At a recent internal town hall meeting, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy highlighted a major change in the company’s promotion strategy, stressing that growing big teams will no longer be the route to promotion at the e-commerce behemoth. Jassy informed staff that Amazon is actively altering its perspective on promotions, emphasising that the best leaders are those that do the most with the least number of resources needed to complete the task, according to a recording of last week’s all-hands meeting that a media house was able to access.
Changing the Entire Dynamics of Promotion
The CEO clarifies that building a massive workforce and domain is not the path to success at Amazon. Having a large team is not rewarded. Amazon wants to do a lot more things and be resourceful. The CEO’s remarks are in line with Amazon’s recently concluded plan to minimise bureaucracy and management layers by increasing the proportion of individual contributors to managers by 15% throughout its organisations. Every new project shouldn’t require 50 or more people to complete, Jassy told staff members, pointing out that some of Amazon Web Services’ most popular products were first introduced with teams of only a dozen individuals.
Meritocracy over Bureaucracy
Meritocracy is more important than bureaucracy, according to the Amazon CEO, who also stated that employee charisma is not a factor. It doesn’t matter if they are adept at sideways or upward management. What the company does for its clients is what counts. It’s what the business rewards. Recognising the fierce competition Amazon faces from the most technologically proficient, most hungry businesses, including startups operating around the clock, Jassy also asked staff to act like owners and move quickly. “What would I do if this were my company?” Jassy asked the employees. By the way, it’s your business. This encompasses our entire organisation,” urging people to stay cognisant of both internal objectives and external advancements.
Amazon Plans to Eliminate 14,000 Managerial Positions
By early 2025, Amazon plans to let off 14,000 administrative staff members as part of a comprehensive restructuring strategy meant to boost productivity and cut expenses. It is anticipated that Amazon will save between $2.1 billion and $3.6 billion a year as a result of the decision, which represents a 13% drop in the company’s global management personnel. Following recent layoffs in Amazon’s sustainability and communications departments, this most recent round of layoffs represents a larger change in the company’s corporate structure. The choice is in keeping with CEO Andy Jassy’s continuous attempts to reduce organisational complexity and streamline processes. In an effort to improve operational efficiency and speed up decision-making, Amazon intends to raise the proportion of individual contributors to managers by at least 15% by the first quarter of 2025. Jassy has been outspoken about cutting back on bureaucratic layers that impede operations, according to sources Business Insider reported. This supports his goal of having Amazon operate more like a quick-thinking company.
Naturally, one of the world’s largest and most influential firms would prefer to sweep any rare mistakes and misfires under the rug and claim they never occurred.
Amazon originally started when founder Jeff Bezos began selling ebooks from his basement in Washington. It is presently the world’s largest online marketplace. So, you can understand Jeff’s desire to focus on his company’s incredible triumph rather than explaining the occasional failure.
Jeff’s failings are treated with refreshing candor. He’s more than willing to discuss how he lost billions on failed business projects. It’s all part of his vast master plan, and he doesn’t think it’s a big deal to take large chances that sometimes backfire. And, as the firm expands, everything has to double, including the magnitude of your unsuccessful trials, according to him. You won’t be created at a scale that will genuinely shift the dial if the size of your flops doesn’t expand.
That’s great news since Amazon has had its fine dose of flops, turkeys, and wrecks over the years. But it’s nice to know that none of them is causing Jeff any sleepless nights. So, let’s look at Amazon failures with a list of failed products:
With the launching of a new smartphone, you’d expect that a firm like Amazon would be on relatively safe ground, given its popularity with Kindle gadgets, tablets, and streaming devices. This Fire phone seems to be the natural next step amid a flurry of marketing hoopla in 2014.
The new device is described by Jeff as “beautiful, elegant, and sophisticated.” The device’s four front cameras worked in tandem to offer a broader view, which was one of the phone’s best features. This effectively meant that the parallax effect was applied to your pics, giving them depth and a wonderful 3d feel.
So you could flaunt your plate of spaghetti bolognese at that hip new eatery. A similar approach might be used for Amazon products, enabling you to simulate that dazzling green mankini in spectacular 3d before making a purchase. Initially offered for $200 with a two-year contract. Sadly, it took several months for the rate to drop drastically to $0.99 cents, and Amazon still could transfer them.
Despite this, Amazon did not discreetly halt production, given the fact that the fire phone had shed 170 million dollars. So, what’s the issue? Well, Amazon stunned the industry by charging top-tier pricing for Kindle tablets and Fire TV. Amazon had built an image for offering top quality at cheap rates. Not only was it good, but it was also cost-effective.
The Fire phone’s upscale costs implied something was spectacular about Amazon’s new device, but there wasn’t; it looks tacky and a little unpleasant. Technically, the 3D stuff was great, but it was essentially a ploy. Amazon had arrived far too late to the game with an overpriced item that didn’t offer anything novel or beneficial, making Amazon Fire Phone one of the biggest failures of the company.
This time, there wasn’t such a blazing fire. It’s more of a smoldering ember.
Pets.com
Amazon Failed Products – Pets.com
Over the course of the year, Amazon has made several really smart investments, as well as a few bad ones. They poured money into the disastrous pets.com’s initial round of fundraising in 1999, yet only own 54% of the company. Simultaneously, the CEO of pets.com, Julie Wainwright, defined the corporate partnership as “a match made in heaven.” When the dot com bubble burst a year later in 2000, pets.com became the most well-known victim.
In the same year, Amazon put nearly $60 million into kozmo.com, a promising internet endeavor. Free one-hour shipping of DVDs, games, and books was made available via bicycle, van, and, most likely, skateboard.
Business insiders cautioned from the outset that the free shipping model would never be economically feasible for the firm, and it appears that they were true, as Kozmo did ultimately try to charge shipping costs, but it was too late to cancel the firm from going bankrupt, taking Amazon’s $60 million worth with it.
Askville
Amazon Failed Products – Askville by Amazon
In 2006, Amazon released Askville.com, which was one of the oddest Amazon products. Perhaps the loss of the Kozmo hasn’t been thoroughly learned. This was a fresh collaboration with Kozmo co-founder Joseph Park, who had come up with a novel plan for a user-driven Q&A portal where users could pose and reply to pressing topics of the day.
The notion wasn’t entirely awful, and it’s a model that later evolved into flourishing groups on sites like Quora. However, the Askville method was a little cringe-worthy, as it assumed that the portal needed to be more than just faqs to retain users. They devised a fun gamification concept in which players win or lose XP points based on the merit of their responses. Players were also urged to acquire quest gold, which could be traded for Gift vouchers or Askville shop items.
Finally, the overly convoluted concept fizzled out, leaving the comment sections essentially blank and meaningless. “Why does Amazon continue sponsoring askville.com?” was one of the last comments made on the site before the forums were permanently shut.
Say you’re using the Kindle app on your Android, and you’re in the middle of an Amazon-Apple verbal battle. You peruse a list of intriguing books. You finally make up your mind about which book you’ll read soon. You press the large, cheery buy now button, and the book is quickly installed on your phone. It’s that easy. That’s how apps were designed to work.
Now, imagine you’re on your iPhone, surfing the Kindle app. You peruse a list of enticing books. You finally decide which book to read next. You press the huge cheery buy now button and are forced to halt since you are unable to proceed. There’s no button because, in a bizarre twist of fate, you can’t buy books inside the iPhone version of the Kindle app.
The issue began when Apple demanded a 30% cut of all orders placed through its apps. Amazon was not pleased with this because they also required a part in writer earnings from each eBook sale, and paying Apple a 30% cut wasn’t gonna work. Sadly, the two business behemoths were unable to strike a deal.
Amazon attempted to avoid the app toll by embedding URLs to the Kindle app in their web-based Kindle store, ensuring that eBook purchases were not made inside the app.
When Apple tightened the regulations even more and disallowed external buy URLs, iPhone owners were put in the perplexing scenario of having to navigate and leave the app, seek the web edition of the shop, buy books, and then return to the app. On your iPhone, you can use the Amazon Kindle, which is insanely difficult and completely ludicrous.
However, given that the Kindle app was created to be a medium for acquiring and reading, the iPhone edition is among Amazon’s lengthiest flops, failing to meet half of its purpose.
Well, here is a brief live experience on Amazon. There was a high chance of victory, but he was yanked so swiftly that they’d just lost out if he blinked. Amazon Destination was the firm’s foray into the hotel reservation business, enabling weekend breaks and utopian escapes at regularly quoted costs.
Their hotel partners were ecstatic with the latest arrangement, noting a spike in traffic and reservations after using Amazon’s novel tool. The pricing wasn’t precisely bargained, but the notion was that Amazon’s massive internet persona might help place regular hotel ads in front of a far wider public than ever.
Widely expected to be a big leader in the OTA business, Amazon appeared to be on the correct path with this latest product but then abruptly disappeared from the web a few months later, like it took a tragic trip into the Bermuda Triangle.
Nobody knows why Amazon has been unusually quiet on the topic. We can surmise that Amazon’s new business was harmed by the rising presence of other key OTAs like Expedia. Some corporate analysts claim that a highly effective operator must devote their entire attention to the offering rather than being one of several other goods offered by the firm.
We’ll never know why Amazon destinations tend to drop so soon because Amazon hasn’t disclosed the numbers from this failed idea. One should probably post a query on Askville.com.
Is Amazon Prime Video Failing?
Amazon Local
Amazon Failed Products – Amazon Local
In 2011, Amazon developed a portal for localized discounts. The design was identical to Groupon and LivingSocial, both of which have struggled. Amazon stated in October that Amazon Local would close down on December 18th, 2015. It is one of the most disastrous failed Amazon products, highlighting the challenges companies may face when introducing new innovations to the market.
Amazon Wallet
Amazon shut down its digital wallet just six months after it was released in the spring of 2015. Users could save vouchers and loyalty cards on their phones to pay for in-store and e-shopping, but credit/ debit cards were not supported. Amazon still accepts electronic purchases through Pay with Amazon, but unlike Apple and Google, it doesn’t offer a user-facing wallet. This closure marked one of the notable failed Amazon products in the company’s history.
Amazon Local Register
Amazon Failed Products – Amazon Local Register
Local Register was a new effort to assist local shops in accepting payments via a smart card processing system. It was similar to Square’s and PayPal‘s, but it never gained traction, and Amazon announced in February 2016 that it would be discontinued.
TestDrive
Amazon Failed Products – Amazon Test Drive
This service was launched in 2011 and allows customers to try new apps before acquiring them from the Amazon App. The initiative was shuttered by Amazon in April, claiming a drop in demand and the recent surge of the “free to play” biz paradigm. This move marked one of the instances where Amazon fails to sustain a service due to shifting market trends and customer preferences.
Music Importer
Amazon Failed Products – Amazon Music Importer
In 2012, Amazon introduced the Music Importer, which allowed customers to import any tracks they’ve saved to their PC and build an online collection. However, Amazon then developed Prime Music, a similar-to-Spotify-and-Pandora-style streaming site that rendered Music Importer outdated. In October, Amazon notified the end of Music Importer.
Crucible
Amazon Failed Products – Crucible
Cruciblewas a free-to-play team-based shooter game developed and published by Amazon Game Studios. It was officially launched on May 20, 2020. It was Amazon’s first major original title published by their gaming division, which had previously focused on tablet games.
Several factors contributed to the failure of Crucible. Firstly, the game faced criticism for its lack of originality and failure to stand out in the competitive online gaming market. The gameplay mechanics were not well-received, and the game struggled to find its target audience. Additionally, technical issues and a lack of polish further hindered the player experience. The decision to revert the game to closed beta shortly after its initial release and ultimately discontinue it in November 2020 indicated that Amazon acknowledged the challenges and limitations of Crucible and chose to shift its focus elsewhere in the gaming industry.
Amazon Spark
Amazon Failed Products – Amazon Spark
Amazon Sparkwas a feature within the Amazon mobile app that allowed users to discover and shop for products through photos shared by other users. It was essentially a social shopping platform where customers could post pictures, write reviews, and engage with others in a social feed. It was launched in 2017 to replicate the influencer-driven social commerce experience of platforms like Instagram and Pinterest.
Spark failed to gain significant traction and was eventually shut down in 2019 due to a combination of factors: lack of authenticity, poor integration, limited reach, inadequate moderation, and a changing social media landscape. Amazon’s attempt to create a social media platform specifically for Prime members fell short due to its inauthenticity, poor integration with the overall Amazon shopping experience, limited reach to non-Prime members, ineffective moderation, and the rise of short-form video platforms that shifted user attention away from static image-based social commerce.
Amazon Restaurants
Amazon Failed Products – Amazon Restaurants
Amazon Restaurantswas a food delivery service offered by Amazon. It allowed customers to order food from local restaurants through the Amazon website or mobile app, and the service would facilitate the delivery. It was launched in 2015 in Seattle and gradually expanded to other cities in the United States and internationally. The service aimed to leverage Amazon’s vast logistics network and customer base to compete with other popular food delivery platforms.
Amazon Restaurants ceased operations in the United States in June 2019. The decision to shut down the service was attributed to intense competition in the food delivery industry, where other established players like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub dominated the market with a 75% share of the US online delivery market. Amazon did offer free delivery to Prime members and a selection of 200 dining establishments, but this was not enough of a competitive advantage. Amazon likely found it challenging to capture a significant market share and achieve sustainable profitability in the face of such competition.
Amazon WebPay
Amazon WebPaywas a free-to-use online payment service launched by Amazon in 2007. It allowed users to send and receive money from friends and family, pay bills, and make online purchases. WebPay was designed to compete with other online payment services such as PayPal and Google Checkout. Amazon invested an estimated $10 million in WebPay in its first year of operation. The company hoped the service would attract new customers to its website and increase its share of the online payment market.
Despite Amazon’s backing, Amazon WebPay failed to gain traction in the competitive online payment market. The service’s high fees, limited features, poor marketing, and inability to keep up with the evolving industry landscape all contributed to its downfall. It failed to address customers’ requirements better than other services. In 2014, Amazon announced the closure of WebPay, acknowledging the challenges of competing in a crowded market and the importance of differentiation.
Amazon Dash Button
Amazon Failed Products – Amazon Dash Button
Amazon Dash Button was a physical, Wi-Fi-enabled device launched in March 2015 that allowed users to reorder specific products with the push of a button. Each button was associated with a particular product, such as laundry detergent or pet food. When pressed, the Dash Button would order that specific item through the user’s Amazon account.
Numerous issues resulted in the discontinuance of the Amazon Dash Buttons. Vice President of Amazon Daniel Rausch agreed that the idea of physical buttons for reordering was a terrific first step toward the linked home but that having more than 500 buttons for different things created an enormous obstacle. The physical buttons became redundant when the Amazon Prime app introduced Virtual Dash buttons as a more convenient option. Appliance manufacturers incorporated automated replenishment systems through the Dash Replenishment Service, which removed the requirement for manual ordering. The final factor contributing to Dash Buttons’ demise was Amazon’s Subscribe and Save program, which offered discounted recurring monthly deliveries. Consequently, in February 2019, Amazon formally terminated the Dash Button program.
Amazon Tap
Amazon Failed Products – Amazon Tap
Amazon Tap, launched in 2016, was a portable Bluetooth speaker with Alexa, requiring a tap to activate. Despite standard features like Wi-Fi and USB charging, it failed to gain popularity due to the lack of hands-free voice activation. Competing in a tough Bluetooth speaker market, users preferred other options for better sound quality. By 2018, Amazon discontinued the Tap, focusing instead on its successful “Alexa Everywhere” strategy, expanding Alexa beyond speakers. Meanwhile, the Echo Dot thrived, becoming Amazon’s best-selling product in 2019, while the Tap never saw a second generation.
Amazon Cloud Player
Amazon Failed Products – Amazon Cloud Player
Amazon Music Importer, launched in 2012, let users upload and stream music from the Amazon Cloud Player with 5GB of free storage. However, by 2015, streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music had taken over, reducing the need for MP3 collections. Amazon shut down Music Importer as users shifted to streaming, and its features were already integrated into the Amazon Music app, making it redundant.
Conclusion
The real kicker is that Amazon is indeed bracing for more setbacks ahead. Jeff seemed to like the prospect of losing large sums. “If you feel that’s a significant failure, we’re planning on even greater setbacks presently, and I’m not joking,” he said when questioned about the Fire phone screwup.
In the latest shareholder letter, Jeff mentioned that if Amazon periodically experiences mega-dollar fails, the company will explore the ideal scale for a firm of its size, emphasizing the need to learn from and navigate through any Amazon fails. Of course, such tests will not be undertaken lightly. We’ll try to place smart bets, but not all will pay off. Amazon product failures highlight how even major companies can struggle with innovation, as some products fail to meet user expectations or adapt to market changes.
I’m excited to see what incredibly amazing Amazon failures the company encounters in the next few years, as it will provide me with more content to blog about and analyze.
That’s all, folks, for today.
FAQs
What failures did Amazon endure?
Amazon Fire Phone, Pets.com, Askville, and Amazon Destinations are some of the biggest product failures of Amazon.
What year was Amazon founded?
Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994.
Who is the owner of Amazon?
Jeff Bezos is the founder and former CEO of Amazon; he founded Amazon in 1994.
What is Jeff Bezos’s response to the failure of products?
Jeff Bezos responded that they are bracing for more setbacks ahead when questioned about the Fire phone screwup.
What are Amazon CEO notable failures?
Amazon CEOs have faced notable failures, including the Fire Phone, which failed due to poor sales, and the Amazon Tap, which lacked hands-free voice activation. Other missteps include the shutdown of Amazon Restaurants and the discontinuation of Dash Buttons, showing that even tech giants face challenges in innovation.
Why did Amazon Fire Phone fail?
One of the reasons Amazon Fire Phone failed is Amazon arrived far too late to the game with an overpriced item that didn’t offer anything novel or beneficial.
By early 2025, Amazon plans to let off 14,000 administrative staff members as part of a comprehensive restructuring strategy meant to boost productivity and cut expenses. It is anticipated that Amazon will save between $2.1 billion and $3.6 billion a year as a result of the decision, which represents a 13% drop in the company’s global management personnel. Following recent layoffs in Amazon’s sustainability and communications departments, this most recent round of layoffs represents a larger change in the company’s corporate structure. The choice is in keeping with CEO Andy Jassy’s continuous attempts to reduce organisational complexity and streamline processes. In an effort to improve operational efficiency and speed up decision-making, Amazon intends to raise the proportion of individual contributors to managers by at least 15% by the first quarter of 2025. Jassy has been outspoken about cutting back on bureaucratic layers that impede operations, according to sources Business Insider reported. This supports his goal of having Amazon operate more like a quick-thinking company.
Amazon Restructuring its Work Operations
In order to facilitate this new change, Amazon has implemented a new “bureaucracy tipline” that enables staff members to report organisational inefficiencies. In order to save expenses, managers have also been instructed to limit senior hiring, increase the number of direct reports, and reevaluate pay structures. These actions are a part of a larger effort to retain Amazon’s intense focus on profitability while establishing a leaner corporate structure. During the pandemic, Amazon’s employment increased quickly, from 798,000 workers in 2019 to over 1.6 million by the end of 2021. However, the business started adjusting its staffing levels when customer demand levelled out. In an attempt to reduce costs, Amazon has already let go of 27,000 workers during the last two years, most of whom were in corporate positions. It employed almost 1.5 million people worldwide by the end of 2024, including 350,000 corporate staff and more than a million frontline workers in delivery and warehousing operations. However, the most recent layoffs represent a dramatic change in strategy, focusing on managers rather than entry- or mid-level workers.
Reason for Layoffs
The reorganisation coincides with mounting financial strains, such as heightened investor monitoring and a cutthroat e-commerce environment that necessitates greater efficiency. According to analysts, Amazon’s growing dependence on automation and artificial intelligence has also lessened the need for traditional administrative oversight, increasing the replaceable nature of middle-management positions. Additionally, there have been rumours that Amazon is promoting voluntary attrition as part of its personnel reduction strategy in response to its new return-to-office mandate. Amazon has already started implementing the layoffs in stages. The North American Stores segment laid off 200 employees in January 2025, and the communications and sustainability departments also saw layoffs. According to a Morgan Stanley report from late 2024, Amazon’s reorganisation would eventually result in the elimination of about 14,000 managerial positions, which would change the company’s leadership dynamics and result in considerable cost savings.
E-commerce giant Amazon has begun implementing its 10-minute delivery service, Amazon Now, in a few Bengaluru pincodes, weeks after testing it internally with staff members. According to a media report, which cited people with knowledge of the situation, the corporation plans to extend its rapid commerce services into further regions in the upcoming weeks. According to the report, this rapid commerce platform, which was internally dubbed “Tez,” is interacting with companies in the kitchen, home, and beauty sectors as part of its strategy to expand its business.
Many merchants are negotiating to join Amazon, and once they stabilise everyday necessities and groceries, these players should be starting their trade by March or April. According to a senior executive from a company that sells its goods on well-known rapid commerce platforms, “Beauty and home are the next focus areas,” the report stated.
Giant Testing Waters of Quick Commerce Sector
According to an Amazon representative, the company has always prioritised providing customers with a large selection together with quick and easy shipping. This limited pilot in a few Bengaluru pin codes is an experiment to deliver even faster speeds on a selection of daily necessities from our vendors that customers frequently require immediately. The brand is constantly evolving to give customers even more value. It should be noted that the e-commerce behemoth first told a number of media outlets that it had started testing Tez in December, using its staff in a few Bengaluru pincodes.
In the meantime, Amazon has started selling daily necessities and foods through Amazon Fresh. The business stated in November of last year that it was refocusing its efforts to increase order deliveries in 20 to 30 minutes. Its food delivery division stated at the beginning of 2024 that it had expanded its footprint to 130 cities, including Ambala, Aurangabad, Hoshiarpur, Dharwad, and Una. After rival Flipkart launched “Minutes” in August of last year, Amazon appears to have entered the rapid commerce arena late, recognising the opportunity to increase its client base and hold onto market dominance.
India’s Quick Commerce Race has Just Begun
Notably, this trend occurs at a time when well-established rapid commerce operators have begun to grow their dark shop count and reach tier II and III cities due to increased rivalry from up-and-coming labels in the market. Zomato, a prominent player in the foodtech industry, announced earlier this year that it has made significant investments in its rapid commerce, with the goal of building 2,000 dark shopfronts by December 2025.
Since 2023, when it stopped operating in more than 200 places, Zomato has been slow to expand. Conversely, Swiggy became optimistic about tier II and tier III towns and even launched its 10-minute meal delivery service in 400 cities.
February is often termed the month of love for obvious reasons, and that is Valentine’s Day. Honestly, Valentine’s Day is not less than a festival in the world; people buy gifts for their significant other and profess their love and care to them with those gifts.
Every year, the market for Valentine’s Day gifts experiences a steep rise. Be it chocolates, plushies, or handmade personalized gifts, they always find their way to the customer’s heart in the month of love. They have a level of value that is indescribable, and that is why they are turning into one of the best gift items in the industry.
For most people, looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift can be exciting and confusing as well; the trend of giving handmade personalized gifts has been in for a couple of years, and till now, it has not died down and seems to be going quite strong.
People prefer to provide handmade gifts to their partners, especially on V-Day. So, for those who are into making them, you can sell them online, which is quite a good idea. In this article, we will talk about some of the best platforms where you can sell handmade gifts this Valentine. So, let’s take a look.
“The more value you give, the more you get to sell.”
One of the most popular c-commerce platforms where you can sell your handmade gift items is Etsy. Any kind of handmade product like clothes, jewellery, artwork, bags, and vintage items can be found here. The E-commerce platform consists of over 81.9 million buyers and over 4.1 million sellers.
Benefits of Selling on Etsy
The first and foremost benefit is that you don’t have to build a website, which is quite a costly and long procedure. You can set up your online retail store here at a minimal cost and start selling your gift products.
It is easy to update your products on the website whenever you feel like making a change.
As mentioned before, with over 81.9 million buyers, the number of customers you can get for your products is huge. If you start your own website, it may take a lot of time, but with Etsy, if your product is good, then you just have to focus on your customers.
It is good for people who are just starting their online business; it gives them an idea of how an online store works, and with time, they can also start their own website later.
Amazon Handmade
Amazon Handmade – Best Gifting Platforms
There is hardly anyone who is not aware of one of the biggest e-commerce platforms in the world, Amazon. Now, you can sell your handmade products on their site Amazon Handmade. It was a direct competitor of the E-commerce site Etsy.
Benefits of Selling in Amazon Handmade
When it is the biggest online e-commerce site, then the chances of your products getting noticed are inevitable. So, Amazon Handmade, a handmade gifts website, can be good for you to sell Valentine’s gifts.
It is a well-established brand that knows what it’s doing; it doesn’t change its algorithm much. So, while selling your products here, you won’t be experiencing a sudden drop in your traffic that may lead to a decrease in your sales.
You have to fill out an application that assures your authenticity and ensures that the products you’re selling are actually made by you.
This website is known for selling unique gifts, so if your products are unique and handmade, then it is the perfect place for you. Sarees, vintage handmade house decors, or jewellery, you can sell these here. Craftsvilla is also said to be the largest online ethnic store in India.
Benefits of Selling in Craftsvilla
Your products get exposure to the international market.
You can showcase your local culture and tradition by selling handmade products and, thus, promoting them as well.
The process of selling the product is easier, and it is perfect for those who want to sell unique products and also want attention from the customers online.
iCraft
iCraft – Best Gifting Platforms
Another platform where you sell your handmade products, this platform mostly focuses on ethnic jewellery, accessories, and woollen items. All of these have to be handmade as they strictly want the platform to be a household name for handmade products. It’s also one of the best gifting platforms, offering a curated selection of unique, artisan-made items perfect for any occasion.
Benefits of Selling in iCraft
A huge number of audience to whom you can cater to.
Enjoy all the profits from your sale; no commission has to be given.
E-Commerce as Percentage of Total Retail Sales Worldwide
AuthIndia
Authindia – Best Gifting Platforms
If you want to sell pure Artwork and handicrafts, AuthIndia is the perfect place for you. Plus, gifting someone any kind of artwork seems classy and favorable. You can sell your products worldwide through this website, an online gifting platform.
Benefits of Selling in AuthIndia
No charges are required for registration on this website, plus all the profits that you earn are only yours; you don’t need to give out a commission or any extra payments.
GST is not mandatory; the pricing of your products is fixed only by you.
The website offers you advertisement space, where you can place your product’s ad. This way, you also get to increase the number of your potential customers.
The India Craft House
The India Craft House – Best Gifting Platforms
“A social enterprise. An authentic platform for pure craft,” says The India Craft House. The digital platform boasts of listing some of the world’s oldest and most intricate craft forms. Starting around ten years from now, The India Craft House lists pure, authentic craft sourced from artisans across India. This way, it curates a unique selection of traditional arts and crafts as beautiful and contemporary gift shop items that can be bought by people worldwide on Valentine’s Day or any other occasion for lovers and friends.
Benefits of Selling in The India Craft House
The website allows the artisans and craftsmen to just contact the website.
If you are an artisan or working on behalf of an NGO, a social enterprise or an organization that supports artisans and the creation of handcrafted products, then there are special benefits.
Launched in October 2016, Facebook created the Facebook Marketplace to entice individuals to engage in buying and selling activities within its communities. An impressive aspect of the Marketplace is that Facebook offers support to small business owners by waiving any listing fees. Setting up a business on Facebook Marketplace doesn’t require prior eCommerce experience. Additionally, Facebook has partnered with online selling platforms like Shopify to facilitate the presence of online sellers on the Marketplace. While there are no listing fees, sellers must adhere to specific criteria and guidelines set forth by Facebook.
Benefits of Selling in Facebook Marketplace
It’s free to create listings on Marketplace, so it’s easy to get started selling. The only fees are if you purchase optional promoted listings.
Facebook handles payments, so you don’t have to build your own checkout system. You can also ship items directly through Marketplace.
You can message buyers directly within Marketplace and coordinate sales seamlessly.
Pepperfry
Pepperfry – Best Gifting Platforms
Sell your home decor and furniture on Pepperfry to reach home lovers. Use the seller dashboard to track sales, see real-time insights, and improve your strategy. Maintain high product quality with Pepperfry’s strict quality checks and verification process.
Benefits of Selling in Pepperfry
Selling on Pepperfry offers several benefits:
Wide Customer Reach: Access a large audience of home decor and furniture buyers.
Easy Seller Dashboard: Track sales, get real-time insights, and improve your business.
Quality Assurance: Gain customer trust with Pepperfry’s strict quality checks.
Marketing Support: Benefit from Pepperfry’s promotions and advertising.
Logistics Assistance: Get help with shipping and delivery to customers.
Valentine’s Day is a perfect occasion for the personalized gift industry in India, as it thrives in February. The gift industry experiences a huge boom in Valentine’s week.
The above websites are some of the E-commerce sites that help people who want to indulge themselves in the handmade gift industry and make a way for all the producers to find their designated place to engage with their potential customers and provide them with the product they need.
FAQs
What sells most on Valentine’s Day?
The most popular products on Valentine’s Day are jewellery, flowers, clothing, and candy.
How can I sell Valentine’s products?
Sell something unique, create personalized gifts, and make sure your website is visible on search results on Valentine’s Day.
What should you dropship on Valentine’s Day?
You should dropship Rose Flower Bears, Valentine’s Day Inflatables, Valentine’s Day Greeting Card, and Valentine’s Day Candles.
How to sell gift items online?
Utilize e-commerce platforms like Shopify for easy setup and leverage social media for targeted marketing to reach potential buyers for your gift items online.
Which are the best gifting platforms in India?
Some of the best gifting platforms in India include Ferns N Petals and Archies Online, offering a wide range of gifts for various occasions with nationwide delivery.
How to start gift shop business?
Research your target market and source unique, appealing products.
Establish an online or physical storefront and promote your offerings through marketing and networking.
The completion of community development projects in Hyderabad’s Meerkhanpet, Kandukur Mandal, which is a part of the Rangareddy district, was announced by Amazon Web Services (AWS) India. The local community received the freshly rebuilt facilities for a health sub-centre and self-help group (SHG) resource centre, a public park, and a water purification system. In addition to local ward members and leaders, the new initiatives were launched in front of dignitaries such as Sabitha Indra Reddy, a member of the Telangana Legislative Assembly; Sergio Loureiro, VP of Global Data Centre Operations at Amazon Web Services (AWS); Saji P.K., Director of Data Centre Operations – Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Africa at AWS; and Aditya Chowdhry, Director of Data Centre Operations – India at AWS.
Corporates are the Key Drivers: Reddy
According to Sabitha Indra Reddy, corporations play a crucial role in fostering robust community development that aims to improve both the quality of life and economic progress. Amazon has continuously made a commitment to strengthening Telangana’s local communities through a number of development projects that have shown promise. The administration anticipates that all facets of the village’s inhabitants will significantly benefit from the new initiatives.
The village panchayat owned the property on which the recently opened public park was built. The park has a running track, a children’s play area, and an open gym. Through an automated water dispensing equipment, the RO water purifier system will make drinking water easy and affordable for the community, removing the need for outside vendors.
The renovated health sub-centre, which has a larger waiting area, an in-patient room for short-term treatments, and a medical consultation room, will serve the community’s basic healthcare needs. There are now two storage rooms, a sizable meeting room, and newly constructed restrooms in the SHG resource centre. The local women’s self-help groups will utilise it for meetings and as a place to work together on business ventures.
Other Initiatives by Amazon
Along with these projects, Amazon has also planted avenues for Meerkhanpet’s village roads and installed solar lamps. In addition to renovating the Zilla Parishad High School in Meerkhanpet and building a community library, Amazon also established an Amazon Think Big Space there in 2022, which aims to promote STEM education for kids.
These new projects in Telangana supplement the numerous projects that Amazon has already carried out in the Rangareddy district of the state, including the opening of Think Big Spaces in several locations throughout the district, including Nednur, Meerkhanpet, and Kandukur mandals, and the refurbishment of government schools, Anganwadi centres, healthcare facilities, and hospitals.
By selling a nearly 4% share in the retail chain for INR 275.88 Cr in a block deal, e-commerce giant Amazon has left Shoppers Stop. According to NSE statistics, on December 18, Amazon.com NV Investment Holdings sold 43.95 lakh Shoppers Stop shares for INR 627.6 each. Morgan Stanley Asia Singapore, 360 One, Kotak Mahindra Mutual Fund, and Tata Mutual Fund all snatched up the shares that were flooding the market. Kotak Mahindra Mutual Fund and Tata Mutual Fund purchased 9.56 lakh and 19.12 lakh shares, respectively, while Morgan Stanley purchased 6.37 lakh shares. In the meantime, 360 One, an asset management firm, paid INR 627.6 per share for 6.44 lakh shares. Through its chain of stores, Shoppers Stop offers a variety of products, including furniture, home décor, kids’ and baby care items, branded clothing and accessories, and cosmetics.
Changes in FDI Norms Transformed the Business Dynamics
It is important to remember that for the past five years, Amazon‘s ownership of Shoppers Stop has been an issue of dispute. In September 2017, the e-commerce giant’s investment arm initially revealed that it had paid INR 179.25 Cr to acquire a 5% minority, non-controlling stake in the business. Amazon then requested approval for the deal from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in December 2017, and the watchdog gave its approval in January 2018. However, the Centre announced amendments to the rules governing foreign direct investment (FDI) for e-commerce platforms in December 2018. These changes effectively barred big online marketplaces from having exclusive product releases or controlling the inventory of their partner vendors. Shoppers Stop stopped selling its products on Amazon in February 2019 once the new regulations went into force. As it forges a new path in India, Amazon has now sold off its share in the chain of retail stores after almost five years.
Amazon India Currently Navigating Through Troubled Waters
Amazon has been attempting to fizz off fires on numerous fronts, and this stake sale is part of that strategy. The e-commerce giant and competitor Flipkart were found guilty of violating antitrust laws by giving preference to specific suppliers in an internal CCI investigation earlier this year. In the meantime, other Amazon merchants have challenged different parts of the CCI’s probe and taken the competition watchdog to different courts.
However, on December 16, the Supreme Court stated that it believed the Karnataka High Court should handle all complaints brought by sellers connected to Amazon and Flipkart against the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) inquiry into purported anti-competitive conduct.
Amazon promises to provide daily necessities in 15 minutes or less as it makes a daring entry into India’s expanding rapid commerce business. Later this month, the test programme will launch in Bengaluru, bringing competition to a market already dominated by Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, and Blinkit.
Samir Kumar, the national manager for Amazon India, made the announcement at the company’s annual Smbhav event in Delhi. He explained that the test experiment is intended to satisfy the need for quicker deliveries and emphasised Amazon’s emphasis on “selection, value, and convenience.” The service’s name, which is allegedly “Tez,” has not been verified, though.
Dark stores, which are tiny warehouses that only fulfil online purchases, will be used by the firm to support its operations. Although Amazon has not disclosed the number of dark stores it plans to open or the cities that will follow Bengaluru, media reports reveal that future growth will be contingent on the pilot’s success.
Why Amazon Wants to Test the Waters of Quick Commerce Space?
In India, quick commerce is expanding quickly due to shifting consumer preferences and an increase in the need for convenience and quickness. Ninety-one percent of Indian internet shoppers are aware of rapid commerce platforms, and over half have recently utilised them, according to a Meta research.
According to the survey, 57% of consumers are spending more money on rapid commerce platforms, with the most popular categories being food and personal care items. Quick commerce concentrates on daily necessities that consumers need right away, in contrast to traditional e-commerce, which is frequently visited for gadgets and fashion items. As consumers depend more and more on fast commerce platforms to restock on fresh produce, dairy, and other essentials, the grocery sector has benefitted greatly from this trend. This is a big change because traditional e-commerce typically takes longer to provide these kinds of things.
Entry Made Late But With Purpose
Amazon is joining the rapid commerce space later than its competitors, who have already taken a sizable portion of the industry. With the use of robust networks of underground stores, businesses like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart can supply groceries and other necessities in a matter of minutes.
Kumar said that Amazon takes its time making decisions but strives to create high-quality products when it does, which is why the firm took so long to launch. Amazon India wants to make sure that its employees and customers are protected. India’s quick commerce market is expected to be worth $6 billion and is expanding quickly. Instead of the conventional one- or two-day possibilities, consumers are increasingly turning to platforms that guarantee ultra-fast deliveries, particularly in urban regions.
Amazon already offers a two-hour grocery delivery service called Amazon Fresh. The 15-minute service might provide it with a convenience advantage and draw in more clients from its current clientele of millions, which includes Prime subscribers.
Locking Horns With Market Leaders
The market for established players like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart may be disrupted by Amazon’s arrival. These players have made extensive use of their first-mover advantage and existing networks. With its client base, financial resources, and logistics know-how, Amazon might really challenge their hegemony.
But it won’t be simple. Fast commerce necessitates perfect execution, which includes competitive pricing, effective delivery systems, and robust inventory management. In a field where competitors already dominate, any mistakes could make it hard for Amazon to get traction.
In an attempt to join the rapidly growing industry, which saw gross sales of over $5.5–6 billion this month, headed by Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart, Amazon India is rushing to deploy its quick commerce delivery service, codenamed Tez, by late December or early next year, according to a media report.
The US giant had previously planned to launch the service in the first quarter of 2025, but they now want to go more quickly. Especially since it is the only sizable e-commerce company that is not present in the fastest-growing online sector in India. Tez, which is merely a working name for the projected company, will begin in India, marking Amazon’s first international entry into the rapid commerce space.
Amazon is on the Hiring Spree
According to the report, a lot of work is being done with different stakeholders both inside and outside the company.
The e-commerce company has a core team of workers focusing on the high-priority project, but it is also hiring new staff for it. According to a job posting, the project is a “greenfield, grounds-up initiative for an upcoming and fast-growing ecommerce space in India,” according to Amazon‘s India grocery and basics team. According to the news article, the rapid commerce service’s ultimate name has not yet been determined.
Amazon hopes to introduce it in India by the end of the first quarter. If one runs a significant consumer online platform, quick commerce is the hub of activity. The company is also using the same approach as others, which consists of establishing logistics infrastructure, determining the specifics of stock-keeping units (SKUs) and categories, and setting up dark shopfronts. It is anticipated that the business will begin the service with everyday necessities and food.
Locking Horns with Flipkart and Other Players
Before the start of this year’s festive sales in September and October, Flipkart, Amazon’s fiercest rival in India, introduced its rapid service, Minutes, and has since expanded the service throughout key cities.
BigBasket, owned by Tata, is also involved in the competition. According to various media reports, the company switched to the fast model and generated over INR 900 crore in revenue last month.
Tata Digital, the company that operates Tata Neu, has also launched its own fast commerce solution, Neu Flash. Before Swiggy Instamart went public on the stock exchanges in early November, Amazon had already talked about a possible partnership with the food delivery service.
All of the platforms are actively increasing their operations as a result of the flood of cash into the fast commerce sector. In addition to Zomato, the parent company of Blinkit, obtaining shareholder approval to raise an additional $1 billion through QIP, Zepto raised an additional $350 million last week, boosting its cash pile of over $1 billion.
A few sellers on Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart had their premises raided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on 7 November 2024 on suspicion of breaking the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and foreign investment standards.
19 locations in New Delhi, Gurugram, Panchkula, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru were searched, according to official sources. According to various sources, among of the companies being investigated are Appario Retail, Shreyash Retail, Darshita Retail, and Ashiana Retail. This could not be independently confirmed, though.
Why These Offices Have Been Raided?
There have been accusations, according to sources, that these dealers have been importing goods from China by paying lower import taxes and rerouting them through other countries. Complaints about underinvoicing are also present. According to a media report, many vendors route their goods through other areas for quicker clearance because Chinese consignments are detained for extended periods of time at ports for security inspections. According to media sources, they might not be aware of all the facts because the searches were conducted on sellers rather than e-commerce companies.
According to official sources, there have been multiple grievances from impacted parties alleging that e-commerce companies are favouring some sellers over others and even influencing product prices either directly or indirectly.
Dos and Don’ts of FDI
Companies like Flipkart and Amazon use the marketplace model since inventory-based e-commerce prohibits foreign direct investment (FDI). This indicates that they provide an online marketplace for vendors to sell their goods rather than maintaining their own stock. However, physical B2B stores run by Amazon and Flipkart also permit FDI. They sell goods to sellers through these businesses, and the vendors resell the goods on their platform.
The government has implemented a few further restrictions to prevent any FDI violations. The marketplace platform, for example, is not permitted to own stock in seller entities. Additionally, no more than 25% of the products that vendors on their marketplace can source come from their B2B businesses. The merchants, not Flipkart or Amazon, must offer the discounts.
According to official sources, ED examined documents from roughly six of these vendors and made copies of some of them. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), meanwhile, applauded the ED’s move.
CAIT and AIMRA Already Filled Petitioned to CCI
The mainline mobile retailers’ group AIMRA and the CAIT had previously petitioned the CCI to immediately suspend Flipkart and Amazon’s operations, claiming that the companies were using predatory pricing and burning money to offer steep product discounts.
This government is dedicated to making sure that the trading community cannot be harmed by anyone. CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said, “We urge both the CCI and the ED to take swift action and prevent any further, irreparable damage to the businesses of small traders in response to multiple complaints filed by the trading community regarding FDI violations and the anti-competitive practices of quick-commerce companies such as Blinkit, Swiggy, and Zepto.”
