The document discusses the challenges and opportunities of online retailing in India. It outlines several issues currently plaguing online retailers in India, such as poor user experiences, limited payment options, and lack of customer value propositions. However, it argues that there is still hope if online retailers focus on the customer experience, develop strong value propositions, and pay attention to supply chain and logistics management. Finally, it proposes that selling used and new textbooks across India could be a promising e-commerce business idea given the large market size and ability to deliver cost savings directly to customers.

1. We are hiring.. 
Online Retailing in India:
Challenges and Opportunities
Sanjay Mehta
Jt. CEO, Social Wavelength
Twitter: @sm63
Email: smehta@SocialWavelength.com

2. We are hiring.. 
What are we talking about? Some ground rules..

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AgendaAgenda
What’s going wrong right now?
Is there hope? What does it take?
Simple Business Questions..
And the BONUS: an e-com biz idea

4. We are hiring.. 
What’s going wrong right now?
Specials on coffee-next shop. Leave now!!

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What’s going wrong right now?

6. We are hiring.. 
WELCOME TO THE E-STORE
This way to shop

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“Ok, I still see SOME unused white space. Fill ‘em up.. !!”
What’s going wrong right now?

8. We are hiring.. 
Do you remember
Grandma’s date of
birth? They won’t let
us in without it.

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Don’t see the product?? Why? It’s right there.. !

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Even a small iPod is
shown in enlarged size

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Sign in, you must..
Would the pic
tempt you to buy
this item worth
60,872/-??
What’s going wrong right now?
And look at the refrigerator here??

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Features, specs??
Why? Did I not give
you the product
name and price?
“Oh, we only accept
Dhanlakshmi Bank
credit cards?!”
What’s going wrong right now?

13. We are hiring.. 
AND THEN THEY SAY, E-
COMMERCE IS NOT QUITE
HAPPENING IN INDIA?!
IF YOU TRY VERY HARD
TO NOT MAKE IT HAPPEN,
YOU WILL SUCCEED.. !

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It can be done differently, as you can see here.. !

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Is there hope? What does it take?
•CUSTOMER….
•VALUE PROPOSITION..
•(Because I’d like wine
delivered home may
not be enough reason)
T H I N K…

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Technology?? Yes, but…
..remember, it is
commerce after all!
Is there hope? What does it take?

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Is there hope? What does it take?
• Boutique store or India’s Amazon.com?
• Drop ship or inventory+logistics?
• Packing boxes, weight, shipping costs, transit
damage, octroi, entry tax..etc.
• Supply chain management..whoa!
• Merchandising, freshness, variety, choice
• Intuitive, attractive design
• Payment mechanisms..guess who bears the
brunt of credit card frauds?

18. We are hiring.. 
Simple Business Questions..
SELL
WHAT?
HOW TO
DELIVER?
SELL
WHY?
MARKET SIZE?
MARGINS? COSTS?
POTENTIAL??
WHY SHOULD
CUSTOMER
BUY??
Mobiles,
T-shirts,
Long tail
products,
books.. ?
Love e-com, attended
#ssmumbai and got
motivated, make money,
got VC funds.. ?
Will deliver myself,
he’ll come pick it up,
courier, vendor will
deliver…?
Your personality, great looking site,
good prices, VALUE..??

19. We are hiring.. 
Final Thoughts
• It’s RETAIL: as different from Agency, as
different from Manufacture, as different
from Distributor
• Amazon.com
• High Performance Entrepreneur by
Subrato Bagchi
• You can’t get away from Social Media!
And that’s not my business pitch… 

20. We are hiring.. 
And the BONUS: an e-com biz idea
• Text books
• New and used; also take returns
• Kindergarten to Ph.D. (potentially)
• Pan-India
• Limited SKUs, HUGE market
• Give price benefit, deliver to the door
• Make lot of $$$
• Remember me..
Doesn’t always have to be rocket science.. 

21. We are hiring.. 
Thank You
Questions??
Sanjay Mehta
smehta@SocialWavelength.com
www.SocialWavelength.com
Twitter: @sm63
Thank You
Questions??
Sanjay Mehta
smehta@SocialWavelength.com
www.SocialWavelength.com
Twitter: @sm63