Friday, June 27, 2014

Walmart launches Indian B2B e-commerce platform

News this week: According to media reports, U.S.-based retailer Walmart has launched a new B2B e-commerce website to serve India’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The new online service is currently being trialled in Hyderabad and Lucknow, and is scheduled to run nationwide by early 2015.

The platform currently serves Walmart’s existing users of its cash-and-carry stores in India, which is a limited service to registered members. It will also help to take orders from small business owners that are located more than 20 kilometres away from Walmart’s retail outlets.

Krish Iyer, Walmart’s chief executive for India, was quoted saying, “The mandate from Wal-Mart for me is to focus on the cash-and-carry business. We are into cash-and-carry for the long-haul and the prize is big. The small mom-and-pop shops is where the challenge lies in terms of converting them into e-shoppers. A deliberate effort is required to educate them in the whole process.”

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