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Context is everything.
Detailed stories on technology startups, business and economic current affairs.
Detailed stories on technology startups, business and economic current affairs.
The disruption of local stores and India’s lockdown are an opportunity for retail chains and e-commerce. But there are limits.
As mom-and-pop neighbourhood stores scaled down over the past few weeks and white-collar workers began working from homes, organized retail—from e-commerce to brick-and-mortar chains—has seen booming demand. Now that India has entered a nationwide lockdown and inter- and intra-city transportation has ground to a halt, the consumer’s dependence on these two channels is set to increase further.
We are in the middle of what has widely been construed the “demonetization moment” for organized retail, especially e-commerce. (The Indian government’s shock decision to invalidate 86% of currency in circulation in November 2016 was a turning point for digital payments companies.) But …
As the smart fan maker gears up for an IPO, prospective investors could do with some clarity on what the company’s next phase of growth will look like.
The retailer has shrunk operations to fix its loss-making vertical. But a reduced presence risks hurting volumes in a segment dominated by Blinkit and Instamart.
Brands are struggling amid plunging prices of lab-grown diamonds, poor margins, intense competition, shaky global demand and a domestic market where tradition continues to shape buying decisions.
