's Amazon Seller Services, Amazon Data Services Units

Amazon has infused over Rs 2,500 crore into two of its Indian businesses, Amazon Seller Services and Amazon Data Services India, according to regulatory filings.

The investment comes just days after its founder and the world's richest man Jeff Bezos announced USD 1 billion investment in digitising small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country.

An e-mail sent to the company did not elicit a response.

As per regulatory documents sourced from business intelligence platform paper.vc, the board of Amazon Seller Services has allotted shares worth about Rs 2,208 crore to Amazon Corporate Holdings and Amazon.com Inc. The resolution to this effect was approved on January 24.

A separate filing by Amazon Data Services India said shares worth Rs 355 crore have been allotted to A100 ROW Inc and Amazon.com Inc. This resolution was approved on January 31.

Amazon had recently pumped in over Rs 1,700 crore into its payments and wholesale business units in India, signalling opportunity that the US giant sees in the country. Amazon Pay India had received Rs 1,355 crore, while Amazon Wholesale (India) allotted shares worth about Rs 360 crore.

Amazon CEO Bezos who was in India last month had promised USD 1 billion (over Rs 7,000 crore) investment in India to help bring small and medium businesses online and committed to exporting USD 10 billion worth of India-made goods by 2025. The ambitious investment announcement had however courted controversy after Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal termed the fund infusion "not a favour". Goyal had later clarified that his statement had been taken out of context.

India's antitrust body, the Competition Commission of India has ordered an investigation into alleged violations of competition laws by Amazon and its rival Walmart-owned Flipkart.

Amazon and rival Flipkart have been pumping millions of dollars into across various operations like marketplace, infrastructure and supply chain management as well as marketing and promotion as they look to strengthen their position in the fledgling Indian e-commerce market. PTI SR MBI

Goyal-Amazon Row: UKIBC says E-Commerce Sector Misunderstood, India Should Welcome Investments

The Indian government is responsive to concerns expressed by businesses but needs to do more to attract investments into sectors such as e-commerce, the UK India Business Council (UKIBC) has said.

The comments from the lobby grouping come after there was a sharp criticism of Goyal for saying Amazon was not doing India a favour by the investment announcement. India's GDP growth is set to slow to a decadal low of 5 per cent for 2019-20 and all eyes are set on the strategy deployed by the government in the upcoming Budget.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has said the e-commerce major will invest USD 1 billion (over Rs 7,000 crore) in digitising small and medium businesses in India.

Declining to comment specifically on the impact on investors because of Goyal's comments, UKIBC Chief Executive Officer Richard Heald told PTI here that the e-commerce sector has a tremendous potential, especially for the smaller businesses, who get a platform to sell their wares.

"I am a great fan of e-commerce and I think that e-commerce is misunderstood to a certain extent and it benefits the general public and those people who operate within the supply chain in ways that are not popularly understood," he said.

Heald said Mukesh Ambani-promoted RIL also has plans to enter the e-commerce segment through a different business model and one can have her own preferences on business models.

"Encouraging investments into India is important, encouraging the e-commerce sector is important because it benefits small businesses disproportionately to large businesses," he said adding that British businesses may not be "startled" at the posturing.

India represents a large opportunity for the British businesses and even a slower 4.8 per cent GDP growth is much faster than what the UK or Europe is witnessing, he said.

When asked if the government is responsive in India, he answered in the affirmative and said, "What I found striking (in conversations with government officials) was that increasingly, it is a two-way dialogue. The Indian government wants to understand and engage, it wants to understand what the operating issues are and get those addressed, positives as well as negatives."

Welcoming the cut in corporate taxes, Heald advocated a relaxation in fiscal deficit targets in the upcoming Budget and added that the UKIBC will keenly watch the narrative on growth being set by the Indian government and look for specific measures on rural poverty alleviation and infrastructure spends.

When asked about social sector troubles experienced in India, which have made billionaire George Soros to speak out at Davos last week, Heald said the UKIBC members will not be too perturbed by those concerns.

He reasoned that commercial success is the most important aspect for a business when it makes a call to investment and not other "optics".

"From the business point of view, I am not going to say it (social issues) is not relevant, but not high up the list," he said.

When asked if there is over-pessimism about India, he initially said it would be "presumptuous" to say so.

"I have huge admiration for India. Since 1947, you have survived and prospered as a country which is secular, is diverse. Your history is extraordinary. Clearly, there is something there that you have to foster and you have to develop," he said. PTI AA

Amazon India to Include 10,000 Electric Vehicles in Delivery Fleet by 2025

E-commerce major Amazon India on Monday said its fleet of delivery vehicles in the country will include 10,000 EVs by 2025.

Amazon's rival, Flipkart had in June last year said it aims to replace 40 per cent of its delivery vans with electric vehicles (EVs) by March this year. The Walmart-owned company has deployed EVs in cities like Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

Amazon, in a statement, said it piloted electric vehicles in several cities across India in 2019 and is now expanding this initiative across the country. It added that learnings from the pilot have helped the company create scalable and long-term EV variants to build this large fleet.

The announcement comes days after the American e-tail giant had announced investment of USD 1 billion for digitising small and medium businesses, and creation of one million jobs by 2025.

"The fleet of 10,000 EVs - including three-wheeler and four-wheeler vehicles - has been designed and manufactured by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in India," Amazon noted in its statement.

In 2020, these vehicles will operate in over 20 cities of India - Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune, Nagpur and Coimbatore, among others. These EVs are in addition to the global commitment of one lakh EVs in the delivery fleet by 2030 announced in the Climate Pledge signed by Amazon.

As part of the pledge, Amazon had announced its plans to introduce 10,000 of EVs into its delivery fleet globally in 2022 and one lakh vehicles by 2030 – saving four million metric tonnes of carbon per year by 2030.

Amazon India said it has been working with several Indian OEMs to build a fleet of vehicles that ensure sustainable and safe deliveries of customer orders.

The government's focus to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles in the country, and steps towards setting up of charging infrastructure with the FAME 2 policy has helped the company accelerate and chart its vision for EVs in India, it added.

"At Amazon India, we are committed to building a supply chain that will minimise the environmental impact of our operations," Amazon Vice President, Customer Fulfillment - APAC and Emerging Markets Akhil Saxena said.

He added that the company will continue to invest in electrification of its delivery fleet, thereby reducing its dependence on non-renewable resources.

In September last year, Amazon India had announced its plan to eliminate single-use plastic in its packaging from its fulfilment centres by June 2020. PTI SR

Amazon Doubling Down Investments in India for Prime Video

Amazon chief Jeff Bezos has said the company's streaming service, Prime Video, is doing better in India than anywhere else and he has decided to double down the investment for it in the country.

Bezos met Bollywood biggies Thursday night at a gathering where he sat down for a chat with superstar Shah Rukh Khan and director Zoya Akhtar, recounting experience of his India trip and how his vision to create the world's biggest bookstore led to the foundation of Amazon.

The billionaire said the whole world is witnessing "a golden age of television" and he wants Amazon to be "the most talent friendly" studio in the world and India features prominently in this plan.

"Prime Video is doing well all over the world. It is doing well in Japan, in Germany as well as in America. It is doing well everywhere but there's nowhere it's doing better than in India," Bezos said during the half-an-hour-long chat with Shah Rukh and Zoya.

He added that the Prime membership, which comes with free shipping from Amazon, has also proved great for the e-commerce service.

"It's a vehicle to make fantastic content and from business point of view, it works for us as well. So we love it. We just made a decision to double down in our Prime Video investments here in India," he said.

The number of hours that people watched Prime Video had grown by six times in just two years in India, he added.

The streamer, which has rivals in Netflix and Hotstar, also unveiled seven more shows that will soon be joining its exclusive Indian content slate.

The shows are "Dilli", "Bandish Bandits", "Paatal Lok", "Gormint", "Mumbai Diaries-26/11", "The Last Hour" and "Sons of Soil- Jaipur Pink Panthers". The existing popular India originals include "Mirzapur", "Inside Edge", Zoya's "Made in Heaven", "Four More Shots" and "The Family Man".

Bezos said one should not try for a successful formula in entertainment as storytelling is an incredibly difficult art with people always looking for something new.

"This is one of those businesses which really takes human ingenuity... I want Amazon Studios to be all over the world.... When you look at TV series today, they are really good in terms of quality. They're as good as the very best movies have ever been. And now we're getting the best storytellers and actors to come and do TV.

"One of the hardest things that humans do is tell riveting, engaging, inspiring stories. When you get it right, it's a lever that can change the world," he said.

Bezos, who is on his fourth trip to the country and the first one in Mumbai, said he had never seen a more diverse place than India.

In Delhi, he also visited the Gandhi memorial and laid a wreath in honour of the Mahatma. The trip, he said, was very meaningful for him.

"There's a man that truly changed the entire world, taught the principles of non-violence... It was a great honor to be able to go there," he said. PTI BK RB

Amazon Not Doing Favour by Investing $1 Billion Dollar: Minister

A day after the world's richest person Jeff Bezos announced fresh USD 1 billion investment in India, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said his firm Amazon was not doing a favour to the country by the investments and questioned how the online retailing major could incur such "big" losses but for its predatory pricing.

Goyal, who has not yet given Bezos an audience, said e-commerce companies have to follow Indian rules in letter and spirit and not find loopholes to make a back-door entry into multi-brand retail segment.

India does not allow foreign investment beyond 49 per cent in multi-brand retailing and has not yet approved any application of overseas retailers.

"They (Amazon) may have put in a billion dollars but if they make a loss of a billion dollars every year, then jolly well will have to finance that billion dollar. So, it is not as if they are doing a favour to India when they invest a billion dollars," he said at the Raisina Dialogue here.

The USD 1 billion investment by Amazon.com to help bring small and medium businesses online is on the top of USD 5.5 billion funding it had previously announced.

The minister wondered why an e-commerce market place model, where a firm provides an IT platform for buyers and sellers, incurring huge losses adding that it needs to be looked upon.

"They are investing money over the last few years also in warehousing and certain other activities, which is welcome and good. But if they are bringing in money largely to finance losses and those losses in an e-commerce market place model," Goyal said.

He added that in a fair market place model in a turnover of USD 10 billion dollars, if a company is incurring loss of billion dollars, it "certainly raises questions, where the loss came from".

Goyal said that how can a marketplace make such a big loss unless they are indulging in "predatory pricing or some unfair trade practices".

"These are real questions which need answers and I am sure the authorities who are looking at it seek those answers and I am sure the e-commerce companies will have their say on that," he said.

Fair trade regulator CCI (Competition Commission of India) has recently ordered a probe against e-commerce majors Flipkart and Amazon for alleged malpractices, including deep discounting and tie-ups with preferred sellers on their platforms.

The minister added that India allows foreign investments in e-commerce market place model and in this model buyers and sellers are free to trade, but the market place player cannot own the inventory, or they can not determine prices.

There are several established market rules for an e-commerce market place business in India and "I think as long as everybody follows these rules, we very much welcome e-commerce into India," he added.

Further, he said that India has strict rules for FDI in multi-brand retail trading and anybody who tries to use the e-commerce market place model to get into the multi-brand retail space surreptitiously will have to be questioned and investigated.

"Whether they are doing that or not is a matter of the investigators to decide...whatever (would be their) findings, that should be respected by everybody," Goyal said.

He reiterated that investors have to follow the laws in letter and spirit and do not try to find loopholes within the defined letter of the law.

Amazon Pumps in Over Rs 1,700 Cr in its Payments, Wholesale Units of India

E-commerce giant Amazon has pumped in over Rs 1,700 crore into its payments and wholesale business units in India, as per regulatory documents.

Amazon Pay India has received Rs 1,355 crore from Amazon Corporate Holdings Pvt Ltd and Amazon.com.incs.Limited, regulatory documents filed with the corporate affairs ministry showed.

The digital payment unit allotted shares to the said units on December 31, 2019, the documents sourced by business intelligence platform Tofler, said.

Amazon Wholesale (India) Pvt Ltd allotted shares worth about Rs 360 crore on December 30 to Amazon Corporate Holdings Pvt Ltd and Amazon.com.incs.Limited, a separate filing showed.

Emails sent to Amazon India on the fund infusion did not elicit a response.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is scheduled to visit India this week, meeting top government functionaries, business leaders and SMBs. Thousands of small-scale traders' union under Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) are planning to hold protests around the country during Bezos' stay in India.

Also, India's antitrust body Competition Commission of India on Monday ordered an investigation into alleged violations of competition laws by Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart.

Amazon and rival Flipkart have been pumping in millions of dollars across various operations like marketplace, infrastructure and supply chain management as well as marketing and promotion as they look to strengthen their position in the fledgling Indian e-commerce market.

In October last year, Amazon had infused over Rs 4,400 crore (more than USD 600 million) in its various units in India including marketplace and food retail.

Amazon, which is locked in a bruising battle against Flipkart, had registered cumulative losses of over Rs 7,000 crore across various units in 2018-19. The continued flow of fresh investments, however, is indicative of Amazon's confidence in the Indian market. PTI SR MBI

CCI Directs Probe Against Amazon, Flipkart for Alleged Deep Discounting and Preferred Sellers

Fair trade regulator CCI on Monday ordered a probe against e-commerce majors Flipkart and Amazon for alleged malpractices, including deep discounting and tie-ups with preferred sellers on their platforms.

The order follows a complaint filed by Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh, whose members comprise many traders dealing in smartphones and related accessories.

The traders' body accused the e-commerce firms of anti-competitive practices like preferential listing, exclusive tie-ups and private labels.

In its order, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) said it needs to be investigated whether the alleged exclusive arrangements, deep discounting and preferential listing by online marketplace platforms are being used as an "exclusionary tactic to foreclose competition" and are resulting in an appreciable adverse effect on competition.

Commenting on the order, an Amazon India spokesperson said,"We welcome the opportunity to address allegations made about Amazon. We are confident in our compliance, and will cooperate fully with CCI."

Incidentally, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is expected to visit India this week.

Meanwhile, a Flipkart spokesperson said they are currently reviewing the CCI order.

"The Flipkart group is fully compliant with all applicable laws and FDI regulations. We take pride in democratising e-commerce in India and giving market access to lakhs of MSMEs, sellers, artisans and small businesses, making quality and affordable goods available to consumers through our transparent and efficient marketplace while creating lakhs of jobs," the spokesperson added.

In its complaint, the trade body alleged that there were instances of several vertical agreements between Flipkart and Amazon and their preferred sellers which have led to exclusion of other non-preferred traders from these online marketplaces.

It has been also been alleged that most of these preferred sellers are affiliated with or controlled by Flipkart or Amazon, either directly or indirectly. Besides, the platforms also gather data on consumer preferences and allegedly use them to their advantage, it added.

"This arrangement has far-reaching consequences on the economy as the non-preferred sellers are relegated to sell only through traditional brick and mortar set-up which involves significant fixed costs and are devoid of wide pan-India reach which online marketplaces offer," it was alleged.

"The Commission observes that the exclusive arrangements between smartphone/mobile phone brands and e-commerce platform/select sellers selling exclusively on either of the platforms, as demonstrated in the information, coupled with the allegation of linkages between these preferred sellers and OPs (opposite parties) alleged by the Informant merits an investigation," the CCI said in its order.

Further, it needs to be investigated whether the alleged exclusive arrangements, deep discounting and preferential listing by the e-commerce platforms are being used as an exclusionary tactic to foreclose competition and are resulting in an appreciable adverse effect on competition, contravening the provisions of the Competition Act, the CCI noted.

The Competition Commission has asked the director general to complete the investigation and submit a report within 60 days.

Praveen Khandelwal, secretary general of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) which is spearheading an aggressive nationwide movement against Amazon and Flipkart, said this CCI order has been long awaited by the traders of the country.

"Both Amazon and Flipkart have left no stone unturned in destroying and devastating the e-commerce and retail trade market by indulging into all kinds of malpractices including causing huge GST and income tax revenue loss to the government. Their autocratic business module has resulted into closure of thousands of shops in the country in last three months," he added. PTI SRS SP

Amazon India inks Long-Term Deals with Future Retail, FCL to become Authorized Online Sales Channel

Amazon India on Monday said it has entered into long-term business agreements with Future Group for expanding the reach of the latter's retail stores and consumer brands through its online marketplace.

The development comes after Amazon had agreed to buy 49 per cent stake in Future Coupons Ltd that in turn holds stake in Future Retail Ltd (FRL) last year.

"FRL and Amazon India signed two agreements focusing on key categories - grocery and general merchandise, and fashion and footwear," according to a statement released Monday.

Amazon India will also become the authorised online sales channel for FRL stores, and FRL will ensure participation of its relevant stores and programmes on the Amazon India marketplace, it added.

Besides, Future Consumer Ltd (FCL) has also inked a long-term agreement with Amazon Retail India Pvt Ltd (ARIPL) for distribution of Future Consumer's portfolio of brands online. Some of FCL brands include Tasty Treat, Voom, Dreamery, Karmiq, Mother Earth, Kara, CleanMate and others.

As part of the partnership, FRL will augment existing store-infrastructure at its retail outlets for facilitating seamless packaging and pickup of products ordered online. FRL and Amazon India have already launched this service across 22 stores. Both companies plan on rolling this out across the entire FRL store chain based on agreed timelines.

"FRL will leverage its existing infrastructure, strong product knowledge and extensive brand portfolio resulting in higher store productivity and improved margins," as per the statement.

Currently, FRL attracts over 350 million footfalls across its retail network, and Amazon India's marketplace will enable FRL to reach a wider customer base.

Also, FRL will list on the Amazon Prime Now programme, allowing customers to get food, grocery and general merchandise delivery within two hours in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.

FRL plans to soon list stores like Big Bazaar, and Foodhall in more cites on the Amazon India marketplace.

"In order to drive efficiencies, the two organisations will work closely through a dedicated team, and will explore synergies in distribution, customer acquisition, and marketing initiatives. This creates an enviable collaboration bringing together the best of consumer insights and geographical reach from the online and offline world," the statement said.

Kishore Biyani, Chairman and Managing Director of FRL, said "this arrangement will allow us to build upon each other's strengths in the physical and digital space so that customers benefit from the best services, products, assortment and price".

"FRL's national footprint of stores offering thousands of products across fashion, appliances, home, kitchen and grocery will now be available to millions of customers shopping on Amazon.in, in hours across over 25 cities,” Amazon India Senior Vice President and Country Head Amit Agarwal said.

On the FCL-ARIPL partnership, Future Consumer Ltd Managing Director Ashni Biyani said the collaboration will expand the reach of its brands to new sets of customers on Amazon India's online marketplace.

"We will be working closely with Amazon to develop marketing and promotion initiatives and look forward to using Amazon's technical expertise and resources to increase the reach of our brands. Our distinct portfolio of brands catering to aspirational categories will be an excellent addition to Amazon's offerings. Hence, we believe this is a win-win agreement,” Ashni Biyani added.

FCL brands are currently available across multiple channels including general trade, digital platforms and modern retail apart from over 1,700 stores across Future Group's retail chains including Big Bazaar, EasyDay, Heritage Fresh, Nilgiris, WH Smith and among others.

"Currently, Future Consumer has a largely offline presence. Through this agreement, Future Consumer will build an online channel and offer Future Consumer's brands to millions of Amazon's customers," the company said. PTI SR SID

Future Group's 'Sabse Saste Din' Sale to be Live on Amazon Too

Kishore Biyani-led Future Group's 'Sabse Saste Din' sale starting from January 26 would go live on e-commerce major Amazon's web store as well, according to sources.

This would be the first time when Amazon would host Future Group's sale. Earlier last year, Amazon had announced acquiring 49 per cent stake in Future Coupons, which owns 7.3 per cent shares of Future Retail, with an option to buy the entire holding at a later stage.

"As Future Group has entered into a tie up with Amazon, its 'Sabse Saste Din' sale would also go live on Amazon (e-commerce portal)," a source said.

Future Group would conduct the sale through its various stores, including Big Bazaar retail outlets. The company's 'Sabse Saste Din' sales are held around Republic Day and Independence Day holidays.

The sale, lasting five-six days, contributes substantially to Future Group's annual retail turnover.

Besides, the group also organises two small 'Sabse Saste Din' sales on May 1 and October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti). When contacted, Future Group declined to comment.

In August last year, Amazon had said it would acquire 49 per cent stake in Future Retail promoter firm Future Coupons Ltd for an undisclosed amount.

Future Retail Ltd operates popular supermarket and hypermarket chains such as Big Bazaar and WHSmith. PTI KRH

Amazon.in ties with GMR Hyderabad Airport City for Fulfillment Centre Expansion

E-commerce giant Amazon.in on Thursday said it has signed a lease with GMR Hyderabad Airport City to expand its largest Fulfilment Centre (FC) in the country. The existing warehouse is spread across 4 lakh sq ft and will now be expanded by another 1.8 lakh sq ft, a statement said.

"With this investment, Amazon.in has more than 3 fulfilment centres in the State with a total processing area of more than 8.5 lakh sq ft," it said without disclosing the quantum of investment made.

The move will help Amazon, which is locked in an intense battle for market leadership with Walmart-backed Flipkart, to deliver products faster as the festive season approaches.

Unlike traditional warehouses, fulfilment centres are equipped with highly automated pick, pack and shipping processes to facilitate safe and timely processing of orders. “In line with our vision to transform the way India buys and sells, we have been consistently investing in our infrastructure and delivery network, so we can increase our speed of delivery and provide a superior experience to both – customers and sellers," Amazon Vice President, Customer Fulfilment - Asia Akhil Saxena said.

He added that the expansion of Amazon.in's largest fulfilment centre in India, the company will "create many more hundreds of skilled jobs in the region".

In June this year, the company had also announced the launch of its largest delivery station in Telangana spread across more than 20,000 sq ft. PTI SR

Amazon India Leaks Competitive Business Data of 400K Sellers; No Compensation to Sellers

Amazon India had left exposed the tax reports of some sellers to others on its platform and although the company had rectified a technical glitch which caused it, it had exposed a lot of information to others on platform.

Sellers downloading their monthly financial reports (data of their sales through Amazon.in) were served with those of other vendors, leading to a breach of competitive businesses data.

On Wednesday, Amazon India said the glitch affected a “minuscule number” of the 4,00,000 sellers on its platform had been rectified soon after sellers flagged it.

According to Economic Times, in an incidence happened last Sunday, a merchant who sells smartphone accessories on Amazon logged onto the platform to download his tax report for December, and found that the inventory reflected in it did not tally with what he had sold. Upon closer inspection, he realised that the GST number on the report was not his.

All this while, the unsolicited exposure of a Amazon India's data has almost frightened its users. The merchant tax reports, that were accidently passed on business data of sellers/merchants to other unintended merchants/seller which are in fact competitors. The leaked data included sales, category-wise split and inventory data. If found by rival seller, this could prove to be of material value to them and detrimental to the merchant/seller whose data was outed, experts said.

No "Data Privacy" Rule for Compensation

Of late, it was reported that food startup FreshMenu had also faced a data breach that left exposed the personal details of 110,000 users and top of it the company stubbornly admitted to the breach only after two years.

At the moment, India do not have a provision for a user, whose data has been exposed, to recover damages from companies responsible for this. A section in the draft Data Protection Bill, which is undergoing consultations and pruning, however, lays down directives for early disclosure of leaks and a mechanism to try cases pertaining to such lapses.

In the proposed Data Protection Bill, which is likely to be moved in Parliament in June, it has been proposed that if a company's customer data is breached, it is liable to a penalty of 4 per cent of its global revenues. Criminal liability has been proposed too.

Source - Economic Times, AFAQS