New Delhi: Several e-commerce companies, including Snapdeal, ShopClues and UrbanClap, have announced the launch of a trade association called The E-commerce Council of India. The aim is to provide policy advocacy as well as encourage best practices in the Indian e-commerce industry with respect to data privacy, logistics, payments and other issues.
“The e-commerce sector in India is an increasingly important part of India’s economy, unlocking tremendous value for buyers and sellers," Snapdeal CEO Kunal Bahl said. “The E-commerce Council of India is an important industry initiative to work collaboratively amidst ourselves and with policymakers to help the sector develop its full potential in a way that creates lasting benefits for India."
Mint was the first to report about the move on 8 March.
Sachin Bansal and Bhavish Aggarwal had come together in 2017 to form IndiaTech, a lobby group for e-commerce companies. However, after Bansal’s exit from Flipkart last year, the lobby group had been trying to kick-start operations under its new chief executive officer Rameesh Kailasam, Mint reported in October.
IndiaTech, whose founding members include MakemyTrip, Ola and investment firm Steadview Capital, has formulated an agenda, including a level-playing field for Indian startups, easier initial public offering (IPO) regulations and a differential voting structure to protect the interests of Indian entrepreneurs against powerful investors.
The E-commerce Council of India also has some of the online brands such as Bewakoof and Mamaearth as its founding members. The aim of the association it to create a unified voice for the e-commerce sector.
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