Business Strategy
E-Commerce Sector in India: Impact and Challenges Amidst Lockdown

Article Details
Pub. Date : Mar' 2021
Product Name : The IUP Journal of Business Strategy
Product Type : Article
Product Code : IJBS30321
Author Name : Nitu Saxena
Availability : YES
Subject/Domain : Strategic Journals
Download Format : PDF Format
No. of Pages : 8

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Abstract

In the pre-pandemic days, e-commerce was gaining roots in the Indian market. The Covid-19 pandemic impacted many industries adversely, but certain businesses gained momentum after initial hiccups in the unforeseen scenario of the pandemic. E-commerce is one such industry which has expanded in the new environment. Though certain sectors in e-commerce space have had a share of the negative impact, a majority of e-commerce players have flourished. This conceptual paper explains the impact of lockdown on e-commerce in the Indian context. It explores the Indian e-commerce industry pre and post lockdown. The impact of lockdown on various sectors of e-commerce is analyzed using suitable information and the emerging market evidence. This paper is based upon a thorough analysis of various newspaper articles, reports and relevant literature and provides a comprehensive view of the impact of Covid-19 on the ecommerce industry. It shows that the road which looked less traveled has gained all the limelight because there was no other way to move forward, and thereby it has provided fresh momentum to the Indian economy.


Description

The Covid-19 impact on businesses had been far worse than anyone could imagine. It brought everything to a standstill; workers lost jobs, companies lost revenues, demand curve took a downward trend, consumer behavior took a shift and the result was devastating to the extent that many businesses closed due to unsustainability. E-commerce was one business area that continued to survive and thrive amidst lockdown. Lockdown brought demands from the consumers who never opted for online buying. Companies which were struggling to make their mark amidst tough competition emerged as winners. They rose to the occasion to deliver essential goods at the doorstep. The Indian consumers who were previously reluctant started using all sorts of e-commerce sites like Amazon, Big Basket, Grofers, MedLife, NetMeds, 1mg, Flipkart etc.

The government's decision to allow delivery of only essential products gave an initial jolt to the e-tailers. The e-tailers were also affected by the reduced workforce due to lockdown. Despite all the odds, lockdown brought the best of strategies from the e-commerce giants


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