Top etailers are adopting various strategies – some similar, some different to stay on top. Right from getting more sellers, opening fulfilment centres, getting more funds & investors, new form of advertising, sponsoring big events, latching on trending news, forming strategic partnerships to hiring local delivery men, they are doing it all.
Despite their different approaches, all online players’ current goal is common. To move beyond handful metro cities. To reach rural, semi-rural, semi-urban towns and cities of India. And that’s achievable only through smart logistics service. A dream that India Post can make it happen for Indian Ecommerce businesses.
Much before mobile phones, sms, email, and private courier companies, it was India Post that delivered letters and parcels across the country irrespective of the infrastructure. The government postal system’s intricate network build over 241 years remains unbeaten till date!
Out of their total 1,54,882 post offices, nearly 90% (1,39,182) are situated in rural areas. With the increase in online shopping in rural market thanks to smartphones, these very post offices located in remote areas can help to solve last mile delivery issues. For a long time a lot of small towns and villages fell under non-serviceable areas as delivering packages via private delivery partners was a cumbersome task. But employees of India Post are well-versed with the snake like routes and every small nook of India who can assist modern ecommerce companies to connect with their rural customers.
Vice President of Operations –Snapdeal, Ashish Chitravanshi said in the Yourstory interview, “India Post has an unmatched network that is critical for the growth of e-commerce in India.” Amazon’s Director of Transportation shares the same thoughts, “Through India Post’s extensive network, Amazon India is able to service over 19,000 pin-codes through 140,000 post-offices across all 35 states and union territories in India.”
The depilated condition of post offices, stuck-in-old time practice, and gradual discontinuation of postal services such as money order made people question the government organization’s existence or rather usefulness. At least upper-middle class urban folks had become less reliant on post offices, even though not completely off it.
But after ecommerce companies started pilot projects with India Post, the postal service has got a fresh lease of life. It will make way for more work and revenue. Provided they quickly adapt to technology and fast-pace of modern business as opposed to snail pace & outdated way of working. Because as far as ecommerce is concerned, speed is everything.
It is a profitable proposition for both, India Post and Indian Ecommerce as both are relying on each other’s strength to take on their respective weaknesses. Ideally, this should work. What do you think?
Editor team is specialized in introducing the marketplace content targeting the Indian online sellers. They plan and coordinate to bring the appealing content for the small businesses on how to partner with the e-commerce sites like Amazon and Flipkart and strategies for improving their online business.
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