E-commerce firms expand delivery network
1 min read . Updated: 03 Jun 2020, 11:42 PM ISTAmazon Pantry has been witnessing a 2x increase in demand from Tier-2 and 3 cities, the firm said
E-commerce firms are seeing a surge in demand from smaller towns and cities, for grocery, essentials, as well as non-essential products, compelling them to add more pincodes to their delivery network.
Amazon Pantry, which offers grocery and everyday essentials, has been witnessing a 2x increase in demand from Tier-2 and 3 cities, said an Amazon India spokesperson. “...Demand from cities such as Ambala, Anantapur, Bijapur, Kadapa and Erode saw 5x increase. In May, we expanded Amazon Pantry to over 200 cities and towns, adding Eluru, Prakasm and Kurnool among others," the spokesperson added.
As unlocking gains momentum, large e-commerce firms are opening up inventory across categories. Amazon and Flipkart have also been stepping up to provide increased support to their seller ecosystem to ensure business continuity, as the lockdown impacted the operations of small businesses.
Abhishek Rajan, COO, Paytm Mall, said since the government allowed delivery of non-essentials, it has witnessed 2x increase in demand from Tier-2 and 3, as well as rest of India. Paytm Mall has witnessed a surge in searches and the sale of mobiles, masks, trimmers, laptops and other consumer electronics. With people mostly staying at home during the lockdown, there has been a surge in the sale of footwear, especially slip-ons and comfortable innerwear, compared to sneakers, formal shoes and fashion apparel.
For Snapdeal, demand in non-metros has recovered faster compared to metros.
Overall online sales have seen a boost as both essential and non-essential items have now opened up for delivery.
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