Indian ecommerce biggies Flipkart and Amazon have cracked the code for increasing online sales of large appliances. It is a tough category to crack since it has big-ticket items and logistics is tricky. But the rivals have managed to find a winning formula.
Speedy delivery with installation
As of now, Flipkart offers next-day delivery service across 10 cities for large appliances product category. The marketplace also offers pre-planned delivery & installation services through its service partner Jeeves that covers 9,000 pin codes.
Rohit Sharma, Head of Ekart, Flipkart’s logistics arm shared that their speed of delivery along with installation service gives them an edge over others.
Sharma said, “We cover buyers’ experience all the way through till one can turn on the TV and start watching. We take care of installation too. If you have ordered a TV on 14th, you are in Mumbai, you could be sitting in front of your new TV on the morning of the 15th, watching your favourite channels. How this can be done? You book the order, the delivery crew as well as the installation crew meets at your house and in maximum thirty minutes the whole process will be done. That is our winning edge.”
To ensure speedy delivery, Amazon has set up many fulfilment centres especially for the large appliances category.
Quality after-sales service
For large appliances such as television, air-conditioners, and refrigerators that are big-ticket items, the quality of after-sales service could act as deal-breaker.
Ecommerce biggies Flipkart and Amazon understand that.
The American etailer is aware of customers’ apprehensions regarding the quality of after-sales service. Buyers want someone that can do a flawless job without ripping them off. Amazon intends to deliver exactly that to its buyers.
Amazon India’s spokesperson revealed, “The vision for installation services is to be the most trusted service in India for Amazon customers to avail high quality installations for appliances and furniture, in a convenient slot chosen by customers, by qualified, trained and background verified installation experts, at transparent prices and backed by Amazon’s Happiness Guarantee.”
From screening technicians, running a background check to training them, Amazon is careful about selecting its service partners.
Ease of shopping
The third factor that is contributing to large appliances’ surge in sales is the ease of shopping on these marketplaces. Product comparison is far easier on ecommerce shopping sites compared to offline stores. And customers can make an informed buying decision without the pressure of deciding ‘right now’.
Ekart’s head Sharma asserted the above-mentioned point, “You take a budget, maybe 40, 000 to buy a top of the line TV. But you want to look at every product that fits into that budget. Sometimes you even relax your budget to saying I’ll pay 43000 if I get great value for money… s/he can set those filters and still can have 35/40 options. And the customer is comparing every element with every brand that one can think of. It’s so much easier to compare.”
Buyers are becoming environment-friendly
Besides becoming more aspirational, Indian buyers are also trying to become more environment-friendly. This is why online marketplaces like Amazon are witnessing a steady rise in orders of eco-friendly products along with large appliances.
Speaking about this sudden surge in sales, Kaveesh Chawla, Director at Amazon India stated, “Customers today are more environment conscious and recognize the importance of using clean energy. We are excited by the rising demand for Solar and Garden products across the country. We are constantly striving to increase selection to meet customer needs for environment friendly products.”
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