These are the world’s top two retail giants, competing for the same customer base. These two are the market leaders who set operating standards for other big box stores and online retailers. Amazon and Walmart make for an interesting study as they operate within the same retail space, sell to the same customer base, and boast a wide product repertoire.
Operating in the global space of e-commerce, cloud computing, and digital streaming, the American multinational technology company was founded under another name, Cadabra, Inc. in the year 1994. The founder was Jeff Bezos, who had left his job as a Vice-President at D. E. Shaw & Co., a wall-street firm. He renamed his company Amazon within a few short months. Amazon was established with the original idea of making it the biggest bookstore in the world.
Slow company growth, along with no expectations of turning a profit for initial four to five years was making investors edgy and the dot-com bubble burst of the year 2001, did not increase investor confidence as many e-companies were destroyed in its wake. Amazon, however, did not only survive but recorded its first profit in the fourth quarter of the same year. This proved to be Amazon’s turning point as it grew swiftly expanding its product repertoire and becoming one of America’s Big Five technological companies.
In a bid to challenge Walmart’s supremacy in the brick-and-mortar retail space, Amazon acquired Whole Foods in the year 2017. Amazon’s e-commerce business model grew exponentially in the year 2020 when it recorded a 38% rise over 2019.
Walmart
Originally a brick-and-mortar store format, Walmart was founded in the year 1962 as a single store in Rogers that expanded outside Arkansas by 1968. The decision to lower the sale price of the products and reduce profit margins to boost sales volume was taken by founder Sam Walton. By the year 1978, Walmart branched out into new markets and also launched its pharmacy, auto service center, and jewelry divisions. Expanding quickly, Walmart had successfully opened and was operating a store in every state of the United States and also opened its first store in Canada in the year 1995.
At the turn of the century, Fortune magazine ranked Walmart at number five on its Global Most Admired All-Stars List and by the years 2003 and 2004, Walmart was named as the most admired company in America. Over the years, Walmart has expanded its global presence as well as acquired many businesses. By the year 2022, the company operated stores in Botswana, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mexico, Mozambique, Namibia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
The company launched its e-commerce portal Walmart.com in the year 2000. However, it was only in the year 2016, that the management seriously considered online selling.
The difference in business operations was highly visible a few years ago between these two retail giants. One operated in the physical world of retail through brick-and-mortar stores while the other, a more recent business, navigated the online retail space. Undoubtedly though, both have been leading the retail space through their business operations.
In the last few years, especially post the pandemic period, both these giants have made successful attempts at foraying into the other’s playground. They have responded to the changes within the retail industry. This is a comparison between them to ascertain who leads the retail space.
The Number’s Game
The financial year of 2020 saw Walmart’s revenue increase by 6.7% to reach a total of USD 559 billion. Walmart also saw an increase of 6.2% in quarterly revenue in the first quarter of the year 2021 to reach 138.31 billion. On the other hand, Amazon’s revenue in the year 2020 was USD 93.4 billion and it witnessed a 43.8% increase in the quarterly revenue to reach 108.5 billion in the first quarter of 2021. That year, Amazon’s annual revenue saw a growth of USD 100 billion to reach a total of USD 386 billion. In terms of the number of employees, Walmart leads with 2.3 million as opposed to Amazon’s 1.3 million.
Investing in Innovation & Technology
In this particular field, Amazon has a clear advantage being a technology company itself. However, both these companies have taken giant leaps by adopting technologies benefitting their business operations and making the user experience better during the pandemic period. Amazon introduced biometric payments, Amazon Fresh Grocery Stores, FAA-approved drone deliveries, and even a hair salon. The company has also strengthened its pharmaceutical offerings as well as its smart home devices.
On the other hand, Walmart’s efforts in innovation are in streamlining order fulfillment and enhancing customer experience. It introduced the Alphabot platform in the year 2020, which can pick, pack, and deliver online grocery orders faster and more accurately than humans. It has also re-designed its 1000 stores in an effort to create a more streamlined and faster shopping experience.
Walmart just announced a new technology called Alphabot
Customer-Centric Policies
Being primarily an online company, Amazon is better positioned for an increased focus on customer satisfaction. In fact, the company is known for its culture of customer obsession. It has an unparalleled system for product recommendations and personalization that generates approximately 35% of its total sales.
Walmart, on the other hand, while understanding the importance of being customer-centric has only just recently begun making many changes with this in mind. Its new store layouts are designed for easy and quick access to customer needs and the company has also renewed its focus on mobile and online shopping to meet customer demands.
Digital Growth
Digital growth, for most companies, saw a substantial increase during the pandemic period. Walmart and Amazon were leading the pack with Walmart reporting a 79% e-commerce growth and Amazon leading with 40% of the total e-commerce sales in the US. Walmart has successfully blurred the lines between in-person and online shopping making the smartphone an important part of the shopping experience. Its Walmart+, unveiled in the year 2020 was in direct response to Amazon Prime, offering unlimited free grocery delivery, Scan and go in-store shopping, and gas discounts among many others. On the other hand, Amazon found success with Prime streaming video with more than 175 million subscribers in 2020 recording an increase of 70% in streaming hours.
Physical Retail Presence
In this category, Walmart leads by a large margin, being that it has been in business for far longer than Amazon. It has more than 5000 stores in the US alone and 90% of its customer base resides within a 10-mile radius of a Walmart outlet. In the last few years, Amazon has also increased its physical presence with its own grocery stores. Its acquisition, Whole Foods is already present in more than 500 locations and Amazon is also opening full-size fresh grocery stores across the country.
Supply Chain Logistics
In this category, Amazon clearly leads the pack with quick shipping and same-day and next-day shipping for its Prime members. The company maintains complete control over its logistics with its own fleet of trucks and planes. In the year 2020, it also got the FAA approval for delivery drones ensuring a delivery time of 30 minutes or less. Walmart is closely following Amazon’s footsteps with one-day shipping. It has also expanded its Alphabot system to automatically fulfill grocery orders while also converting more stores into automated fulfillment centers. It also unveiled Express in the year 2020, which is its new two-hour delivery service.
Sustainability
Both Amazon and Walmart have shown commitment by investing in environmental initiatives. Jeff Bezos of Amazon has introduced USD 10 billion Bezos Earth Fund and also is investing USD 2 billion in sustainable companies and technology. The company’s public goals include 100% usage of renewable energy by 2025 and achieving net-zero carbon by the year 2040. Walmart bought and installed more solar than any other company in the US in the year 2019. It also diverted 80% of its global waste from landfills and incineration. Walmart aims to achieve zero waste in US and Canada operations by 2025, 100% recyclable packaging by 2025, and 100% renewable energy by 2035.
Conclusion
Both these companies are retail giants and leaders in their sectors. Both conglomerates are operating and expanding with speed while also being environmentally conscious. Each of them has had its own journey in introducing innovation and technology to better consumer engagement and experience. With that said, it isn’t an easy win for either of them. The best judge is time and it will show which one of them stands strong.
FAQs
When was Walmart founded?
Walmart was founded in the year 1962.
When was Amazon founded?
Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994.
What is Jeff Bezos’s initiative for sustainability?
Jeff Bezos has introduced USD 10 billion Bezos Earth Fund and also is investing USD 2 billion in sustainable companies and technology.
As the world gears up through the prosperity and connectivity of Industry 4.0, e-commerce has had the best journey. The number of internet users is increasing tremendously by the day with more and more efforts to make people stay connected online and get things done virtually.
With over 63% of people using the internet across the United States of America, e-commerce has grown by 50% during the pandemic alone. E-commerce, due to the exposure that it provides for small businesses and the visibility that all businesses get even in the remote areas of the country, is getting bigger by the day.
The US is one of the most developed marketplaces for e-commerce companies with this particular segment accounting for more than $1 trillion in annual retail sales across the country.
This article will discuss some popular e-commerce companies in the USA based on their market share. Most of these companies or not only popular in the USA but are also the best globally.
Amazon is the undisputed leader in the industry with a market share of 41% as per the reports that came in the year 2022. They have a whopping 2.1 billion visits on January 2022 which they proudly flaunt. Amazon was founded in the US in the year 1994 as an online marketplace for books from where it has expanded into a multinational technology company that focuses on e-commerce, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence.
It is one of the big five American information technology companies at par with Alphabet, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft. Jeff Bezos owns this e-commerce company, which generates revenue of $470 billion, and employs more than 15,44,000 people globally. Amazon is often referred to as “one of the most influential economic and cultural forces in the world”.
Market share of leading retail e-commerce companies in the United States as of 2022
Walmart
Founded
1962
Headquarters
Bentonville, Arkansas, US
Revenue
$570 Billion (2022)
Website
walmart.com
Walmart – Top E-Commerce Retailers in the USA
This American multinational retail corporation was in fact the world’s largest one of its kind that operates a plethora of departmental stores, grocery stores, and hypermarkets.
Headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas, Walmart was founded by Sam Walton and James Walton in 1962. They account for 6.3% of the market share to gain $393.25 billion in 2022 from $369.96 billion in 2021. Not surprisingly, they were also the world’s largest private employer with 2.2 million people working for them.
Apple
Founded
1976
Headquarters
Cupertino, California, US
Revenue
$394.328 Billion (2022)
Website
apple.com
Apple – Top E-Commerce Retailers in the USA
Apple.com, the retail store by Apple Inc, holds 3.9% of the market share through its net sales across its online store. They sell a range of their products from personal computers, smartphones, tablets, digital media players, etc. The first Apple store was opened in 2001 by Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
It also became the fastest company to make more than 1 billion in sales within three years of its launch to be the first company to do so. Their success as top-tier online retailers becomes sweeter due to the fact that they only sell Apple products.
eBay
Founded
1995
Headquarters
San Jose, California, US
Revenue
$10.8 Billion (2021)
Website
ebay.com
eBay – Top E-Commerce Retailers in the USA
Since its inception in 1995, eBay has never had to look back as it continued to expand its business globally in more than 20 countries. It was founded by an Iranian American named Pierre Omidyar and the first item to be sold on the auction website was a broken laser printer.
They were in fact the pioneers of the e-commerce segment. This California-based company allows both consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its website. It holds 3.5% of the market share in the US.
Target
Founded
1902
Headquarters
Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
Revenue
$26.12 Billion (2022)
Website
target.com
Target – Top E-Commerce Retailers in the USA
Headquartered in Minnesota, Target is a big box department store that is considered the seventh largest retailer in the United States of America. Their e-commerce segment was launched in 2010 when they partnered with Amazon before independently launching itself.
In 2020 alone their business grew by 144.7 %. They hold 2.1% of the e-commerce sale in the country as of June 2022. It was established as a discount division of the Dayton department store in 1962. This Fortune 500 listed company has 1948 stores across the USA.
The Home Depot
Founded
1978
Headquarters
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Revenue
$151.2 Billion (2022)
Website
homedepot.com
The Home Depot- Top E-Commerce Retailers in the USA
Home Depot is an online platform for all sorts of home improvement needs including appliances, bathroom decorating ideas, kitchen remodeling, patio furniture, and so on. They have employed more than 500,000 employees globally.
They have been able to significantly integrate the nuances of both online and offline shopping by providing a seamless customer experience. They hold 2.1% of the US e-commerce market. In the financial year 2021, they achieved the milestone of making $150 billion in sales.
Additionally, its personalized omnichannel strategy and revamped investments in areas like artificial intelligence and augmented reality have further improved its online presence.
Best Buy
Founded
1966
Headquarters
Richfield, Minnesota, US
Revenue
$51.761 Billion (2022)
Website
bestbuy.com
Best Buy – Top E-Commerce Retailers in the USA
Founded by Richard M. Schulze and James Wheeler in 1966, Best Buy was initially an audio specialty store that grew into a multinational consumer electronics retailer. They are the largest specialty retailer in the consumer electronics retail industry.
It holds 1.6% of the market share and was ranked number 17 in the Fortune 500 list of the top state corporations in the United States based on the total revenue generated. They have also integrated virtual shopping experiences into their midst to improve customer experience further. They hope to enrich the lives of people through the innovative and efficient use of technology.
Costco
Founded
1983
Headquarters
Issaquah, Washington, US
Revenue
$226.954 Billion (2022)
Website
costco.com
Costco – Top E-Commerce Retailers in the USA
Costco was first opened in 1976 in a converted airplane hangar in San Diego. It used to be a small endeavor that served only small businesses. In fact, Costco was the first company that got a whopping $3 billion in sales within six years.
As of 2020, Costco Wholesale is the fifth largest retailer in the world and holds 1.6% of e-commerce sales in the USA. As of today, Costco is an American multinational corporation that operates a chain of membership-only big-box retail stores.
They are listed as one of the Fortune 500 companies and continue to grow through its strong entrepreneurial drive for excellence and a strong backbone cemented by employees who are highly loyal to the company due to their excellent workplace culture which attracts energetic, positive, and talented employees.
Founded in 2012, Carvana has emerged as the most online growing used car retailer in the United States. It was started by Ernest Garcia III, Ryan Keeton, and Ben Huston and is most popular for its multi-story car vending machines.
As of 2021, Carvana operates in over 250 markets across the United States and has become one of the largest used car retailers in the country. Being a young company, Carvana was able to get its name featured in the Fortune 500 list (2021) and is known to hold 1.5% of the total e-commerce market share in the US.
Kroger
Founded
1883
Headquarters
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Revenue
$137.888 Billion (2022)
Website
kroger.com
Kroger – Top E-Commerce Retailers in the USA
Introduced in 1883, Kroger is an American retail company that operates supermarkets and multi-department stores in the United States. Kroger holds 1.4% of the total e-commerce market in the US.
Kroger’s headquarters are placed in Cincinnati, Ohio. Today, Kroger operates over 2,700 grocery stores in 35 states under various brand names, including Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, and Fry’s. In addition to groceries, Kroger stores offer a range of products and services, including pharmacy services, fuel stations, and online shopping options.
The company is also known for its private label products, which are sold under various brand names, such as Simple Truth and Private Selection. Kroger is committed to sustainability and has implemented several initiatives to reduce waste, conserve energy, and promote social responsibility.
Wayfair
Founded
2002
Headquarters
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Revenue
$13.708 Billion (2021)
Website
wayfair.com
Wayfair – Top E-Commerce Retailers in the USA
Previously known as CSN stores, Wayfair is an American e-commerce company that specializes in selling furniture, decor, home goods, and other household items online. It was founded by Niraj Shah and Steve Conine in 2002 with its headquarters being placed in Boston, Massachusetts. The company holds 1.1% of the total e-commerce market share of the United States.
Wayfair operates through several online retail websites, including Wayfair.com, Joss & Main, AllModern, and Birch Lane. Its website offers 14 million items from more than 11,000 global suppliers. Wayfair has operations in North America, Europe, and Australia, and as of 2021, employs over 16,000 people.
Chewy
Founded
2011
Headquarters
Plantation, Florida, US
Revenue
$8.891 Billion (2022)
Website
chewy.com
Chewy – Top E-Commerce Retailers in the USA
Chewy was introduced in 2011 by Ryan Cohen and Michael Day with the name “MR. Chewy”. The company was later on acquired by PetSmart in 2017. Chewy is an American online retailer of pet food and supplies that offers a wide range of pet-related products, including food, treats, toys, medication, and accessories for dogs, cats, birds, fish, and other small animals.
The company operates through its e-commerce website, Chewy.com, which offers a variety of search options and filters to help customers find the products they need.
Chewy has grown rapidly in recent years and as of 2021, Chewy has 13 fulfillment centers across the US. It also holds % of the total market share of the US e-commerce market.
They are an American chain of high-end department stores with a long legacy that can be traced back to 1858 since its launch by Rowland Hussey Macy. They account for 0.9% of the US commerce retail sales.
Headquartered in New York, Macy’s is known for its high-quality products with a nationwide footprint which gives a hassle-free shopping experience to the customers. They believe in and strive towards creating a brighter future with bold representation.
Conclusion
E-commerce industries are sprouting up not only in the USA but also across the world at a fast pace. Tracing the patterns of the top e-commerce companies, it can be understood that two things that all successful e-commerce companies did were to provide excellent customer service and cater to all their needs.
As long as the customers are happy the company can rest assured of its growth. However, there is no doubt that e-commerce industries offer a plethora of opportunities for young entrepreneurs to make their mark.
FAQs
What is the top US e-commerce company?
Undoubtedly, Amazon is the top US e-commerce company.
How many online retailers are there in the US?
As per the data shared by Zippia, the US is home to around 1.8 million online retailers.
Which country is number one in e-commerce?
China is number one in the e-commerce sector owing to its large population providing the opportunity of having the biggest marketplace.
How big is the US e-commerce market?
The US e-commerce market is the second largest e-commerce market in the world with a revenue of 862.4 billion in 2021.
From Amazon to Pepperfry, the eCommerce industry thrives in India, especially in B2C eCommerce companies. In fact, India is ranked first in the fastest-growing eCommerce market globally, with an estimated market value of $16.6 trillion by 2022.
B2C means business-to-consumer, which refers to the business model where the companies directly sell their products to consumers. The market offering B2C services has gained speed in recent years. According to the report by Grand View Research, the B2C eCommerce industry is set to reach a valuation of $7.65 trillion by the year 2028.
This brings us to the article’s primary content, top B2C eCommerce companies across India. So, let’s get started.
When it comes to B2C eCommerce websites, Amazon tops the list. The company was initially started in the United States as an online bookstore and was later converted into a marketplace for other products. Initially, it was created as a platform where customers could purchase books on a wide range of subjects.
With time, Amazon grew into an eCommerce site with monthly visitors of over 322.54 million, as per the 2010 data. And it became widely popular in the Indian eCommerce industry. Today, the company reached out to a total of 89 percent of the Indian audience.
Flipkart
Founded
2007
Founders
Sachin Bansal, Binny Bansal
Headquarters
Bengaluru, India
Category
Ecommerce
Website
flipkart.com
Flipkart Website
Founded by two former Amazon employees, Binny Bansal, and Sachin Bansal, in 2007, Flipkart is a well-known privately hosted eCommerce website in India. After its highest acquisition of 16 billion in 2018 by Walmart, Flipkart now comes under the ownership of Walmart. The company owns 39.5 percent of the market share of the Indian eCommerce industry, with the most significant competition from none other than Amazon.
Flipkart gained massive popularity due to its Big Billion Days Sale, where it reached a large audience base by offering huge discounts on its merchandise of all categories. With a solid online presence, Flipkart is considered one of the best eCommerce websites following the B2C business model.
FirstCry
Founded
2010
Founders
Amitava Saha and Supam Maheshwari
Headquarters
Pune, India
Category
Online Baby Products
Website
firstcry.com
FirstCry Website
FirstCry is considered the best eCommerce platform for babies and children’s merchandise, following a B2C business model. The product quality and variety offered by FirstCry are excellent and worth all the praise. It provides more than 200,000 products from over 5,000 manufacturers. FirstCry was introduced in 2010 by Amitava Saha and Supam Maheshwari.
In addition to its eCommerce platform, Firstcry also operates physical stores across the country, which allows customers to experience its products before making a purchase.
The website has also launched its own private-label brands to offer quality products at affordable prices. FirstCry has over 400 outlets across India, covering cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and many more.
Paytm Mall
Founded
2016
Founders
Vijay Shekhar Sharma
Headquarters
Bengaluru, India
Category
Ecommerce
Website
paytmmall.com
Paytm Mall Website
Yes, you heard it right. Paytm isn’t limited to digital payments and financial services; it has also expanded to eCommerce. In 2016, Paytm introduced an online shopping platform based on the B2C business model, Paytm Mall.
From all kinds of clothing to exclusive gadgets to home furnishing, you can find everything at Paytm Mall. As per the reports published by findly, Paytm Mall is estimated to receive 60 million orders in a month.
Paytm Mall offers high-quality products at affordable pricing. Plus, you can use different coupons for discounts and cashback offered by Paytm Mall.
Snapdeal
Founded
2010
Founders
Kunal Bahl, Rohit Bansal
Headquarters
Gurgaon, India
Category
Ecommerce
Website
snapdeal.com
Snapdeal Website
With an estimated monthly visitor count of 56.41 million, Snapdeal is considered an eCommerce giant with a B2C business model. It’s an online shopping platform with various products from different categories such as electronics, clothing, home decor, books, beauty, and many more. Among these, Snapdeal’s electronic category is the largest shopped one.
This eCommerce platform was launched in 2010 and has attracted top investors such as Softbank, Alibaba Group, and Foxconn.
Myntra is among the premier fashion, lifestyle, and home eCommerce platforms with a B2C business model. It has around 48.03 million monthly visitors. It earned impressive profit and popularity after the acquisition of Jabong.com, its competitor in the market.
Myntra is known for its fantastic collection of high-end fashion from top brands all around the globe and as per 2012 data, Myntra added more than 350 Indian and Foreign brands to its manufacturer’s list. Plus, it has many private clothing labels, such as HRX and Moda Rapido, which are exempted from expansion vastly.
The website is also a fashion retailer with a wide range of products from international to local brands in all sections.
Estimated Retail Ecommerce Sales in India in Million US Dollars from 2016-2022
1mg
Founded
2013
Founders
Prashant Tandon, Gaurav Agarwal, Vikas Chauhan
Headquarters
Gurugram, India
Category
Healthcare
Website
1mg.com
1mg Website
1mg is categorized as an Indian online pharmacy founded in 2015 by Prashant Tandon, Gaurav Agarwal, and Vikas Chauhan. 1mg offers a wide range of healthcare products including medicines, healthcare devices, health supplements, personal care products, and more. The website features products from over 3,000 brands and has over 2 lakh products available on its platform.
1mg also provides features such as online medicine ordering, diagnostic tests booking, and wellness package booking to provide a comprehensive healthcare experience to its customers. In addition to healthcare products and services, 1mg also provides health-related content through its blog and social media channels.
LimeRoad
Founded
2012
Founders
Prashant Malik, Manish Saksena, Ankush Mehra, and Suchi Mukherjee
Headquarters
Gurugram, India
Category
Fashion Ecommerce
Website
limeroad.com
LimeRoad Website
Headquartered in Gurugram, LimeRoad is a pretty famous fashion and clothing eCommerce website following B2C business models. The company was founded in 2012 with the specification of online shopping. It was founded by Prashant Malik, Manish Saksena, Ankush Mehra, and Suchi Mukherjee.
In its initial three funding rounds, the company raised 50 million USD. LimeRoad is the first-ever women’s social shopping platform in India. It also offers a wide range of categories dealing with men, women, and kids.
Shopclues
Founded
2011
Founders
Sandeep Aggarwal, Radhika Aggarwal and Sanjay Sethi
Headquarters
Gurugram, India
Category
Online Shopping
Website
shopclues.com
Shopclues Website
Shopclues is another online shopping company based in Gurugram, Haryana, India, founded by Radhika Aggarwal, Sandeep Aggarwal, and Sanjay Sethi in 2011. With revenue of above $40 million and 1080+ employees, the company has established a strong image in the marketplace. It’s a privately owned company that specializes in online shopping.
ShopClues operates on a marketplace model where it connects buyers and sellers on its platform. The website has over 5 crore products from 9 lakh+ merchants across 3,300+ categories. Apart from the regular products, ShopClues also offers several exclusive features like Sunday Flea Market, Wholesale, and IndiMarket which showcase products from small and medium-sized businesses in India.
Pepperfry
Founded
2011
Founders
Ambareesh Murty & Ashish Shah
Headquarters
Mumbai, India
Category
Home Decor and Furniture
Website
pepperfry.com
Pepperfry Website
Pepperfry is a popular eCommerce B2C website in India that primarily focuses on home decor and furniture. The website was launched in 2012 by Ashish Shah and Ambreesh Murthy. Pepperfry has become one of the leading online shopping destinations for furniture and home decor in India.
They offer products from over 10,000 sellers and has over 1.2 lakh products available on its platform. It also has more than 100 outlets across 57 cities in India. The website also has a feature called “Studio Pepperfry” which is a concept store where customers can get a hands-on experience with the products before making a purchase.
BookMyShow
Founded
2007
Founders
Ashish Hemrajani, Parikshit Dar, and Rajesh Balpande
Headquarters
Mumbai, India
Category
Online Ticket Booking
Website
bookmyshow.com
BookMyShow Website
BookMyShow is a popular eCommerce B2C (business-to-consumer) website in India that primarily focuses on providing online ticket booking services for movies, events, and other entertainment activities. The website was launched in 2007 by Ashish Hemrajani, Parikshit Dar, and Rajesh Balpande.
BookMyShow offers a range of services including movie ticket booking, event ticket booking, sports event ticket booking, play and theater ticket booking, and more. The BookMyShow website features listings of events, movies, and activities happening in various cities across India. They also provide reviews and ratings of movies, events, and activities to help customers make informed decisions.
Nykaa
Founded
2012
Founders
Falguni Nayar
Headquarters
Mumbai, India
Category
Cosmetics, Beauty, Personal Care
Website
nykaa.com
Nykaa Website
Nykaa is a popular eCommerce B2C website in India that primarily provides beauty and wellness products to its customers. It was launched in 2012 by Falguni Nayar. Nykaa offers a wide range of beauty and wellness products including makeup, skincare, hair care, personal care, fragrance, wellness, and more.
The website features products from over 1,500 brands and has over 2 lakh products available on its platform. It also provides content related to beauty and wellness through its blog and social media channels.
In conclusion, with the massive adaptation of machine learning, consumers are getting more personalized services from B2C eCommerce companies. The best thing about B2C websites is the level of convenience and security they provide consumers.
It shows products based on the previous purchasing history of the users to fulfill their unique needs. These above-mentioned B2C eCommerce websites are truly extraordinary with their services and products. And because of this only, the competition within the eCommerce industry is relatively high, which is also the reason for its growth.
FAQs
Which is India’s number 1 eCommerce company?
Flipkart is considered India’s number 1 eCommerce company with 39.5% of the market share from the Indian eCommerce industry.
Is Zomato a B2C?
Yes, Zomato is a B2C company.
Who is the father of eCommerce in India?
K Vaitheeswaran is considered the father of eCommerce in India.
What are B2C website examples?
Some of the B2C website examples are Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, LimeRoad, Pepperfry, Shopclues, 1mg, Snapdeal, Paytm Mall, Firstcry, etc.
We all love to buy from online portals and set ourselves free from the hassle of visiting brick-and-mortar stores for shopping. According to a report, the number of online shoppers will surpass 500 million by 2030 in India. Although buying online has its perks, however there are certain limitations too one needs to consider before purchasing from e-commerce websites. With the availability of inter-country payment gateways, it is now possible to buy products from any country without payment-related problems. Did you know most of the online products sold in India are imported from China?
One such e-commerce website which makes up for the bulk of products imported from China is AliExpress. Before you get too excited to drop-ship from this portal, you need to be aware of the rules and regulations before buying from AliExpress to ensure a smooth and satisfactory shopping experience, one of the largest e-commerce websites in China that offers a wide range of products at affordable prices. It is owned by Jack Ma. Jack Ma which is a famous business tycoon and his rags-to-riches backstory provides invaluable motivation.
This post will tell you everything about how to buy products from AliExpress while sitting in India. The impact of AliExpress in the Indian market shall also be covered. Indians have a mixed response towards AliExpress. Some find it highly useful, whereas others have had an unsatisfactory experience with the e-commerce portal. Whether you’re a seasoned shopper or a first-time buyer, this blog will provide valuable insights to help you make informed purchases on AliExpress. So, let’s get started.
Things To Keep In Mind Before Making A Purchase From AliExpress
AliExpress isn’t an India-based shopping website which means certain import rules are applied every time you buy products from AliExpress. The normal time to ship products from AliExpress is 30 days and it may increase based on government regulations. AliExpress provides you with a tracking ID to trace the location of your product; other than that, you can’t do anything else but wait. If your delivery gets stuck somewhere, you are in for a really long wait. The shopping website uses Chinese delivery companies for product disposal and items tend to get misplaced enroute to you. If you have selected the free shipping option, you may receive your item after months.
However, AliExpress has identified these issues and is working on improving its delivery network. It is integrating fast and quality-driven delivery partners into the network to boost sales and enhance customer experience.
You need a trade license and a registered shop establishment if you plan to buy from AliExpress and sell in India. You also need an export-import license. And then there is the job of reaching out to a customs clearance agent. Licensing is one of the biggest obstacles when it comes to buying items from AliExpress and selling them in India.
Buying from AliExpress is completely Legal
It is totally legal to buy from AliExpress and trade products in India. Your purchases should not cross INR 10,000 per year and the products should be for personal use. If you want to purchase products in bulk, you need to get yourself registered, obtain an import-export license, and pay taxes and duties.
If you have any queries such as the loss of your products in the course of delivery, your only option is to contact the AliExpress agent through chat support. You cannot contact AliExpress sellers by a call; chat is the only medium and there is a high chance the seller won’t reply. Hence, you need to be mindful of the possible delays, lost deliveries, and other factors before ordering from AliExpress.
How to buy safely from AliExpress
AliExpress Rules
There are some other rules and regulations you need to know before making a purchase from AliExpress. For example, you need to pay around 30% of the total amount in customs and duty charges.
Without import/export license
The maximum amount of order without customs duty is INR 2000, i.e, you can import only up to this limit without customs duty and that too for personal use.
If the order amount is above INR 2000, the package gets retained at the customs office.
You will then have to prove/convince the customs officer that the items are meant for personal use and pay the customs duty to get your package out of there.
With import/export license
With the license, you can import goods of higher value and pay the standard customs duty on the product as per Indian customs regulations.
Currently, AliExpress is not available in India and is not delivering here as well. After the India and China situation, the Government banned many Chinese mobile apps in 2020, amongst AliExpress is one of them. Therefore, AliExpress is not available in India.
AliExpress Banned in India. Now How to Do Dropshipping? & What To Sell in Winters?
Is It Safe to Buy From AliExpress Now?
It is definitely safe to buy from AliExpress now as it is owned by one of the most popular and well-known multinational companies Alibaba. The reputation of Alibaba makes AliExpress a reputable company to shop from.
You can set up a successful business in India using AliExpress. But unfortunately, the shopping website got banned in India along with more Chinese apps for engaging in activities that are prejudicial to the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country. The government had banned 59 apps on June 29, 2020, and on September 2 it had banned 118 more apps including AliExpress. Previously apps like TikTok, Bigo Live, PUBG Mobile, which were all very popular in India, were banned.
FAQs
What is AliExpress?
AliExpress is an online shopping website based in China owned by the Alibaba Group. It is an online store to buy products at much cheaper rates than Amazon.
Is AliExpress from China?
Yes, AliExpress is a China-based online shopping retail store for buying products at much cheaper rates.
How to buy from AliExpress in India?
If you want to purchase products for personal use, your purchases should not cross INR 10,000 per year.
If you want to purchase products in bulk, you need to get yourself registered, obtain an import-export license, and pay taxes and duties.
Is AliExpress banned in India?
Yes, AliExpress is banned in India.
Why AliExpress is banned in india?
AliExpress is banned in India along with more Chinese apps for engaging in activities ‘prejudicial to the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country’
How to buy from AliExpress in India after ban?
This is the top trending question on Google with no clear-cut answer. However, Indian users of AliExpress were able to purchase products “unofficially” from AliExpress vendors. All you need is to change your route, consider using a VPN on your mobile devices or laptops, or partner with Oye Express. This is the perfect way to enjoy the ease of shopping online while keeping your data secure.
What’s the difference between Alibaba and AliExpress?
Both the platforms are sister companies owned by Alibaba Group.
Alibaba focuses on the B2B marketplace while AliExpress focuses on the B2C marketplace cross-border.
Usually, manufacturers, wholesalers, trading companies and exporters sell their products via Alibaba whereas, in AliExpress, the typical seller is retailers.
Prices can be negotiated in Alibaba whereas AliExpress offers fixed-rate products.
On Alibaba.com sellers have to pay 0% on most transactions when it comes to the commission while AliExpress sellers pay up to 8%.
With steady growth, the tech industry is growing at an impressive 5.3% rate. The industry occupied around 35% of the total market base. And the count of tech companies is increasing with a high amount. For instance, the highest count of tech companies is based in the United States, with a count of more than 500 thousand.
And it’s true that regardless of their origin industry, the means of technology is acquired by everyone, and so is every industry. Technology covers all sectors, including hardware, software, online services, tools, and cybersecurity solutions.
Speaking of the tech industry, we are here to make you familiar with the top tech companies in the world, with their market capital and total revenue. So, let’s get started with the article!
List of Top Tech Companies in the world
The tech industry comprises many companies, among which are some of the most valuable in the world. And here’s the list of those and the top tech companies worldwide:
Apple iPad, Apple Mac Book, Apple Watch, Apple iPhone Mobile
Website
www.apple.com
Apple Website
With the highest market capitalization of USD 2421 billion, Apple has an enormous presence in the world’s tech market, making it a giant in the industry. Apple specializes in software, electronics, and online services, with an employee account of over 1,608,000.
Apple is an integral part of BIG FIVE, which includes Google, Amazon, Meta, Apple, and Microsoft. These five companies are the most valuable public corporations in the world based on their market capitalization.
This tech giant was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. Since then, Apple has been on a progressive growth producing various kinds of tech devices, from computers to wearables.
Moreover, Apple is the largest technology company based on its revenue, USD 387.54 billion in 2022. And ranked the fourth largest personal computer vendor based on its unit sale in 2021. Its popular products are AirPods, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
2. Microsoft
Company
Microsoft
Founded
1975
Market Cap
$1825 B (2022)
Revenue
$198.27 B (2022)
Top Products
Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office Suite, Micrsoft Azure, Internet Explorer
Website
www.microsoft.com
Microsoft Website
Being the most prominent tech giant in the world and the largest software company, Microsoft is one of the oldest tech companies mentioned in this list. It was founded in 1976 and released to the public in 1986. It is best known for its Windows operating system, Azure cloud services, LinkedIn social media platform, and Xbox gaming system.
Moreover, Microsoft is ranked first in the list of BIG FIVE tech giants. The company reported a 12.3% revenue growth in 2022, whose main credit goes to Microsoft’s Azure and other cloud services. Also, at the start of 2022, it announced its deal to acquire the video gaming publisher Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI).
3. Google Alphabet
Company
Google Alphabet
Founded
1998
Market Cap
$1346 B (2022)
Revenue
$278.13 B (2022)
Top Products
Google Search, Google Maps, Google Assistant, Gmail, Android
Website
www.abc.xyz
Next, with a whopping market capital of 1346 billion dollars, Alphabet Inc. is an American-based multinational company that originated from Google LLC and many other subsidiaries.
Google Inc. is considered a unanimous leader in the search engine sector across the world, whose market share is around 91.9%. Regarding the FIVE GIANTS, Google has always been a genuinely innovative and trustworthy tech giant, founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1998.
Google Alphabet always has a keen eye for investing in innovative projects such as life extension R&D company Calico, self-driving cars, the smart home project Nest, and many more.
4. META
Company
Meta
Founded
2004
Market Cap
$545.44 B (2022)
Revenue
$117.929B (2021)
Top Products
Facebook, Meta Audience Network, Meta Business Tool
Website
www.about.meta.com
Meta Website
When it comes to top tech companies across the world, META can never be off the table. The company is the parent company of the most powerful social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp.
Mark Zuckerberg founded the company when he was still a student at Harvard University in 2004. META succeeded with an advanced graph, and as of today, the company has reached nearly 3 billion active users monthly.
In competing with Snapchat and Tiktok, META has introduced several innovative features that have made it a leader in online advertising.
The global tech industry is roughly valued at $5.2 trillion. The above graph shows the global tech industry distribution by the market share in percentage.
5. Tesla (TSLA)
Company
Tesla
Founded
2003
Market Cap
$656.57B (2022)
Revenue
$74.863B (2022)
Top Products
Tesla Electric Car, Tesla Model X, Tesla Model 3
Website
www.tesla.com
Tesla Website
Tesla is a true leader in electric vehicle development and production. Even though the prices of vehicles offered by Tesla are too high, and it takes a lot of time to deliver them, consumers prefer them over everything else.
Tesla was founded by Elon Musk who is also the current CEO of the Tesla Company. The unique thing about Tesla is its business model, which does not use the traditional dealership model of selling vehicles.
Initially, the company was limited to online marketing only, but with time, it started developing its technological devices and also offered cloud services to consumers. With such an innovative mindset, Amazon is ranked the 6th largest company by Forbes among the list of top 25 techs and IT companies.
7. Samsung Electronics
Company
Samsung Electronics
Founded
1969
Market Cap
$281.39 B (2022)
Revenue
$250.21 B (2022)
Top Products
Samsung Galaxy Mobile Phones, Samsung Monitors, Samsung Camera
Website
www.samsung.com
Samsung Electronics Website
Samsung Electronics is the largest mobile phone manufacturing company and the biggest competitor to Apple Inc in the production of mobile phones.
The company is based in Seoul, South Korea. Samsung Electronics isn’t limited to producing electronic devices but also ships, turbines, aircraft engines, and life insurance. Its flagship brands are Galaxy S, Z, and note series. They contribute up to 40% of the company’s growth.
Tencent Holdings, a Chinese technology conglomerate company, is the first-ever Asian tech company that reaches the mark of $500 billion.
The company offers web portals, payment systems, e-commerce platforms, mobile games, and social networks. Along with this, it also owns Tencent Music and Tencent Games companies.
The most successful product of Tencent Holdings is WeChat which has over 1.2 billion monthly active users. The company also provides various marketing solutions and cloud services.
9. Alibaba Group
Company
Alibaba Group
Founded
1999
Market Cap
$191.14B (2022)
Revenue
$134.567 B (2022)
Top Products
Alibaba.com, Aliwangwang, Alibaba Cloud, AliGenie
Website
www.alibabagroup.com
Alibaba Group Website
Another massive Chinese multinational technology company is Alibaba Group. It specializes in retail, e-commerce, the internet, and technology. It offers various profitable services such as web portals, electronic payment services, shopping search engines, and cloud computing.
Alibaba Group was founded in 1999 and established in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. Regarding retailers and e-commerce companies, Alibaba Group is one of the largest groups of companies in the industry.
Moreover, the company is ranked fifth among the largest artificial intelligence companies in the world in 2020.
Semiconductors Used in Mobile Devices, Internet of Things, Automotive Electronics
Website
www.tsmc.com
TSMC Website
Being the largest contract chipmaker in the world, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing produces highly advanced and innovative semiconductors designed by Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD).
In recent years, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing has reported a 43.5% growth in its revenue and a net worth of $7.9 billion. The company was founded in the year 1987 and ever since then; it has been leading the global semiconductor foundry, where it generates a 517% return for investors.
Another super famous American tech company is Dell Technologies, which specializes in the market of personal computers. It offers a vast range of tech products, such as data storage devices, servers, SmartTV, network switches, computer accessories, cameras, and many more.
This tech company was founded in 1984 by Michael Dell. Since then, Dell Technologies has been known for its innovative chain supply management and direct sales e-commerce model.
12. Oracle Corporation
Company
Oracle Corporation
Founded
1977
Market Cap
$202.40 B (2022)
Revenue
$44.15 B (2022)
Top Products
Oracle Database, Oracle ERP, MySQL, Oracle E-Business Suite
Website
www.oracle.com
Oracle Corporation Website
Oracle Corporation, a computer software company, was founded in 1977 in California, United States by Larry Ellison, Bob Miner, and Ed Oates with its corporate office headquartered in Austin, Texas.
The company has over 400,000 customers across the globe, such as Siemens Healthineers and FedEx. It provides multiple specific solutions for different types of industries.
Its solutions help manage the modernization of restaurants’ finances, connect HR/product management, secure network infrastructure, and, most importantly, enhance client satisfaction.
Foxconn is spread over to more than 20 countries with its subsidiary count reaching up to 200+ in total. It is also considered the world’s largest electronic manufacturer and a leading science and technology solution provider.
Its top products in the market are iPhone, Kindle, iPad, Blackberry, Redmi phones, PlayStation, and Nintendo. Foxconn ranked 22nd in the 2021 Fortune Global 500.
14. Huawei
Company
Huawei
Founded
1987
Market Cap
$71.2 B (2022)
Revenue
$99.9 B (2021)
Top Products
Huawei MateBook, Huawei Watch, Huawei Mobiles
Website
www.huawei.com
Huawei Website
Another China-based tech company is Huawei Technologies, a consumer electronics manufacturer. Its designs create and sell telecommunication tools to the top telecom companies worldwide, including British Telecom, Bell Canada, and Vodafone.
The company was started as a reselling private branch exchange company, founded in 1987 by Ren Zhejiang. Today, Huawei is a telecom behemoth that develops numerous innovative tech gadgets.
Adobe was founded in 1982 as an American-based software company that provides practical solutions for marketing and document management. Its top products in the market are Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, and Adobe Creative Cloud.
Adobe was founded by John Warnock and Charles Geschke in 1982 with its headquarters being placed in San Jose, California (United States). Adobe Inc. also expanded its services in digital marketing software and was considered one of the top global leaders in Customer Experience Management (CXM) in 2021.
The top three services provided by Adobe are Creative Cloud, Experienced Cloud, and Document Cloud.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can say that the tech industry is increasing and covers some of the most valuable companies in the world. However, it’s essential to know that before investing in any company, you need to do thorough research and, after that, focus on buying an ETF.
As the industry contains a vast number of tech companies, there are many options for you to invest and earn a profit. The above list includes the top 15 tech companies in the world with some of the
FAQs
Which are the top 5 IT companies in the world?
The top 5 IT companies in the world are Microsoft Corporation, IBM, Accenture, Oracle, and TCS.
Which is the oldest tech company?
IBM is considered the oldest tech company in the world. Basically, IBM is counted to be 108 years old company.
What are the top 3 online businesses?
The top 3 online businesses are selling digital marketing services, freelancing, and coaching and consulting.
Who is the market leader in technology?
Apple is considered the market leader in technology with a marketing capital of about $2.448 T.
It was in May 2022 that news began circulating about the world’s largest technology companies that lost over USD 1 trillion in value over just three trading sessions. This was in direct response to the Federal Reserve raising its benchmark interest rates.
The year-over-year inflation rate has remained abnormally and consistently high and peaked in June 2022 at 9.1%, according to the Consumer Price Index Data. It fell to 8.2% in September 2022, which was well above the inflation rate of 2% that is preferred by the central bank.
The Federal Reserve Bank has been struggling to control and bring down the inflation rate, and working towards this had announced a 0.75% interest rate hike. This is the sixth interest hike by the Federal Reserve in the hope that it can cause prices to reduce by slowing down the economy.
Top Companies Valuation (2020-22)
As stocks at large began selling off with the Federal Reserve’s announcement of yet another interest rest hike, the technology sector felt the tremors more than any other sector. The world’s most valuable company, Apple, shed USD 220 billion followed by Microsoft which lost USD 189 billion, Amazon declined by USD 173 billion, Alphabet lost USD 123 billion, and Meta which lost USD 70 billion. Investors are also showing an increasing interest in pushing their money toward the safer market pockets as opposed to stocks that drove business during the strong bull market in recent years.
As much as the numerous interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve Bank have impacted trillion-dollar companies to lose valuation, the entire burden for this decline does not rest on its shoulders alone. There are reasons, external and internal, that hugely impact the fluctuation in a company’s valuation.
External Factors
Many external factors affect the valuation of any company these includes-
Government Policies
Macro-Economic Forces
Industry Life Cycles
Company’s Own Life Cycle
Personal Needs and Desires of the Owner
Capital Markets
Each of these factors is of considerable importance which makes it tough for a company to accurately time any transaction. However, historically, credit markets have proven to be one of the most powerful external forces that decide thevaluation of a company. There are two primary reasons for this.
1. Rate of Return
Economic risks are measured by determining the rate of return required for an equivalent investment facing an equivalent level of risk, known as the ‘discount rate’. Simply explained, it means that as the interest rates go down, current values go up which ensures that the company’s valuation increases. Contrarily, the higher the interest rates, the lower the valuation as borrowing money becomes more and more expensive. This decreases a company’s valuation.
2. Supply of Money
This particular concept heavily influences business valuations. As the economy slows, the Federal Reserve lowers the interest rate driving the capital markets to loosen purse strings by buying stock cheaply. What then happens is that there is more money that competes for a limited number of assets which, then, consequently, drives valuation higher making investors take on more risks due to easy access to debt and lower discount rates. This period of speculation ignores the fundamentals where the growth is high.
Internal Factors
An Enterprise’s value also depends on these critical micro-business valuation factors which are largely internal and within the control of the management team.
Companies that lose valuation do not do so overnight. There are warning signs that come to the fore before the actual valuation drops. These warning signs, if not recognized and corrected at the right time can prove to have devastating effects on businesses.
A sharp drop in revenues
Delayed payments to creditors
Default on statutory payments
Delay in payment of employee salaries
Numerous red flags were raised by auditors, analysts, and fund managers in the annual accounts
Huge churn in the company’s top management
Company stocks being sold off quickly by institutions
Promoters exiting their stake
Deteriorating performance in comparison with competition
Consistently dropping return ratio on ROE, ROCE, ROA, NPM, OPM, etc.
Here are the famous top 3 companies that lost 1 Trillion in Market Cap
Economic downturns are a harsh reality in the global world. However, if companies are consistently losing valuation despite external factors like stable federal reserve interest rates and a bullish capital market, the reasons are more than likely internal. It is, then, to an investor’s advantage to conduct a deep study of the business itself and its internal functions to realistically assess the risks of investing.
FAQs
Did Amazon Lose $ 1 Trillion and What Are the Reasons?
Yes, Amazon becomes the world’s first publicly listed company to lose its $1 trillion market cap. Worldwide economic slowdown, the Ukraine-Russia war, rising inflation, and tightening monetary policy are the key reasons for Amazon’s loss.
Which Company Is Not a Part of The $ 1 Trillion Market Capitalisation Club Anymore?
Amazon, Tesla, and Meta (Facebook) are not part of a trillion-dollar market now.
What Skills Are Required to Predict the Shrinkage of Organizations?
Understanding Macroeconomics, consumer behavior, and socio-political happenings are vital for an understanding of business workings. By applying mentioned knowledge one can forecast to some extent.
You have come up with a genius product idea that has a solid USP and huge demand in the market.
You invest all of your time, energy, and money in prototyping and developing the product.
After months of hard work when you are about to launch your product you find your innovative idea on a local marketplace or e-commerce store.
You would be very disappointed right?
To avoid such a scenario, after coming up with an idea do rigorous research in making sure that your idea is unique.
Here, are 3 ways to ensure that your idea is actually yours:
Google Search
Google is the biggest search engine in the world which means that it has a huge database of several products and services.
Type in your main product keyword and other keywords related to your niche and industry.
Google will show you all the products that are related to your keyword.
Don’t just analyze the first page of SERP, go beyond that and try to read as many pages as possible.
Google Image Search is another great option to see if your product already exists in the market.
Since you would see dozens of images you will get a better understanding if your product is unique or not.
Online Marketplaces
Try searching for your product on the following marketplaces:
Flipkart
Amazon
Alibaba
AliExpress
Etsy
Oberlo
eBay
Walmart
IndiaMART
Make use of features like ‘similar products’ and ‘people who bought this also bought.
Patent Search
Google’s Patent Search
Try analyzing patent databases such as Google’s Patent Search or Espacenet to see if there were products similar to your ideas that were patented but never made it to market or which are on their way to market.
If someone has already patented your idea then you cannot move forward or if someone is already launching a product similar to yours then also you cannot move to user research and prototyping.
You again have to brainstorm new ideas.
Although, if you cannot find any product similar to your idea don’t get too excited yet!
Does Anyone Really Need Your Product?
An Example- Alex Toby wanted to understand his audience in order to create content, so he offered this form to them
After doing in-depth research you get to know that your product does not exist in the market.
But, maybe there is a possibility that the product is not there in the market because no one needs it.
Your product may help people in solving their problems but, your target audience might not consider the problem big enough to spend money on it.
If a lot of people are interacting with this ad at a low cost per click (CPC) then it means that your product has some demand.
You can redirect the ad to a landing page where you can tell people that the product is in development and ask them what kind of features, look and price they would want in the product.
You can even collect their email ids. In this way, you would also build an audience for your product.
Conduct an Online Survey
If you have identified your target audience demographics and interest you can run a paid advert on various social media platforms that redirects them to a survey form.
In the survey ask questions like:
Do you face this problem every day in your life?
Did you find a solution to it?
Would you spend money to buy a product that solves this problem?
What could be the potential solution for it?
To incentivize people to fill out the form you can give them free products or discount coupons from famous e-commerce stores like Amazon and Flipkart to 3 lucky winners.
Use Google Keyword Planner and Google Trends
Google Trends
Type in your product keyword in Google Keyword Planner and see how many people are searching for this keyword every month.
Higher the volume higher the demand for the product.
Also, see in which countries people are searching for this keyword to understand the demographics of your target audience.
Analyze the other related keywords as well to better understand what people want from your product.
Then go to Google Trends and see how is the trend of your product in the last 90 days or 18 years.
If the trend is constantly going upwards in the last couple of years it means that there is demand for your product.
See in which countries the product is trending to understand where your target audience lives.
Conduct User Research
After defining the product try to research and find out the age, gender, marital status, income level, place of residence, job position, interests, needs, fears, and desires of your target audience.
Let’s say you have come up with an amazing product idea and spent all of your time and money on it for a couple of months.
Later on, you decide to sell it at Rs 100. But, at the prototyping or manufacturing stage, you know that you need to spend 4 times more money to make the product.
To create a profit margin you need to increase the price of the product.
But, the problem here is that you cannot sell the product at Rs 600-700 because you know that people won’t buy it.
It means that your idea is dead and all of your efforts have gone in vain.
To avoid such a scenario, try to decide at what price people will buy the product and what will be the cost of making the product. The figure doesn’t have to be very 100 percent accurate.
If you get to know that the cost of making the product is not very high and you can sell it at a reasonable price and make a profit for yourself you can move forward.
Sketch the Product
You need to take the idea out of your head using sketching.
Now, you don’t have to be Pablo Picasso or Leonardo da Vinci to sketch the product.
The sketch doesn’t have to be perfect but, you will bring your thoughts to life.
Quantity matters here more than quality. Draw hundreds of ideas and then mismatch and make a perfect one later on.
Don’t waste your time drawing a single perfect sketch.
The goal is to get a sense of what your product will look like so, you can explain the idea to your team members or other people.
Before drawing the sketch you should have a customer avatar in front of you.
Basically, you should know the age, gender, marital status, income level, place of residence, job position, interests, needs, fears, and desires of your target audience.
If you don’t have the above information, conduct user research first and then come back to this stage.
Don’t make a product for everyone.
Once you start drawing you will get tons of questions about your product like:
What will be the size and color of my product?
What sort of texture will it have?
What materials will be used?
How will the target audience use it?
Write these questions on a piece of paper and try to answer them in detail.
If you have a lot of mechanical parts in your product you can draw them separately from the main product to get more clarity.
Create a Virtual 3D Model
Now, you need to transfer your sketches to 3D modeling software. This will help you to understand the size, shape, and design of a product in a much better way.
Another benefit of a 3D model is that you can explain your concept to team members more clearly.
Once you make the 3D model you can continuously make changes to them and make your product structure perfect.
You can integrate the 3D model with augmented reality apps like Augment to visualize how your product will look in real life.
To convert your sketches into 3D models you can use software like:
Proof of Concept (POC) tries to prove that your product idea is feasible and can be developed.
Now, POC is different from the prototype.
POC shows if your product can be built or not while the prototype tells how it will be developed.
Here’s how you can make a POC.
Describe the Need for the Product
First, prove the need for the product.
It means that you need to tell who your target audience is and what problem they are facing.
You need to describe the pain points of your target audience in detail.
You also need to prove that people will buy your product to solve the problem.
To prove this you can release survey forms or conduct interviews with people and ask them what problem they are facing, did they find any alternative product to solve the problem, what desired solution they want, and whether will they pay money to buy the product.
You need to give facts and not assumptions.
Get Feedback
In the 2nd stage, you need to describe the solution that you have found to your target audience and ask them if they liked your product or not.
You can show the 3D model to your audience to make them better understand what they will get in the future.
Collect as much feedback as possible and make changes to your product.
Tell the Features, Cost and Profit Margin of the Product
Now, you need to tell the dimensions and feel of the product along with the features and benefits that the product will have.
Then tell the product’s rough cost, price, and profit margin.
You also need to describe the project’s timeline and what technology you will use to make it.
Prototyping
The prototype is an early functional sample of a product which is further enhanced and tested to develop a final working product.
Prototyping will help you test and develop ideas and understand the design flaws.
The goal is to test the idea of failure. This means that you really want to know where your design exactly works and where it doesn’t.
You also need to make sure that every prototype is better than the last ones, eventually ending with the best one that provides an excellent user experience and compels them to buy the product.
Types of Prototypes
Display Prototypes
Display Prototypes are primarily used in Fashion Industry
As the name suggests, the display prototypes focus on the look and feel of the product. These prototypes may not even function but they try to mimic the design of the actual product.
Functional Prototypes
Functional prototypes try to show the functions of the actual product as closely as possible without accounting for the design and feel of the product.
Miniatures
A shopping cart as a miniature prototype example
Miniatures prototypes focus both on the display and functional aspects of the actual product.
Although they are very small they don’t work at full capacity and may not accurately demonstrate the features of the actual product.
3D printing is used to develop miniature prototypes.
Rapid (Throwaway) Prototype
A mobile application as a paper prototype is a good example of a throwaway prototype
In the rapid prototype method, the prototype is developed in a very short period of time and in a cost-effective way.
It is also called a throwaway prototype because the prototype is constantly modified based on user feedback.
Once all the stakeholders are satisfied the prototype is used for reference. Once the next prototype is developed the initial ones get thrown away.
Rapid prototyping is usually conducted using 3D printing.
Evolutionary Prototyping
Computer software is a good example of evolutionary prototyping
In evolutionary prototyping, a functional prototype is developed from scratch and new refinements are made continuously.
Once a first prototype is built that has some basic functionality it is presented to the users.
Feedback is collected from all the users and based on the suggestions changes are made to the prototype.
After making the changes the prototype is again presented to the users and again feedback is taken.
This cycle keeps on repeating until the users reach a point where they like using your product.
At this point, you stop refining your product. Since your product evolves at each stage this method is called evolutionary prototyping.
In this method, the focus is more on functions rather than design.
Evolutionary prototyping is suitable if you fully don’t understand the requirements of the project.
You can also use this product if you are developing a new product or technology that your target audience doesn’t know about.
In this scenario, your target audience won’t be to give feedback unless they start using your product.
Once they start using it they will better understand your product and give you feedback.
Incremental Prototyping
If you are developing a product that has a lot of complicated technical components or if you are aiming to build a massive product then you should use incremental prototyping.
In this method, you develop separate small prototypes of your product simultaneously.
After developing different prototypes you test and refine them and then merge them together to make one comprehensive whole product.
Since each part and feature of the product is evaluated separately you are able to understand the intricate details of the product.
You also get the freedom to innovate your product instantly.
Although the problem with incremental prototyping is that you may develop prototypes that look and function like completely different products.
To avoid this your design and developer’s team must come up with some principles in order to keep the aesthetics and function of the prototypes consistent throughout the prototyping stage.
I will run you down the most used ones that are incorporated while building plastic, rubber, metal, wood, and electronics products.
3D Prototyping
Example of a 3D prototyping
3D prototyping allows you to conceptualize your product ideas quickly without making a hole in your pocket.
It is a technology that allows you to create a three-dimensional solid object from digital files using CAD software and a 3D printer.
In this method, a fabricator starts building the design from the bottom and builds up successive layers until the product is finished.
Depending upon the structure and dimensions of your product the 3D printer might create your product within a few minutes or hours.
If you have a large model you can leave the 3D printer switched on overnight. In the morning your prototype would be fully developed.
Back in the day, 3D prototyping was very expensive. Now, you can easily buy a 3D printer at a low price.
Using websites like Shapeways and 3DHubs you can easily print the parts of the product and get them delivered to your house at a very low cost without the up-front investment of buying your own 3D printer.
CNC Machining
CNC machine work example
Computer Numerical Control (CNC) is a process where machines are controlled by computers.
You just need to make a 3D model of your product using CAD and then input the details into the machine.
That’s it! Your work is done. The machines will automatically start manufacturing the product according to the specifications.
Using this method, you are able to build products that are very close to the end product.
You can easily create prototypes in just a few hours and make modifications to them in one go.
Although CNC machining is more expensive compared to 3D printing.
Vacuum Casting
If you are looking to make plastic prototypes then vacuum casting is for you.
Using your method you can make prototypes that have the same color, size, texture, and feel as the final product. This is an economical and rapid way to develop prototypes.
Vacuum casting uses a solid master pattern to make a silicon rubber mold.
The pattern can be any physical solid that’s a copy of the finished part. The pattern is often a 3D-printed part.
The master pattern is suspended in an empty casting box which is filled with liquid silicone.
Once the silicone is cured it’s cut open and the pattern is removed; leaving behind a hollow cavity that can now be refilled with casting resin to make a copy of the original.
If the master pattern has a gloss finish or a textured finish this would be reproduced on the surface of each casting.
Parts can be over-molded and resins come in a variety of hardnesses – from extremely rigid to rubber-like materials.
The silicone molds last up to about 20 copies.
Vacuum casting will not work if you are making metal or wood components.
Repeat the Feedback and Refinement Cycle
I know you feel very happy when you make a functional prototype. But, don’t get too carried away.
Instead of just making 1-2 prototypes and sending them straightway to the manufacturer you need to constantly make new prototypes based on the previous feedback and spend a lot of your time and energy at this stage.
Although, don’t waste too much of your time developing prototypes.
This is because after making the prototype you need to find a good manufacturer and make arrangements for supply chain management which will also take a lot of time.
Basically, you need to find a balance at this stage. There is no fixed number on how many prototypes you should make in a particular time period.
It all depends on your product.
The key thing to remember is that you need to make several prototypes, test and modify them constantly and then select the best one.
Test the Product
Once you have made the prototype it’s time to test it.
In this process, you try to check its build quality and if the product is functioning properly as intended.
Sometimes, the recent changes that you make in the prototype can hamper the other functions which were working perfectly fine before the changes.
You also want to check if the product can withstand rigorous everyday use.
You should test the prototype both on your target audience and teammates.
You can give 2 prototypes that have different names, color schemes, and textures and ask your audience which one they would buy.
Different products have different testing methods. But, are 4 testing methods that would apply to any product:
(Make sure that while taking all the tests you are regularly taking the feedback of the people and making necessary changes.
In any of these methods if your product breaks down or doesn’t work properly you will again jump back to the prototyping stage).
Usage Test
Here, you are making sure that the people are able to use all the functions of the product.
Can the users easily use your product without any confusion?
Are all the screens, buttons, and levers working effectively?
Can your product easily solve the problem of the user?
Can users open certain parts of your product without breaking the other parts?
You got the idea right?
Heavy Testing
Not everyone will use your product with care. Some people will use the product with extreme force.
If your product is not durable your sales would eventually go down.
To avoid such scenarios make sure that your product withstands extreme forces.
Drop Test
Products often get slipped out of hands or get dropped off the table.
If your product easily breaks down in such scenarios, you need to again go back to the prototyping stage and improve the build quality of the product.
To test the durability, drop the product on a solid surface like concrete.
Standard Test
When you buy products you see the logo of ISO behind the product.
This logo shows that the product meets all relevant standards and safety requirements.
You also need to make sure that your product meets the requirements of all the standard tests.
P.S: When doing all these tests don’t oversell your idea. Instead, just give your product to your users.
Let them handle your product any way they want. Your target audience might find something which you and your team might have not focused on yet.
Protect Your Idea Legally
Once you have made an awesome product you need to stop other people from stealing your product idea.
You can easily protect your idea legally using the following methods:
Patents
Trademarks
Copyrights
Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
The golden rule of protecting your idea is not to tell about the product to anyone unless they can be trusted and it is required.
Time to Make Your Product
Here, comes the most exciting part of product design.
It’s time to turn your prototype into a full-blown working product. Without wasting time, let me tell you how you can make your product.
Who Is Making the Product?
Are you going to manufacture the product or do you want a manufacturer for it?
If you are going to manufacture yourself then you know what to do. Skip to the next step.
On the other hand, if you need a manufacturer keep reading the article.
How Many Products Are You Going to Make?
You need to answer the question first before you start finding a manufacturer.
Do you want to produce small quantities of products and then sell them locally?
OR
You have big dreams and want to produce products in large quantities and sell them all over India or worldwide.
The answer to this question will help you decide which of the following manufacturing routes you will take:
Commission
Manufacturing products on commission means that the products get produced when you order and pay for them.
Customized shirts and paintings can be produced using the commission strategy.
Small Batch Production
In small-batch production, products are produced in specific groups in smaller quantities. Similar components are produced together.
Since you are producing goods in smaller quantities they are cheaper to manufacture and you don’t need a big warehouse to store them.
You can catch the issues in your design easily and if there is a trend you can tailor your product to it.
Even if you get poor-quality products you don’t have to worry a lot since you don’t have a lot of products in hand.
On-Demand Manufacturing
The On-demand manufacturing is a process where products are only manufactured when they are demanded and in quantities required.
Using the internet and cloud-based technology manufacturing companies can develop advanced online platforms that allow customers to upload models and get quotes for parts in real time.
Customers stay connected with the manufacturer till they get the order.
Mass Customization
Mass customization refers to a manufacturing process where customized goods are produced according to the customer’s requirements.
The whole business model revolves around computer-aided software. Customers get a variety of predefined features that they can choose and personalize.
The cost of the final product will depend on the level of customization.
Mass Production
In mass production goods which have the same specifications are produced over and over again in large quantities.
In mass production, multiple assembly lines are involved where people are given a set number of tasks that they have to repeatedly do on a daily basis.
The manufacturing cost is low since repetitive and standardized processes are used to manufacture goods.
Which Method Is Ideal for You?
If you are new to the business and want to test out your products or if you are unsure about the demand for your product you can opt for small batch production.
On the other hand, if you want to produce goods in large quantities then mass production is an ideal manufacturing process for you.
If you want to provide customized goods in large quantities then go forward with mass customization.
Choose Your Manufacturing Method
You also need to decide which manufacturing method you will use.
The method that you will choose will purely depend on the type of parts you are using and the type of design you will be incorporating.
Now, there are tons and tons of manufacturing processes you can opt for. I won’t be diving deep into this topic.
But, here are the top processes that you can use:
Injection Molding
CNC Machining
Welding
Forging
Rolling
Weaving
Blow Molding
Laminating
Vacuum Casting
Stamping
Punching
Extruding
If this process is very confusing for you consult a freelance product designer or a product development firm.
Don’t try to do everything by yourself.
Trust me, spending money at this stage and making sure your design and manufacturing process is perfect is very important.
If you don’t spend money now, you will spend much more later on when you tweak your design or change your manufacturing process.
If you have followed all of the above steps properly, you must have understood how much money you need to manufacture the product and at what price you would be selling it.
Once you have gotten a figure, you can raise funding for your idea.
Now, there are several ways to raise money. But, if you don’t have a huge manufacturing cost you can invest your money in the project and sell a small batch of your products.
The profit you earn gets reinvested in the business and this cycle keeps on repeating.
See, you must put some money into your business even if you are raising money.
This is because investors will see how much money you have invested before giving you the money.
Apart from self-funding, you can even take loans from your family members.
If you want to raise a small amount of money you can even use your credit cards and repay the money on time.
Now, let’s see some other legit ways of raising funds:
Crowdfunding
Angel investment
Apply for loans under government schemes
Get funds by winning contests
Startup incubator
Startup accelerator
Sell Your Product
You did it! After months of researching, prototyping, refining, contacting a lot of manufacturers, and raising money your product is ready to sell.
Let’s understand different ways of selling your product:
List on 3rd Party Ecommerce Stores
List of 3rd party e-commerce stores
At the start of your journey, you can list your products in various e-commerce stores and start selling them with little upfront costs.
Obviously, these websites would take a commission from you but, this is the fastest way of selling your products.
You can list your products in the following stores:
Amazon
Flipkart
eBay
Snapdeal
Pepperfry
IndiaMART
Myntra
Build Your Own E-commerce Stores
Sites to build a personal e-commerce store
If you are confident about your products and want to scale them rapidly then you can even build your own e-commerce store.
The best part here is that you don’t need to be a coding ninja!
You can use WooCommerce which is a WordPress plugin that allows you to create your own store where you can sell any product.
You can integrate a major payment gateway with WooCommerce and build fast loading and easy-to-use e-commerce website.
If you don’t want to use WordPress you can opt for Shopify. With tons of templates and easy customization, you can design a beautiful-looking store.
You can easily set up payments and shipping and start selling within a few hours.
BigCommerce has the same functionalities as Shopify. Using this platform you can host and build your online store.
All 3 of them provide you with a free trial so, you can try them first and understand which one suits your requirements.
Sell in Bulk to Retailers or Distributors
Instead of directly selling your products to the customers you can sell them in bulk to retailers who will then sell to customers.
When your products are present in retail outlets customers are available to physically check the product due to which they are able to make more informed decisions.
Retail outlets also give access to a huge consumer base and if your product is good your sales would also increase.
Although since you are adding another person into the supply chain your profit margins will get reduced.
In the start you may face problems in selling your products but, as your sales increase your cost of manufacturing per unit will get lower.
Licensing
If you are able to patent your idea you can sell the right to manufacture to other companies.
The company which is using your product idea will initially pay you a lump sum amount in advance and then pay you royalties (a percentage share of each sale).
According to your product, the royalties will range from 2% to 10% of net revenues. The royalty rates change from product to product and industry to industry.
Conclusion
That’s it! I have mentioned all the steps that you need to take in order to turn your genius idea into a high-selling product that makes the lives of your customers easier.
The process might seem lengthy and difficult but surely a fruitful path to cover. All the topics related to the process like researching, prototyping, manufacturing, and licensing has been covered in the article.
FAQs
What are the 4Ps of designing?
The 4Ps of designing are people, products, partners, and processes.
Why is product design important?
With a good product design, the efficiency of the product can be improved and it can also give it an upper hand in the competitive market.
What are the 7 elements great of design?
The 7 elements of a great design are space, line, light, color, form, texture, and pattern.
What is the main focus of product design?
The main focus of product design is to blend customer satisfaction with a business goal t have consistent growth in the market.
With a market cap of over $1 trillion, Amazon ranks first among the leading large-cap e-commerce companies worldwide. It has over 2.45 billion monthly visits to its app and website combined. It dominates the US e-commerce, i.e. 49.1% of the market. In the US, customers buy roughly 7,400 products per minute from Amazon sellers. It is the largest e-commerce company in India as well, which is one of the world’s fastest-growing economies with over 1.4 billion people. Data shows over 620 million of them use the internet, and 74% of those users shop online. India has a $70 billion market segment, and Amazon is playing a big part in it.
Between 2020 and 2022, the fulfilled-by-Amazon (FBA) model caught on, with 68% of merchants relying on Amazon’s logistics to fulfil their orders. Amazon has over 200 million paid Prime members globally and hundreds of millions worldwide active customer accounts. You can scale up your business globally on this platform. This is the best platform for customer acquisition. With FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon), sellers send their products to Amazon’s fulfilment centres, and Amazon picks, packs, ships, and provides customer service for those products.
In other words, you must provide your products and Amazon does the heavy lifting for you against some fees. (know that Amazon FBA is not a free service, you have to pay for it. So it is safe to say that a little investment will be required on your part). There are many ways through which you can provide your products to Amazon:
Over the years, Amazon FBA has attracted many people to its model. This way the competitors kept pouring in and competition kept levelling up each day. So it is the right time to ask questions like how to start an Amazon FBA business in 2023 to stay there for longer and to be able to call it a consistent source of income. The following is the know-how of this very question:
Select The Product To Sell
It is the most important step. You should pay due care in choosing the product that is going to give you returns. It is quite obvious that if there are too many people selling the same product, the profit share of each individual becomes negligible. So you need to select the product which has a decent demand and less supply.
Websites like JungleScout help you know which product can give you maximum returns. It gives you an idea (an estimate) about the current product status in terms of demand, supply, and competition based on prior data. If you don’t want to spend your money then you can use Amazon’s Best Seller rankings (BSR) tab but you have to do your bit to make the calculated guess when you’re selecting the product.
Know your niche: Before selecting a product you should have an idea in which niche you want your product to fall so that it covers long-term gains and not only short-term profits.
Selecting correct BSR: After selecting your niche, you should select a particular BSR range according to the product selected. Please note the product doesn’t necessarily have to be from the top 3 of BSR. It just has to be sellable which means a product with comparatively less competition and high demand.
Finding BSR Rank for a Product on Amazon
Narrowing down the product: You can then narrow it down from a list of products to the product that meets the basic criteria.
Source The Product From Manufacturer
After deciding what your product will be, you need to source the product from the manufacturer. This is not an easy process because you have to make sure the product you’re sourcing is of decent quality and reasonable price to match your cost estimates. Consider yourself a customer here and then start negotiating the price with the supplier if you do not feel that the supplier’s quoted price suits you.
Things to note:
You should ask for sample products first to keep from losses.
Try to take everything on paper so that you have an edge if you feel the supplier has compromised with the product (in case you are sourcing the product from different countries or from a place where you cannot be physically present).
Finalize The Product via Alternatives
Do you remember I talked about providing the final product to amazon via three alternatives? We will now see what those alternatives mean:
The private label: It is somewhat like collaboration. You are sourcing products from a particular brand and adding your label to it (on its packaging/product itself). And then you’re selling it under your brand. It requires your investment and is comparatively a sustainable source of business. You essentially create your listing on Amazon including pictures of the product, the title of the product etc.
Retail arbitrage: It is buying stuff at cheaper rates from thrift stores or retail stores and then comparing the cost and profit margin of the product via amazon itself. For the same, you have to provide amazon specified barcodes on the product before sending it to Amazon. However, it is not a sustainable business model as there is no guarantee that you will find the products regularly to make the sale on Amazon.
Dropshipping: It is a business model for people who do not have a product or money with themselves. All you do is act as a mediator between supplier and buyer by listing the supplier’s product on your account. After receiving the order (from the customer) at your listed price, you place the order with the actual supplier and ship it directly to the customer. This way dropshipping help you save yourself with a decent profit margin.
Wholesale FBA: It is primarily sourcing the product from a wholesaler, listing it on amazon and selling it. Wholesale FBA is like day-to-day retail shops that we come across in our cities, the point of distinction is here we are doing it online.
Send The Product To Amazon
After deciding your way of sourcing the product and doing the needful you are now ready to send it to the Amazon warehouse and get on with the sales part. You can choose any mode of transportation according to your feasibility and time preferences.
Provide Better Service Than The Competitors
The real competition: In a sentence, this is the point of competition. Many sellers are selling the same product as you. What you do to stand out of the crowd so your traffic turns into sales is the most crucial part of this entire process. The question of starting Amazon FBA today arises from the many sellers that are now there on this platform. You have to know this is not a get-rich-quick recipe. It is just another business model. The only difference is Amazon is doing the heavy lifting for you. So you need to truly start by taking this as a business entity. You have to do all the work that a businessperson is supposed to do, including branding, advertising and marketing.
Ads can do their bit but to be the best in your niche you have to provide the best service possible by including things like
Actively solving customer’s grievances
Reading consumers’ reviews to get their experiences with the product
Of course, after a point of time, Amazon will promote your products on your behalf but for that, you have to be able to come into the eyes of amazon. After all, it is a search engine doing things with algorithms!
Step 1. Visit Amazon’s official website Step2. Click on Sell Step3. Create an account Step4. List your product Step5. Ship your product to Amazon Step6. Grow your business
❖ Create an amazon seller’s account: To sell on amazon, go to the seller on the Amazon section and create your seller central account. Link your Bank Account and provide your identity, business/company details, and other information.
Amazon Seller Account | Sign in
❖ List your products: There are two ways through which you can list your products on Amazon which depend on the product you’re selling.
Selling the already available product on Amazon: In this case, you need not list your product as such. All you need to do is select and list the product along with the number of units you want to sell.
Selling under your brand: When you want to be a unique seller on Amazon with your brand you will be required to list your product which mainly includes the title of the product, size of the product, its images, description of the product etc.
❖ Selecting the way of fulfilment: Here you have an option as to how you want to deliver the order. You have three options: FBA, Easy ship, and self-ship. Here we will see FBA. In this case, Amazon will take your products and store them. After receiving the order it will pack and deliver it to your customers.
Some important things to note:
Pay due care when you pack your products, you don’t want to mess up when labelling the product with barcodes.
Paste the barcodes with sticking sheets instead of using cello tapes. If lost, they will be treated as unfulfilled orders in Amazon’s fulfilment centres (FC) under which you will be at a loss.
Carefully schedule the pick up for shipping the products to FC. Pay good care while filling in the product’s details including the number of units and its dimensions.
You can also use the option of easy shipping. The only difference is here you have to store the products and Amazon will deliver the products to the customers.
Amazon Fulfilment Centre
❖ Shipping the order to AFC: Now you’re ready to ship your products to AFC. You can use Amazon transportation service (ATS), third-party service, or courier service, or you can go yourself (in case your products are small and do not require a transportation service).
If ATS is available in your area, you can go for this. For this, you can simply schedule the time in your seller’s account.
Amazon also provides third-party services which you can avail of from your account to send your products.
If you find your courier service better, you can go for this option too.
Please note that if you’re using any service except ATS you will be required to make a carrier appointment request via the carrier appointment request portal.
❖ Expand your reach/Wait for sales: After sending your inventory to FC, your big task is done. Now you have to wait for customers to place orders. During this time, you can focus on marketing your product off-amazon. You can expand your reach by telling the uniqueness of your product through influencer marketing, Youtube marketing, digital marketing etc.
Is Amazon FBA profitable in 2023?
Benefits of Amazon FBA
In 2022, three-quarters of sellers are in profit. The competition is indeed really high and it is increasing every day. But we have to consider the fact that FBA is a business model. And every business takes a certain period to be termed as ‘stable’. So the risk factor lives irrespective of FBA. FBA is comparatively easier as you can choose from many business models within FBA and with less investment.
For FBA sellers, amazon provides a prime badge which is an assurance of fast delivery, and good customer experience. This option is only for FBA sellers which again gives your product a better chance to get a buy box.
Of course, there will be times when amazon will frustrate you with its algorithms even when you have done all the bits-and-bats of gaining the buy box from buyers. Nonetheless, there is no denying that FBA has changed the game for many when people have been consistent in their work. And it can do the same for you too!
FAQs
What is Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)?
Fulfilment by Amazon, (FBA) is a service offered by Amazon. Through FBA you store your products in Amazon’s warehouse, and Amazon packs and delivers the orders to customers.
Is Amazon FBA available in India?
Yes. Amazon has more than 60 fulfilment centres in 15 states.
Is Amazon FBA profitable in 2023?
Amazon’s FBA business is quite profitable if done with consistent efforts.
If you are looking to start your own e-commerce business in India like Amazon or Flipkart, then this is the way to go. To start with, eCommerce is an online process of buying or selling goods and services. There is no paperwork involved in making any transaction here.
One of the best things that most of us like about an e-commerce startup is that we can update and modify it the way we want and make it attractive and appealing to the eyes of the audience. Your customer will have access to your services 24×7 and you don’t need to come out of your door for marketing and other stuff if you are doing it at a small level.
According to a report, in 2019, eCommerce sales accounted for 14.1% of all retail sales worldwide. However, there are some things that you need to care about in your eCommerce business plan.
How to Start an eCommerce Business in India? (A 10-Step Business Plan)
Starting an eCommerce website might sound challenging, but with this easy 10-step business plan, it would hardly be tough. So, let’s dive into the steps:
Step 1: Define your business name
Business names are always important as they give you an identity after identifying what you want to sell. A business name will be the legal identity of your business. This opens a room for marketing your product with ease. The name that you choose should be simple and unique. It is always better to research extensively before you decide upon a particular name for your business. This will let you be safe and secure, and thus, is really important for everyone who would be starting an eCommerce website.
Step 2: Set a domain name
Ideally, there is always diversity in business. The business name acts as the domain name. A domain name system (DNS) stipulates the website address that your business wants to keep.
One of the important factors for an eCommerce business plan is awebsite. A website can be useful in developing different marketing strategies. It acts as a point of contact between you and your customers.
A website is accessible to many people at any given time and creates a climate of trust (credibility). Churning out a website is really convenient as it tells the customers that you exist. Furthermore, the website and the domain name are some of the core steps to proceed with before one can go about launching an eCommerce business.
Step 3: Identify the type of business and register
People engage with businesses as sole proprietorships, partnerships, or cooperation. Each of these has an advantage and disadvantage attached to it. For example, operating as a sole proprietor always subjects you to numerous risks.
You need to weigh before deciding upon a particular type of business that suits you. The income removal system (IRS) allows you to file the structure of your business on your own or get a different filing company to help you.
Step 4: Employer Identification Number (EIN)
You can not operate an e-commerce business without a bank account. To get a bank account you need for your business you need EIN. This number you are given acts as identification. You use it to file taxes for the business. It is always a requirement whether you will operate alone or employ people.
Step 5: Obtain legal documents
Every country has its own policies and procedures that every citizen must adhere to. This is also one of the things you must keep as a priority while creating an eCommerce business plan. If you fail to do that, the government has the mandate to declare your business illegal, after which numerous penalties might be imposed.
Licenses for the business and work permit should be obtained. Confirm with your state what type of taxes you are required to pay in order to operate. Also, you need to Apply for Goods and Service Tax (GST) certification and a Shops and Establishment Licence.
Step 6: Source for vendors
It is not possible to operate without vendors. Everyone needs to identify and keep in contact with different vendors. This way you can derive the best quality and prices for the materials you need to make your products. Conduct a thorough and serious search of the vendors to help you identify who you want to work with.
Step 7: Early marketing
Media platforms are paramount in e-commerce. However, it is also necessary that you have an eCommerce business plan prior to that. Alert customers that there is something good coming up so they can create interest to know. You can even decide to introduce blogging as a tool.
Step 8: Get effective software
E-commerce cannot work without making use of technology. Put every system in place before launching the product. Effective software is what you simply cannot compromise when it comes to building e-commerce websites in India.
Step 9: Keep a smart inventory
Inventory will help you track the information that you need. Ensure the warehouse (store) has enough products so that the customers don’t miss out on what they want. You may not be in a position to tell what will be needed and when but is always safe to keep a decent stock. This will help keep track of the orders you make in the future.
Step 10: Be compliant
Always be smart with deadlines in terms of taxes, licenses and permits needed. Always ensure you abide by the law of the land. Staying compliant is the key to starting an eCommerce store or an online business and making it successful.
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How to Build an eCommerce Startup?
The Ecommerce industry is on the boom for the past few years, and why not? It is ultimately a sector with big opportunities and low barriers to entry. The total valuation of the e-commerce industry in India was last recorded at $46.2 million and is expected to rise to $188 billion by 2025. Such a sector that is ever so growing, certainly consists of a lot of opportunities.
Currently, there are hundreds of e-commerce sites selling products and services and thousands are on the way. Probably you also want to have one. Well, the e-commerce industry is so dynamic now, that you need to be agile and alert. So, keep monitoring the activities, events, discussions, and changes going on in your niche.
Now e-commerce is not about selling a product but a solution. Your potential customer must see the clear benefit of buying from you. Here are some tips to follow if you are starting up or already have an existing startup in the e-commerce domain.
Find a niche
If you get an idea for e-commerce, there is a fair chance that many startups are operating in that niche and many are coming up. That is why it is important to break the initial idea, segment them a little further or get a niche that is not explored yet and work on that with full focus.
If you think you can compete against Flipkart or Snapdeal that’s not going to happen if you plan to start with the same business model.
Take sandal. When the company launched, it was an online portal for deals and coupons. This was a very focused play. They didn’t immediately start selling physical goods. Make your unique selling proposition, find your target “janta” or customers, and sell your product to them.
Experiment
As you have started out, the world seems very new to you. Nobody except you can tell what works best for you. So, experiment with different Pitches, Distribution channels, and more. Do this until you find out a solid sales strategy.
Listen to your customer
As it is always said worship customers like gods. Always remember that if there is any service you want to provide, then that should always be a customer satisfaction service. Your behaviour towards the customer after the sale would make all the difference.
This will help you in customer retention and thus make more sales. Once a sale is made. Talk to them, get feedback and see what changes they want. Even if it doesn’t comply with want you want just change it.
Learn from the mistakes of competitors
Do you have lots of competitors? Having too many competitors is not so good news for businesses but every bad thing has got something good in it. So, if you have quite some competitors already in the same space where you would be starting your own eCommerce business, you can try to analyze their website design, pricing, and marketing strategies on a regular basis to get useful insights for future action. Go through their social media profile to see what activities have helped them gain traction a lot and what has failed for them. In this way, pick up all that they have done good, and try to avoid all the mistakes that they have done.
Use digital marketing
74% of adults who are online, use social networking sites, and among them, it has been found that 71% of online adults use Facebook. Being a startup you don’t have much marketing budget. Here, starting with social media platforms for marketing purposes will indeed be of great help. Optimising the content and regularly sharing them on social platforms certainly is rewarding for brands and businesses. This will not only let you reach to large audience economically but also help you to get analytics to learn about the users. It is also a great way to listen to what customers are saying about your brand.
Number of social network users in India from 2015 to 2020
Operation
Make sure you always have enough inventory of the highest-selling product. Make sure that you keep a track of all the products that belong to the highest-selling and lowest-selling categories. Figure out what is making the highest product sell the highest and what makes the others the lowest-selling products. This will help you a great deal!
Looking at what similar companies are using. Add a mascot on the site that guides the users about the site and the products, is an interesting way to get the attention of customers (like Zendesk). Use only those plugins that are necessary.
Hire trained customer care executives to resolve customer queries over calls and emails. A toll-free number and support email is crucial too. Solve the problems that the customer is facing, to ensure the efficiency of the website.
Content marketing
The content is important for an e-commerce website and is good for marketing the brand. Putting up a blog or posts will surely bring up more traffic than ever. Content marketing will stand as one of the primary requisites as soon as you start an eCommerce store or an eCommerce website in India.
Social Media Marketing
Social media is the key to climbing the ladder and getting the exposure one wants in the public eye, so creating social media accounts is the key to helping the brand reach the eyes of the world. Keep the followers updated with new products and give ways to get more followers. Meme marketing is also a great way to engage your customers (Millennials).
Influencer’s utilization
The influencers are the best people in the game especially, in terms of product branding and making the future of a product. Hence, hire some influencers who are the best in the marketing game, which your brand focuses on, and pay them to put the ad on their social media. This will help increase your brand reach, thereby helping it to reach thousands and millions, who would then be able to see what your brand and its products are all about and people will pop up on the website for sure, giving you more website traffic and multiplying your revenues for sure.
How to Compete in the eCommerce Market?
Every day is new and brings changes in people’s needs and desires. Luckily, this is where small and upcoming startups can still win in the midst of other eCommerce giants. Here, is how to compete in the E-commerce market.
We are aware of how Amazon and eBay have driven many small and medium companies to extinction. But the other side of the reality is also that new interventions are always abundant and there’s always a new idea, product concept, or methodology that can topple the market leaders as we know them, or at least create a comfortably sweet spot in the market for themselves-which is just where your startup needs to reach.
If your startup is introducing a new product or service altogether, there is a very different approach you might need to take as compared to a start-up that is re-offering the existing product or service to bridge the demand-supply gap.
Be very clear as to who you are, what your offer is, and what your target is. Make sure that your core team and your entire organization have this understanding to ensure that the combined effort of the entire workforce maximizes the results.
It is a hopeful time to be as Amazon and the likes do cater everything to everyone. But the digital age has made it possible for everyone to co-exist as people’s tastes are ever-evolving and start-ups targeting the niche will be able to carve out their own space.
Read on for sage advice on how you can stand out in a crowded marketplace and reap the maximum benefit of being a newcomer to the industry.
Create Your Own Service
Your chance to be victorious in the game is to be an innovator and make your own market rather than depending on the existing marketplace. It is a harder approach to what you are already doing but will take you miles ahead of others.
See a Need, Fill a Need
We have seen time and again that certain brands launch big after years of testing and planning, however, once the brand is not received well they start to fizzle out. The ones who make it successfully are often seen using the feedback from the customers and dedicating some resources to perfecting common complaints and difficulties consumers are experiencing. They don’t quit, rather, they use real-time data as the major source of what the next step is inspired.
In fact, building on what the customer conveyed as your shortcoming can also forge a trustworthy and loyal bond with them, which is a great way to market yourself. Instead of resisting the feedback, be open to them and make your way to their hearts by listening and acting on it. Create your own trend rather than following the norm.
Champion the Mobile App
Make sure that your customer is having a seamless mobile experience on your app and is likely to check out under 60 seconds after preparing the cart or choosing the service without any in-built interruptions. Fast times require faster solutions! In addition, make sure your startup belongs on platforms like Snapchat and Instagram that have made the visual world fun and directly accessible.
Design Thinking promotes that design is an elementary part of any system. Design your product, service, or systems within the organization always prioritizing the user needs and user practices.
Get inside not just the mind of the end-user, but also their daily lifestyle, their influences, their dreams and aspirations, their environment, and their culture, depending on the nature of your services.
Customer is more likely to trust your brand if they think you thought of them specifically while making the product or service. This gives them confidence that you will understand them and will stand as a good choice for them.
Better Incentive Programs
Your incentives can come in the form of discounts, rebates, points earned toward a discount, points earned toward prizes, or any of many other plans. The worst-designed incentive plans have ambiguity in the stated rules.
An incentive is likely to shape your customer’s behaviour and drive them to your desired action. These incentives are thus, really valuable for an eCommerce company, especially if you are wanting to start an online store in India. If they are rewarded for their purchase, they feel like they ‘earned’ it. Keep a close eye on what other e-commerce companies in India are offering and if you are to compete with them, you must outdo their offer every time.
Better Customer Service
A common Amazon trait that has made it wildly popular in the e-commerce service is how they value each customer. Similarly, if you also want to start an eCommerce business, then you must first start to value each and every customer the same. While you can’t crush e-commerce giants given that they have bigger marketing budgets and bigger control of their product lines, operations and sales, it is certainly a trait you can imbibe in your company. Each satisfied customer means five people who will hear about you from him, which is great marketing for you at no actual cost.
Customer Data Is The Key to Ultimate Business Growth
A former Amazon company worker stated that Amazon has the ability to track both what people are buying as well as what they search for and can’t find.
This is a part of their success story. Companies that use customer data to better their practices are more likely to increase their sales and their gross margins than those who ignore the data.
Even if you don’t have big budgets to acquire data like e-com giants, do make absolute use of the behavioural data you already have in their database to improve customer satisfaction and customer retention.
How do eCommerce Sites Make Money?
Everyone wants an extra income to meet their needs and upkeep their standard of living. Furthermore, buying and selling goods and services via the Internet is the new trend to earn money, and the websites that make them possible are none other than Ecommerce websites. The Ecommerce websites are offering a free platform for the sellers and the buyers to get in touch with each other.
One can easily list their products on e-commerce websites and potential buyers can buy the products hassle-free sitting in any part of the world. The whole online buying and selling chain appears to be a very easy and economical process.
Although, you must have wondered as they offer free services to sellers and buyers thenhow these e-commerce websites like OLX, Quikr, Craigslist, and Gumtree make money online.
E-commerce websites, such as OLX, Quikr, and other leading sites provide an online portal to advertise your product or service offerings and find the buyer for them.
Almost all emerging e-commerce websites offer free services to users. However, they still make high-tech TV commercials and disburse lucrative salaries to their employees. How? So, let’s get the answer by analyzing the revenue-generating strategies of a few leading e-commerce websites and comparing their revenue plan with others.
Olx
OLX is one of the most popular and well-structured e-commerce websites. It offers a variety of features to its users, such as sellers can directly chat with a buyer, can easily bargain, etc. eBay is one of its competitors of OLX. OLX opts for the following methods to earn money:
Google AdSense Banner Ads
Google offers to all bloggers and website owners a very easy platform to get advertisements on their sites. Google AdSense is a platform where you can register your website and after verification, Google will show related advertisements. Hence, OLX effectively runs Google ads to reach its target audience. The earnings through ads depend, upon the number of clicks they get which is called CPC (cost per click model).
Featured Listing
OLX offers a featured listing option to the sellers. Featured links are those links that you see on the top, whereas, in a normal listing Ads are placed in OLX depending on how recently the Ad has been placed.
Featured Ads will always appear on top of the list irrespective of any factors. Ideally all such should be mentioned as featured/sponsored/ads so that users don’t get an illusion. In a featured listing, your ad will show up at the top of the search list and your ad will be shown first to the buyers whenever they search for anything on OLX. The sponsored links appear depending on the keywords targeted by the advertisers. Being at the top of the list gives advertisers a way to get more leads.
Quikr
Quikr is yet another e-commerce, which is very popular in India and somehow looks and works similarly to OLX. While the featured listing is one way to make money Quikr also follows a different route here.
They also generate revenue by generating leads for businesses. It makes a gainful amount of money for Quikr. Recently Quikr has acquired a few startups to diversify in different fields like Jobs, spas, and salons where they provide leads to these service providers.
Craigslist
Craigslist is also a popular rental listing website. It is mainly popular in the USA. But the company doesn’t earn as much revenue when compared to other websites. The company only makes revenue equal to its operation charges.
It charges $10 for a rental listing in New York and $25 for a job listing to occur in any of the major U.S. cities. If in the San Francisco area, you need to pay a $75 fee for a job to be listed.
The company is trying to consider Google AdSense and paid advertisements to generate more revenue, but it is still worried about the quality and clutter on the website due to ads, which is the main priority of the company.
There are other similar eCommerce websites present, like Gumtree and BookSellBuy. They also earn through a basic business model, that is, by providing premium membership Ads wherein the features depend on their own model, by featured ads and paid listings. So, almost every website uses paid ads to generate money.
Conclusion
Now, building an eCommerce website is the trend. It definitely takes a lot of effort and hard work, but once created and branded properly, it will surely open a whole lot of doors for growth. It is not an easy task to run an e-commerce business in India in the current age of competition. Starting an eCommerce company or an eCommerce business in India is certainly achievable if one has the focus and grit to understand the customer and the people who are in the organization.
Use your data efficiently and always make the customers happy at the end of each transaction. Comment on your favourite e-commerce site or your story of launching your own e-commerce site in the comment down below.
FAQs
What are the 3 types of e-commerce?
The three types of Ecommerce are Business-to-Business (B2B), Business-to-Consumer (B2C), and Mobile Commerce (M-Commerce).
What is the future of e-commerce?
The eCommerce industry was last valued at $46.2 bn in 2020 and is expected to rise to $188 billion by 2025, and would soar to become $350 billion by 2030.
Which is the largest e-commerce company in the world?
Amazon is the largest e-commerce company in the world.
How much does it cost to start an e-commerce business in India?
To start an e-commerce business in India you need approximately at least 5 – 10 lacs of investment.
How to start an eCommerce website, store, or eCommerce business?
Whether you want to start an eCommerce store/site or an eCommerce business, it is evident that you first need to research the industry and the market potential before starting up. Starting an eCommerce company in India would need you to:
Build a fast, comprehensive, and informative website
Create a viable business and revenue model
Decide a relevant domain name
Host the website properly
Market your website, its products, and services
Monitor the performance
What are some of the eCommerce business ideas?
Some of the best ideas if you want to create an eCommerce website or an eCommerce business in India would include grocery delivery, cosmetic and beauty products eCommerce business, refurbished or second-hand products business, fashion, jewellery, food tech and more.
What are some things that you should never forget while trying to set up an eCommerce business in India?
Setting up an eCommerce business in India is the dream of many, but only some eCommerce businesses in India actually see the light of day. Here are some of the easiest steps that you need to remember while setting up an eCommerce company in India:
Chalking out a workable business and revenue model
Branding your brand well
Registering the business
Opening a bank account and linking the business to the same
Creating and launching a simple but secure eCommerce website
Amazon is one of the most influential economic and cultural forces in the world, as well as one of the most valuable brands. It focuses on e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. Beyond that, it has permeated our lives deeply, especially in the last couple of years. It is the American multinational technology company, Amazon.com, Inc. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is, currently, one of the most recognizable names on the planet.
He founded the company on 5th July 1994 from his garage in Bellevue, Washington. It was, initially, an online marketplace for books. Amazon quickly expanded into a multitude of product categories earning the moniker ‘The Everything Store. Initially named Cadabra, Inc. Bezos renamed it to Amazon as he wanted the company to be as ‘exotic and different’. In his initial days, Bezos reportedly told a journalist – “There’s nothing about our model that can’t be copied over time. But you know, McDonald’s got copied. And it’s still built a huge, multibillion-dollar company. A lot of it comes down to the brand name. Brand names are more important online than they are in the physical world.”
As a new start-up Amazon only sold books online because of its worldwide demand, low unit price, and large number of titles available in print. Within the first couple of months, the business grew to sell its books to all 50 states and over 45 countries. In October 1995, the company announced its intention to issue an Initial Public Offering (IPO). Within the next three years, Amazon was sued first by Barnes & Nobles in 1997 for claiming itself as the world’s largest bookstore and then by Walmart in 1998 for allegedly stealing trade secrets by hiring Walmart executives. Eventually, both lawsuits were settled out of court and Amazon implemented stricter internal policies and restrictions.
Initially, Amazon’s growth and profit were nominal leaving stockholders wary of investing or even the company’s survival prospects. When the dot-com bubble burst in 2001, Amazon not only survived the bloodbath but went on to post a modest profit in the fourth quarter of that year. This was a boost of confidence that eased the investors. From that point on, the unconventional business model of Jeff Bezos has not stopped growing till today. In 2020, Amazon generated sales worth USD 386 billion which were 38% higher than its sales in 2019 in the US alone. Amazon’s Marketplace sales represent an increasingly dominant portion of its e-commerce business.
Amazon Acquisitions
Within the time span of the last two decades, the tech behemoth has acquired or invested in at least 128 companies across the world. These companies belong to a wide plethora of industries from healthcare to entertainment, helping diversify their core revenue. It has also provided Amazon with inroads into better understanding their customer’s likes, dislikes, and preferences. The top ten Amazon Acquisitions by value are –
Company Name
Acquired On
Acquired For
Whole Foods Market
Jun 16, 2017
$13.7 billion
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
May 26, 2021
$8.5 billion
Zoox
Jun 26, 2020
$1.2 billion
Zappos
Jul 22, 2009
$1.2 billion
Ring
Feb 27, 2018
$1 billion
PillPack
Jun 28, 2018
$753 million
Twitch
Aug 25, 2014
$970 million
Kiva Systems
Mar 19, 2012
$775 million
Souq
Mar 27, 2017
$580 million
Quidsi
Nov 8, 2010
$545 million
Whole Foods
Revolutionizing the domain of grocery shopping, Whole Foods is an American multinational supermarket chain. Amazon acquired Whole Foods in 2017 for $13.7 billion. The acquisition added 400 physical stores to the set of e-commerce stores that Amazon already had. Additionally, the acquisition gave a huge impetus to the tech giant in the domain of grocery shopping, which was further used by Amazon to push people to purchase their Prime membership in return for the wonderful offers given.
MGM Studios
Founded in 1924, MGM Studios, or Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, is a California-based studio that has produced many popular films, many of which have won academy awards as well. Some of their popular films include the James Bond franchise, the Rocky series, Robocops, Fargo, Silence of the Lambs, etc. In 2021, Amazon acquired MGM Studios for $8.5 billion. The deal was completed in March 2022.
Zoox
Zoox is a startup that develops self-driving technology with the aim of proving a full-stack solution for ride-hailing. In order to provide automatic self-driving capabilities, they use their own software and artificial intelligence, which has become a unique innovation in the arena of self-driving vehicles. They specifically focus on custom vehicle design, which they believe will be able to overcome the problems posed by self-driving vehicles. Amazon acquired the startup in 2020 for $1.2 billion.
Zappos
Zappos was founded by Tony Hsieh in 1999 as an online shoe seller after identifying the difficulties with which customers grappled due to the unavailability of the right size and desirable models. In 2009, Amazon bought Zappos for $1.2 billion.
Ring
Ring is a video doorbell and security camera maker that is worth more than $1 billion. They sell their products in the US, UK, and Europe. After establishing themselves as a reputable company in their area, they headed in the direction of the Internet of Things and in-home delivery spaces. In a deal that was valued at more than $1 billion, Amazon acquired Ring in 2018.
PillPack
It is an American pharmaceutical company that was founded in 2013 by TJ Parker and Elliot Cohen. By integrating novel technology into the midst of the business, the company saw tremendous growth over a short span of time. They were a step ahead of their fellow companies by demarcating their customers’ medications by dose and delivering them to their doorstep. In 2018, Amazon acquired PillPack for $753 million, and the company changed its branding from “PillPack, an Amazon company,” to “PillPack by Amazon Pharmacy.”
Twitch
It is a platform that allows users to stream their games to their followers so that they can watch them play the game. It was launched in 2011, focusing on live video gamers. In 2014, Amazon acquired the company for $970 million. Amazon’s purchase was a very prudent decision, foreseeing the pathbreaking interventions that the gaming industry and metaverse can have on humanity. With a vision to think differently, Jeff Bezos said that they were looking forward to offering better services for the gaming community.
Kiva Systems
It is a Massachusetts-based company that manufactures mobile robotic fulfillment systems. They innovated novel approaches in the distribution chain with the help of database systems and automated guided vehicles, which are also called bots. In 2012, Amazon acquired Kiva Systems for $775 million. Today, Kiva Systems is known as Amazon Robotics. This change came into effect in August 2015.
Souq
Launched in 2005 in Dubai, Souq was the largest e-commerce platform in the UAE. In 2017, Amazon acquired it for nearly $580 million. This acquisition gave Amazon tremendous anchoring in the Arab world through Souq’s 45 million visitors every month. By integrating Souq’s customer base and Amazon’s technical backing, customers can enjoy a wide range of product selections and seamless delivery.
Quidsi
Quidsy is an e-commerce company that was founded by Marc Lore, Vinit Bharara, and Wei Yan in 2005. This US-based firm aimed at revolutionizing the online shopping experience by improving every aspect of it, including 1-2 day delivery, the novel e-commerce experience, and excellent customer service. In 2010, Amazon acquired Quidsi for $545 million.
Other notable Amazon acquisitions since 1998 include IMDb, Alexa Internet, Twitch Interactive, etc. Some of the companies that Amazon has acquired over the years are now defunct.
Very recently, Amazon acquired iRobot for approximately USD 1.7 billion. iRobot is the company that makes Roomba vacuums. With this acquisition, Amazon has increased its footprint in individual households and deepened its penetration in the market.
Reasons for Acquisitions
Over the years, Amazon has grown from strength to strength and now is a global presence with deep market penetration. Its popularity has grown during the pandemic and the name has become synonymous with retail shopping.
There are various reasons why a company like Amazon acquires or invests in different companies.
Economies of Scale
‘Bigger is better is the ideology behind an acquisition for economies of scale. Larger companies enjoy better cost savings and competitive advantages than their smaller counterparts.
Market Share
This is the most common motive for an acquisition. Apart from reducing the competition, it also gives the company an immediate increase in market share and also a boost to its sales.
Acquire New Expertise / Technology
Over time, newer technologies get introduced introducing newer ways to work. Therefore, it becomes necessary for companies to also evolve and embrace the changes. One way to do it is to acquire companies that provide this technology and expertise.
Similar Synergies – Creating Value
Many times, the logic of acquiring a new company makes more sense than the numbers. This is clearly visible in Amazon acquiring Whole foods and trying to bring the power of ecommerce to traditional food retail.
Geographical Diversification
This is a huge value driver in acquisitions. Acquisitions are the much-preferred way to expand geographically as the company can acquire a ready cash-generating entity with a ready business platform. It is also financially beneficial to the higher costs of setting up a new operation from scratch.
Vertical Integration
This type of acquisition creates a new addition to the value chain of a company. It reduces dependency on third party suppliers and vendors.
Conclusion
Over the years, Amazon has successfully integrated various products into its portfolio by acquiring several companies for one or more reasons as mentioned above. Amazon’s sprawling eCommerce empire is a result of far-sightedness, a futuristic approach, and an adaptable business model.
With the world shifting to the online retail platform, Amazon shows no signs of slowing down. It has, in fact, expanded its operations and offers a wide network of services.
FAQs
What is Amazon’s largest acquisition?
The acquisition of Whole Foods Market by Amazon in 2017 is the biggest company take-over by Bezos’s corporation to date, with a whopping tag price of 13.7 billion U.S. dollars.
What companies are related to Amazon?
Among its 12 subsidiaries, Amazon has AbeBooks.com, Audible, CamiXology, Fabric.com, IMDb, PillPack, Shopbop, Souq.com, Twitch, Whole Foods Market, Woot!, and Zappos.
Did Amazon have any mergers?
Amazon has made 98 acquisitions and 95 investments. The company has spent over $ 46.19B on the acquisitions.
Who is Amazon’s biggest competition?
Its biggest retail competitors are Alibaba, eBay, Walmart, JD, Flipkart, and Rakuten.
What is Amazon’s net worth in 2022?
Amazon’s net worth as of November 25, 2022, is $952.94B.