Amazon and Flipkart[1], the two biggest e-commerce retailers in the country, are locked in a battle to become the leading player in the fast-growing industry. Once again, the two players have announced back to back sales that will seem them go the whole hog, with discount offers, cashbacks, and other deals that will likely stretch their purse strings as well as resources. Flipkart, which has been reinvigorated with the $1.5 billion funding it received in April, will have offers for products in every single category it runs. Not to be outdone, the Amazon Great Indian Sale is expected to provide discounts of up to 50 percent, along with cashbacks.
First in the line-up is the Amazon[2] sale, scheduled for May 11 to May 14[3], which will see discounts on smartphones, accessories, and other electronics. Flipkart is believed[4] to have won the Diwali battle with Amazon, so the latter will look to one-up the current market leader with higher sales this time around. Moreover, with Amazon’s sights firmly set on becoming the leader of the Indian e-commerce market, the company will be going the extra mile to ensure it comes out on top in the upcoming scuffle between the two.
Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos[5] in an earnings call earlier this week reaffirmed the company is working hard on its Indian operations. He said Amazon.in is the fastest-growing and most-visited e-commerce destination in India[6], adding the company will continue to make technology and infrastructure investments in the country. Launch of products such as the Fire Stick (optimised for India), and 18 original shows for Prime Video in India show that the force with which the company is investing in the market...