E-commerce platforms promote the growth of smartphone sales, and online shopping becomes the new normal in India

According to the latest data released by Nielsen , IDC and related companies , in 2020, India's e-commerce platforms accounted for nearly one-third of the total sales of several electronic product categories in India , smartphone sales on online platforms accounted for nearly one-half of total smartphone sales, and clothing sales on online platforms accounted for nearly one-fifth of total clothing category sales.

Thanks to the home isolation caused by the epidemic lockdown, India's e-commerce platforms made rapid progress in 2020, quickly entering the markets of electronics, clothing, groceries, etc., competing with traditional retail (offline entities) and showing a trend of surpassing traditional retail.

Tracking data released by Nielsen showed that India's e-commerce platforms' contribution to total fast-moving consumer goods revenue rose from 1.9% in 2019 to 2.8% in 2020, a record high . In terms of televisions and home appliances, the contribution of e-commerce platforms to total sales soared by 3 to 5 percentage points compared with 2019 .

Mobile phone researcher IDC India said that despite a 1.7% decline in the overall market last year , smartphone sales on e-commerce platforms continued to grow, increasing from 41.7% market share in 2019 to 48% in 2020.

Large manufacturers such as Hindustan Unilever , ITC, Nestle and Marico also said that the sales contribution of e-commerce platforms more than doubled in 2020 and accounted for 5-6 % of total sales .

Researchers and CEOs of some e-commerce companies said that some changes caused by the epidemic in 2020 may become permanent. Online shopping is becoming the new normal in life for Indian people, and more and more people are accustomed to buying daily necessities, electronic products and other categories through e-commerce platforms.

Overall, India's e-commerce development momentum is strong and will be even more prosperous in 2021 and the future. China-India relations have also eased recently, and trade and other cooperation between the two countries are expected to resume and strengthen. Therefore, sellers who are interested in entering the Indian market can seize the opportunity.

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E-commerce market

E-commerce platform