The E commerce story in India

Once upon a time…

it was thought best to shop the conventional way by visiting the grocer or store keeper and dealing in cash, but now with technology that thought is turning out to be on its way out.

“Local Kirana stores on their way out” screamed the tech sections of the newspapers in the late 90s. It was the beginning of the internet revolution in India and the tech pundits were already predicting a brave new world. However before the predictions could come true, the bubble had burst. The revolution had ended even before people could understand what was going on. The local stores had won the battle. Everything was back to normal. But technology has an uncanny nature. It always comes back and with double the force.

In its second coming, the e-ntrepreneurs were back with a better understanding of the technology landscape. There was ample research available now to understand what the Indian “janta” would like and how. Offering unbelievable discounts in addition to the ease of buying and the convenience of having the products delivered to the doorstep, the e-commerce sites of today are on a mission- to win.

The new sites not just pack in the chutzpah but also cater to the ease and liking of the common man. And yes we aren’t talking about the eBays and the Amazons here. We are talking pure desi stuff. The winners in this category are:

Flipkart:

What started as a marketplace for books now offers everything from electronics to home appliances. Backed by a strong marketing campaign, the site is now well known among the online shoppers and has a good reputation for its quality products.

http://www.flipkart.com/

Naaptol:

Based primarily as a comparison service for electronics, the site has slowly matured to being a provider of a great online shopping experience. The site targets to provide the best deals on over 50 thousand products and is one of the fastest growing e-commerce sites in India.

http://www.naaptol.com/

Snapdeal:

The leader and the pioneer of the group buying phenomenon in India, snapdeal.com works on the concept of providing hefty discounts on products which garner a large buyer base. Working fantastic in a country obsessed with discounts and deals, the site has already garnered a huge customer base in the short span of its existence.

http://www.snapdeal.com

Indiatimes shopping:

The big daddy of India’s internet revolution also has a shopping arm. Yes, and we did not even know about it right? The site offers a host of products to pick from and at unbelievable prices many a times. One of the sites that have always been there.

http://shopping.indiatimes.com/

Timtara:

Exclusively dealing in electronics, Timtara offers some fantastic offers on gadgets. From hard drives to mobiles, from watches to computers, the site is a one stop shop for everything that holds a circuit underneath.

http://timtara.com/

The above though not absolute, has been an attempt to introduce the best e commerce sites in the country. And as with anything technology, the list could pretty well be obsolete within a year. However, the sites would always be cherished as pioneers of the revolution that is sweeping the country. The E-commerce revolution. Join in or perish!

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