A

Project Report
On

A Comparative Analysis of E-Commerce Platforms

Submitted in partial fulfilment for the award of degree of

Bachelor of Business Administration

Of

GOVT. POST GRADUATE COLLEGE DHARAMSHALA

Submitted To:- Submitted By:-

Mrs. Sujata Kaundal Keshav
(Assist. Prof. of BBA Dept.) BBA-6TH Sem
Univ. Roll No. – 5210310021

i
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the Project Work with the title “A Comparative Analysis of E-
commerce Platforms” submitted by me for the partial fulfilment of the degree of BBA under
the Himachal Pradesh University is my original work and has not been submitted earlier to
any other University /Institution for the fulfilment of the requirement for any course of study.

I also declare that no chapter of this manuscript in whole or in part has been incorporated in
this report from any earlier work done by others or by me. However, extracts of any literature
which has been used for this report has been duly acknowledged providing details of such
literature in the references.

Place: Dharamshala
Date: 30th April 2024

KESHAV THAKUR

SIGNATURE OF CANDIDATE SIGNATURE OF GUIDE

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 SUPERVISOR’S CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that MR. KESHAV THAKUR a student of BBA of GOVT. POST
GRADUATE COLLEGE DHARAMSHALA, under the Himachal Pradesh University has
worked under my supervision and guidance for his/her Project Work and prepared a Project
Report with the title “A Comparative Analysis of E-Commerce Platforms” which he/she is
submitting, is his genuine and original work to the best of my knowledge.

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First of all, thanks to God, for giving me the strength and will to complete
this task just in time. Even though I faced a lot of difficulties while trying to complete this
task, I was still able to manage and complete it and I am very glad about it.
The satisfaction that accompanies the successful completion of the task would
be incomplete without mentioning the people whose ceaseless cooperation made
it possible, whose constant guidance and encouragement crown all efforts with
success.

I Express my sincere gratitude to Principal Dr. RAKESH PATHANIA and Coordinator Dr.
MADAN GULERIA.

A special thanks to Mrs Sujata Kaundal for being such a good guidance to us while I
Was doing this task. She had given me an appropriate example and knowledge in order to
make me understand more about this topic. She spends her time to explain the execution of
this idea in all the way.
I also appreciate Mrs Jyoti Singh, for her support to me to do this project in all the way
and made it possible.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

S. NO. TITLE
COVER PAGE
STUDENT’S DECLARATION
SUPERVISOR’S CERTIFICATE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
TABLE OF CONTENT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO E-COMMERCE
1.1: Background
1.2: Introduction
1.3: Difference between E-commerce
& Traditional commerce
1.4: Objectives/Needs
1.5: Limitation
1.6: Features
1.7: E-commerce & E-Business
1.8: Models/Types
1.9: Future of E-commerce
1.10: Conclusion
1.11: Research Methodology

2. CHAPTER 2: CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

2.1: Overview
2.2: National scenario
2.3: International scenario

3. CHAPTER 3: DATA FINDING & ANALYSIS

4. CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION

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 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I am KESHAV THAKUR Student of PG COLLEGE DHARAMSHALA. I am

working in project under the guidance of MRS. MEENAKSHI SAROCH. My topic
is “E-COMMERCE”.

I have made a project report and have done research for the project and prepared a
project report on the Topic a Comparative Analysis of E-Commerce Platforms. The
main focus of this project is to study about the various e-commerce platforms and how it
works and also seeing its impact on consumers and businesses.

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 CHAPTER 1:

INTRODUCTION
TO E-COMMERCE

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 1.1: BACKGROUND
HISTORY OF E-COMMERCE

E-commerce was introduced about 40 years ago in its earliest form. Since then, electronic
commerce has helped countless businesses grow with the help of new technologies,
improvements in internet connectivity, added security with payment gateways, and
widespread consumer and business adoption. With the wide adoption of the Internet and the
introduction of the World Wide Web in 1991 and of the first browser for accessing it in 1993,
most e-commerce shifted to the Internet.

More recently, with the global spread of smartphones and the accessibility of fast broadband
connections to the Internet, much e-commerce moved to mobile devices, which also included
tablets, laptops, and wearable products such as watches. Ecommerce has come a long way
since the CompuServe launch in 1969. Changes in technology have certainly driven
ecommerce growth, along with global circumstances. Ecommerce has evolved in many ways
since its start, and it’s changing the way we live, shop and do business. Let’s dive into the
history and the future of ecommerce.

E-COMMERCE TIMELINE

1969: CompuServe is founded.

In the 1980s, CompuServe introduced some of the earliest forms of email and internet
connectivity to the public and dominated the ecommerce landscape through the mid-1990s.

1979: Michael Aldrich invents electronic shopping.

This made it possible for closed information systems to be opened and shared by outside
parties for secure data transmission — and the technology became the foundation for modern
ecommerce.

1994: Netscape Navigator launches as a web browser.

Marc Andreessen and Jim Clark co-created Netscape Navigator as a web browsing tool.
During the 1990s, Netscape Navigator became the primary web browser on the Windows
platform, before the rise of modern giants like Google.

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1995: Amazon launch.
Jeff Bezos introduced Amazon primarily as an ecommerce platform for books.

1999: Alibaba launches.

Alibaba Online launched as an online marketplace with more than $25 million in funding. By
2001, the company was profitable. It went on to turn into a major B2B, C2C, and B2C
platform that’s widely used today.

2011: Google Wallet introduced as a digital payment method.

By linking the digital wallet to a debit card or bank account, users can pay for products or
services via these devices. Today, Google Wallet has joined with Android Pay for what is
now known as Google Pay.

2017: Shoppable Instagram is introduced.

Instagram Shopping launched with ecommerce partner BigCommerce. Since then, the service
has expanded to additional ecommerce platforms and allows Instagram users to immediately
click an item, and go to that item’s product page for purchase.

2020: COVID-19 Drives Ecommerce Growth.

COVID-19 outbreaks around the globe pushed consumers online to unprecedented levels. By
May of 2020, ecommerce transactions reached $82.5 billion — a 77% increase from 2019. It
would have taken four to six years to reach that number looking at traditional year-over-year
increases.
Consumers have moved online to make purchases normally made in physical stores, such as
food and household items, apparel, and entertainment. Many consumers say they’ll continue
to use online storefronts until a COVID-19 vaccine is available.

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 1.2: INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS ECOMMERCE?

E-commerce (electronic commerce or EC) is the buying and selling of goods and services, or
the transmitting of funds or data, over an electronic network, primarily the internet. E-
Commerce or Electronics Commerce is a methodology of modern business, which addresses
the need of business organizations, vendors and customers to reduce cost and improve the
quality of goods and services while increasing the speed of delivery.

In its simplest form, e-commerce involves transactions conducted online, from browsing
products or services on a website to completing a purchase and payment electronically.
However, the scope of e-commerce extends far beyond online retailing. It encompasses a
wide range of activities, including online marketplaces, online auctions, digital downloads,
online ticketing, and more.

Ecommerce refers to the paperless exchange of business information using the following
ways −
 Electronic Data Exchange (EDI)
 Electronic Mail (e-mail)
 Electronic Bulletin Boards
 Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT)
 Other Network-based technologies

There are some examples of e-commerce are:

 Online shopping: Online shopping is the most popular example of e-commerce; it
involves buying and selling of goods on internet.

 Online payments: when a buyer gets product, they can make his payment through net.

 Internet banking: In today’s time banks can offers you internet banking which is the
easiest way of making online payments.

 Online Ticket: We can book our ticket through net whether it is bus ticket, train ticket, or
movie ticket internet can reduce efforts for it.

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 1.3: DIFFERENCE BETWEEN E-COMMERCE
V/S TRADITIONAL COMMERCE
Basis E-commerce Traditional System
Reduce Data Error Doesn’t involve data at The buyer and seller create
multi points. Data goes purchase order on their
directly from one computer system and send it to their
to another Computer without trading partner. The
involving human being. receiver/seller then re-enter
the same information on the
computer, which will create
data error.
Reduce cost Initial cost of E‐commerce is Time is directly linked to
very high as compared to saving the money. There is
paper process but over a repetition of same work at
long period of time, it is every level and it involves a
very effective. lot of wastage of time and if
the error is arisen that will
lead to more wastage of
money.
Reduce Paper work E‐commerce data in the It requires re‐entry of data at
electronic form makes it each level and requires lot of
easy to share it across the time. So, the peak time is
organization. wasted in re-entering and
printing of the Reports.
Reduce Processing E‐commerce reduces the When the buyer order in a
cycle time processing cycle time of paper format, the data is re‐
complete cycles as the data entered in to the Sellers’s
are entered the system, it is computer and then only
simultaneously Processed. processing can take place
which is a time-consuming
process.
Reduce labour No need to maintain large Need to maintain a large

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 number of employees, number of employees
instead there arises the need because one‐third of labour
to manage them more force is employed to fulfil
efficiently. orders from customers.
Accessibility 24/7 Limited Time
Customer Interaction Self Service Seller Influenced
Communication Technology mediated In-Person
channels
Scalability: Easily scalable without Expansion often requires
significant physical opening new physical
expansion, allowing for locations, which can be
rapid growth. time-consuming and costly.
Payment Options: Offers various online Typically accepts cash,
payment methods, providing credit/debit cards, and
flexibility to customers. checks, but may have
limitations on digital
payment options.

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 1.4: OBJECTIVES/MERITS/ADVANTAGES OF
E COMMERCE

(a) Enhances convenience: Customers can make orders for goods at their own convenience
and from the comfort of their homes without having to travel to the business premise. Orders
are also delivered to them at their most ideal locations. It’s the best shopping option for
people who are always busy.
(b) Allows for product and price comparison: Again, when making purchases, customers
want to get the best deals. This business model allows for product and price comparison by
consumers
so that the best products are bought at the fairest prices. They can also enjoy extra benefits
like
discounts, coupons, items on sale and also get the best deals.
(c) Easy fund-raising for start-ups ventures: So many people have the desire to venture
into
business but lack sufficient funds to set up shop. Leasing a physical store can be quite
expensive.
E-commerce makes it easier for start-ups to do business and grow.
(d) Efficient: E-commerce has the advantage of being efficient. Resources are used
efficiently since
most of the business services are automated. Business owners sometimes spend a lot of
resources meeting business needs and this eats into profits. E-commerce thrives on efficiency.
(e) Customer reach: It’s easier to reach many customers on the internet. Using social media
links
and good search engine optimization strategies, an online business can increase brand
awareness
and grow its customer base. It also has the advantage of being able to connect buyers and
sellers
from all corners of the globe.
(f) Prompt payments: Payments are fast since online stores use electronic or mobile
transactions
payment methods. The mobile wallet system for merchant accounts drives up sales and
increase
revenue generation.

7
(g) Ability to sell different products: The flexibility of conducting business over the
internet
makes it possible for entrepreneurs to display and sell several products and also cater to a
wider
demographic.

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 1.5: LIMITATIONS / DISADVANTAGES OF ECOMMERCE

(a) Poor quality products: You don’t physically see and inspect whatever you are paying for
before it’s delivered. Customers, therefore, run the risk of falling victim to false marketing
and
buying poor quality products from the virtual shop.
(b) Impulsive purchases: Online stores display a large number of products and due to the
convenience of shopping, customers can find themselves making bad financial decisions
through impulsive purchases.
(c) Internet scammers: The internet is a good thing but some people have decided to use it
for all
the wrong reasons. Scammers have made this type of business model unattractive for some
consumers.
(d) Lack of after sales support: As a result of lack of physical premises, customers find it
hard to
access after sales support. It can take up to several days before any help is accorded to a
customer in need.
(e) Fast changing business environment: Technology evolves so fast. Some entrepreneurs
find it
hard to keep up and lose a lot of business in the process. This may make business growth
unattainable.
(f) Loss of personal touch: Business is all about relationships. This business model erodes
the
personal touch between a customer and the business owner. Cultivating loyalty can thus be a
problem since there are many such businesses that provide different options.
(g) Delivery of goods can get delayed: It takes time before the goods ordered for are
delivered.
Sometimes the delivery delays and this inconveniences the customer. This is different from
physical business premises where customers walk out with the products bought. Further,
many critics of electronic commerce, however, have argued that this mode of buying
and selling has been endangering the livelihoods of traditional market sellers and shop
owners who prefer to sell face to face.

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 1.6: CHARACTERISTICS/FEATURES OF
E – COMMERCE: -

E-Commerce provides the following features −

(a) Non-Cash Payment − E-Commerce enables the use of credit cards, debit cards, smart
cards, electronic fund transfer via bank's website, and other modes of electronics payment.
(b) 24x7 Service availability − E-commerce automates the business of enterprises and the
way
they provide services to their customers. It is available anytime, anywhere.
(c) Advertising / Marketing − E-commerce increases the reach of advertising of products
and
services of businesses. It helps in better marketing management of products/services.
(d) Improved Sales − Using e-commerce, orders for the products can be generated anytime,
anywhere without any human intervention. It gives a big boost to existing sales volumes.
(e) Support − E-commerce provides various ways to provide pre-sales and post-sales
assistance to provide better services to customers.
(f) Inventory Management − E-commerce automates inventory management. Reports get
generated instantly when required. Product inventory management becomes very efficient
and easy to maintain.
(g) Communication improvement − E-commerce provides ways for faster, efficient,
reliable
communication with customers and partners.

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 1.7: E-BUSINESS VS. E-COMMERCE

While some use e‐commerce and e‐business interchangeably, they are distinct concepts.
Basically, electronic commerce (EC) is the process of buying, transferring, or exchanging
products, services, and/or information via computer networks, including the internet. EC can
also be benefited from many perspectives including business process, service, learning,
collaborative, community. EC is often confused with e‐business.
In e‐commerce, information and communications technology (ICT) is used in inter‐business
or inter‐organizational transactions (transactions between and among firms/organizations)
and
in business‐to‐consumer transactions (transactions between firms/organizations and
individuals).
In e‐business, on the other hand, ICT is used to enhance one’s business. It includes any
process that a business organization (either a for‐profit, governmental or non‐profit entity)
conducts over a computer‐mediated network.
The main distinctions between E‐commerce and E‐Business are

E-COMMERCE E-BUSINESS
Open system [statistics] Closed System
Not secured Secured
Deals more with technology Deals with processes needed to facilitate
e‐commerce
Does not involve the use of EDI Used EDI
Always operate on Internet Always operates on intranet
Involves all types of commerce transaction Involves explicitly business transactions
Used for small and bulky transaction Used for bulky transaction
Focused on Business to consumer activities Focused more on business to business
activities
e‐commerce is an extension of a traditional e‐business is an online business only
business model

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 1.8: MODELS/TYPES OF ECOMMERCE

Business to Business [B2B]

B2B (business – to‐ business) is a kind of e-commerce, which refers to a company selling or
buying from other companies. One company communicates with other companies through
electronic Medias. Some of these transactions include sending and receiving orders, invoice
and shopping orders. It was an attractive alternative to the current process of printing, mailing
various business documents.

B2C Model
Business – to Consumer [B2C] e‐commerce consists of the sale of products or services from
a business to the general public. Products can be anything from clothing to flowers and the
products can also be intangible products such as online banking, stock trading, and airline
reservations. Sellers that use B2C business model can increase their benefits by eliminating
the middlemen. This is called disintermediation because businesses sell products directly to
consumers without using traditional retail channels. Business – to Consumer [B2C] is
basically, a concept of online marketing and distributing of products and services over the
internet.

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C2C Business Models:
A website following the C2C business model helps consumers to sell their assets like
residential property, cars, motorcycles, etc., or rent a room by publishing their information on
the website. Website may or may not charge the consumer for its services. Another consumer
may opt to buy the product of the first customer by viewing the post/advertisement on the
website. Examples: Olx.com.

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Consumer-to-Business E-commerce (C2B)
In this model, a consumer approaches a website showing multiple business organizations for
a particular service. The consumer places an estimate of amount he/she wants to spend for a
particular service. For example, the comparison of interest rates of personal loan/car loan
provided by various banks via websites. A business organization who fulfils the consumer's
requirement within the specified budget, approaches the customer and provides its services.

Business - to - Government
B2G model is a variant of B2B model. Such websites are used by governments to trade and
exchange information with various business organizations. Such websites are accredited by
the government and provide a medium to businesses to submit application forms to the
government.

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Government - to - Business
Governments use B2G model websites to approach business organizations. Such websites
support auctions, tenders, and application submission functionalities.

Government - to - Citizen
Governments use G2C model websites to approach citizen in general. Such websites support
auctions of vehicles, machinery, or any other material. Such website also provides services
like registration for birth, marriage or death certificates. The main objective of G2C websites
is to reduce the average time for fulfilling citizen’s requests for various government services.

1.9: The Future of Ecommerce

By 2022, ecommerce revenue in the U.S. alone is expected to reach $479 billion, with the
toys, hobby and DIY vertical seeing the largest growth. And it’s no passing trend, either.
It’s also interesting to note that looking ahead, ecommerce expert Gary Hoover’s data
projects that ecommerce retail sales will eventually even out with that of brick and mortar.
This means that even though the online sales trend will continue to grow, there’s plenty of
business to go around. But that’s not all.
Soon, most ecommerce interactions will be an omni-channel experience for shoppers.

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This means they’ll expect to be able to research, browse, shop, and purchase seamlessly
between different devices and on different platforms (like a standalone web store, an
Amazon presence, etc.).
Other trends to watch for in the future of ecommerce include:
 Robust customer journeys and personalization.
 Artificial intelligence-enabled shopping. Digital currencies.
Overall, we have to remember that ecommerce is still fairly new in the big picture of
retail. The future holds endless opportunity, but its success and continuation will
depend largely on buyers’ preferences in the future.

CONCLUSION

We’ve looked at all corners of ecommerce, including its different types, the history, how it's
grown over the years, and its impact on consumers and how business is conducted.
There are certainly advantages and disadvantages to ecommerce, but the future has many
opportunities for even greater expansion.

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 1.12: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The research methodology is a systematic way of studying the research problem. The
research methodology means the way in which we can complete our prospected task.
Before undertaking any task, it becomes very essential for an yon to determine the
problem of study. I have adopted the following procedure in completing my report study.
1. Research Problem.
2. Research Design.
3. Determining the data sources.
4. Tools used for analysis of data
5. Analysing the Data.
6. Interpretation of the data.
7. Preparing research report.
(1) Research Problem
I am interested in E-Commerce sectors and I want to make future in it. So, l has decided to
make my research study on the E-COMMERCE
E-COMMERCE is very important these days. As my training is at a corporate, I have got the
project upon “E-COMMERCE”. This is my problem to be studied.
The study is being conducted for Online Shopping in Kankurgachi Area of Kolkata City only,
to find out the customer preferences in choosing Flipkart. It is required to find out the
preferences based on certain aspects (Income, levels selection of products, satisfaction level
of customers).
(2) Research Design
The type of design being used for making this project is Meta-Analysis Design. Metanalysis
is an analytical methodology designed to systematically evaluate and summarize
the results from a number of individual studies, thereby, increasing the overall sample
size and the ability of the researcher to study effects of interest.
(3) Determining the data sources
Both primary and secondary data are required in this study. Primary data is the first hand
information collected directly from respondents. The tool used here is questionnaire.
Primary Data is collected through surveys conducted among existing executives and
employees working in today’s E-commerce Environment, including some top level
executives from some of the big E-Commerce company.
(4) Tools used for analysis of data

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The survey process involved two phases: First phase included identification and selection
of the target audience to be studied and to determine the parameters on which
respondents will justify their preferences. A questionnaire was designed to collect the
needed information from the respondents. The Second Phase involves collection of the
primary data by making the respondents fill up questionnaires.
(5) Analysing the Data
The Primary or secondary data both would never be useful until they are edited and
studied or analysed. When the person receives the data, many unusual data would also be
there. So, I analysed the data and edited it and turned it in the useful manner. So, that it
can become useful in my report study.
(6) Interpretation of the data
With the use of analysed data, I managed to prepare my project report. But an analysing of
the data would not help my study to reach towards its objectives. The interpretation of the
data is required so that the others can understand the Crux of the study in more simple
way without any problem. So, I have added the chapter of analysis that would explain
others to understand my study in simpler way.
Preparing research report.
This is the last step in preparing the project report. The objective of the report writing was
to report the findings of the study to the concerned authorities. I have attached all the
requirements with my report.

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 CHAPTER 2:

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
NATIONAL &
INTERNATIONAL
SCENARIO

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 2.1 OVERVIEW

E-Commerce or Electronics Commerce

Electronic commerce or E-commerce is a platform through which trading of products and

services can be done using the internet. E-commerce businesses are employed in online
shopping websites, fund transfers, stock management systems, data collections and many
more. In India, e-commerce websites have gained massive success through online shopping.
Other websites which facilitate cab-booking, events-searching and trip-planning for
customers
have also experienced accelerated growth.
Online retail stores
Flipkart, Snapdeal, Jabong, Koovs, Craftsvilla, Lime road are all online websites which are
headquartered in India. The prime reason due to which these websites are a success is
because
of the cash on delivery system, which allows customer an easy payment method.
Cab services
The biggest cab service company in India is the Ola services. Spread across the country, this
website provides the first ride up to Rs100 free of cost for its customers. Their services are
quick and safe. After the success of Ola, local cab and auto services in different cities have
also begun.
Other startups
Startups like Savan, MakeMyTrip, Zomato, enhance are all applications which make the life
of commoners easy. Savan is an app where one can download and upload songs,
MakeMyTrip helps in planning trips to various places around the world, Zomato searches for
good eating joints around the locality you live in and you can even rate it yourself and
enhance is an application which helps people to prepare themselves for business interviews
and exams by bringing news related to that field from around the world to one platform.

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 2.2: NATIONAL SCENARIO
1: FLIPKART
Every Indian living in metro cities has heard the name of Flipkart. They have viewed it,
browsed it and ordered from it. Flipkart initially began as an online bookstore. In today’s age
it is the go-to place for the Indian youth to find books on topics ranging from fiction to sports
to even high-end scientific research.
Flipkart will not leave you disappointed. It now covers a range of products from every area of
life. In a very short span of time Flipkart has become the answer for everything.
It was the brainchild of Binny and Sachin Bansal; both of whom began with an investment of
4 lakhs and currently own a company that stands to make an increased profit of $1 billion by
the end of 2014. The story of Flipkart is a stuff of legends.
The candle of Flipkart lit when Binny and Sachin were working in Amazon and thought of
investing in their own start-up. Their growth and success have been an inspiration for many
other start-ups that quickly lined up to enter the world of e-commerce.
2. Snapdeal
Snapdeal began its journey in the year 2007 as an online coupon directory. With time it
shifted its course and tried its hand at e-commerce. And the rest they say is history. Kunal
Bahl and Rohit Bansal was both tired of the boring day to day existence that they lead as
company employees. They shifted their focus towards creating something of their own.
Today, they believe that leaving their jobs was the best decision of their lives. They have a
customer base of over 20 million Indians and do business with over 50,000 sellers who
constantly post their products on their marketplace.
The story of Snapdeal is not a one-day success story. In their four-year experience, they have
gambled with 6 different business models until they finally hit the jackpot that is currently set
to generate annual revenue of $1 billion.
Snapdeal was a better business model unlike other Groupon clones in India because Snapdeal
entered the internet with the backing of 50,000 merchants with whom they were already
working before they created their website. Therefore, when Snapdeal came to India, it came
with a level of variety that none of its competitors could wish to reach.

Snapdeal is right neck to neck with Flipkart in terms of e-commerce competition, it is hard to
decide which store will reach the finish line first.
3. Jabong

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Jabong is currently India’s most sought for branded clothing and accessories store. Unlike
Flipkart and Snapdeal, the business model of Jabong was slightly different. It aims at
capturing the brand conscious internet savvy population of India and has successfully done
so. Jabong is currently the premium destination for Indians to look for branded wear. It began
pretty late in the year 2012, when its competitors had already set up a strong foothold in the
arena. They were different from other e-commerce stores because of their streamlined
delivery process.
Although, Jabong is half the age of its competitors, it is estimated to yield a profit of over
$700 million.
While, Flipkart was the first in the e-commerce market to create a clutter free interface that
became an instant favourite, Jabong grabbed a hold of their attention with its unending
catalogue. No matter what your age, Jabong has everything for everyone. Their aggressive
marketing strategies made them hit a huge online client base, all of whom responded with
equal enthusiasm. Jabong’s super-fast delivery process has helped in making a space for this
website on the e-commerce red carpet.
4. Myntra
When it came to size, Myntra was a pretty small fish in a sea full of e-commerce sharks like
Jabong and Flipkart. But, Myntra was a persistent fish nonetheless. Mukesh Bansal is the
mastermind behind Myntra. He is an exceptionally smart and honest entrepreneur. From a
personalized gifting store to one of the leading online fashion stores, Myntra is always
beating heads with Jabong.
Its acquisition by Flipkart is a high remark for this ambitious website. Its innovative step up
in selling sports merchandise and many other small moves separated Myntra from other low
scale e-commerce stores that are still little fishes while Myntra has only grown bigger with
time.
Mukesh Bansal’s long-term vision and his eye for the right investors helped him scale Myntra
and make it a nationally recognized brand in a span of three years. So much so, that Flipkart
came out of its way to woo Myntra and acquire it for its own; a great story for Mukesh
Bansal to tell his kids.

5. First cry
Many may be shocked to see how First cry made this list. It is a website that has a niche
marketing base of infants and new born mothers this is a website that has an answer to
everything.

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From cradles to infant clothes, they have just about everything. It is a one stop spot to get the
complete parenting kit. First cry gained its popularity from Facebook. With over 10,000 likes
it
is surely a well-loved website that has regular sales and offers everything from high end to
even affordable products.
Founded in the year 2010 by Maheshwari and Amitava Saha, first cry has over 70,000
products and is a marketplace for over 400+ national and international brands. When it comes
to niche shopping stores, first cry has really made a name for itself.
This website is currently competing with the likes of other e-commerce websites like
Babyboy. But it is only a matter of time before it beats its competition and makes itself the go
to place for pregnancy and maternal care products.
6. Ola
Every Indian living in metropolitan cities has heard the name ‘Ola’. Or, probably have
booked a cab from it. Initially started as an online cab aggregator, Ola is one of the fastest
growing businesses in India that has expanded itself to numerous ranges i.e., Ola rentals, Ola
auto, Ola Cafe, and now even ‘Trip with Ola’. In a short span of time, Ola has become the
answer to every ride.
Ola was the brainchild of a 29-year-old, IIT Bombay Graduate, Bhavish Aggarwal, who
once happened to rent a car and deal with a bad experience, where the car driver stopped in
the middle road to re-negotiate the deal. And, when Bhavish refused to agree, the driver
proceeded to abandon him en route to his destination. Well! The entrepreneur-head, instead
of whining about the situation, decided to solve it well, and at large! Currently, the
company’s valuation is $3.5 Billion.
7. Make My Trip
Make My trip or MMT is a child of the quintessential brain of Deep Kalra, an IIM graduate,
who quit his corporate job to enhance a good travel experience. Being a part of an average
Indian family, Deep was surely aware of the hassle that travel includes, in India. As once,
while travelling with his wife, he had to stand a poor accommodation. At the same time, he
was also observing the power of the internet expanding day-by-day & things changing around
it. Deep understood the needs of India travellers and provided them with exactly ‘what they
want’ by wearing the customer’s hat.
In 2000, with a backing of USD 2-Million from ventures, MMT (earlier known as India

23
Ahoy) the ecommerce startups were found. Since then, getting listed on the International
Stock Exchange and with more than $900 million caps at NASDAQ, MMT has been a game
changer in the travel segment.
8. Paytm
Two words that come while shopping to almost every Indian mind are “Paytm karo.”
Launched in 2010 by Vijay Shekhar Sharma, a graduate from Delhi College of Engineering
Paytm has brought a paradigm shift in the retail industry by completely transforming the
payment methodology electronically. It was a dream dreamt when Vijay was struggling to
make ends meet with 10 rupees in the pocket. Always struggling with his hand in English, he
quit his first job at an MNC, began a new business but was unfortunately conned off.
The ‘eureka’ moment came in 2011 when he first pitched the ecommerce startups idea of
entering the payment ecosystem in front of his board of One97 (the parent company of
Paytm). Initially started as an online mobile recharge and bill payment platform, it now
enables to make every kind of transaction on a click of a button. In just a span of 8 years,
Paytm has notched up 250 million registered users and 7 million transactions daily.

2.3: INTERNATIONAL SCENATIO

1. Amazon, Inc. – The King of eCommerce
Not surprisingly, we start the list of the largest eCommerce companies in the world with
Amazon and its empire.
Founded in 1994 in Seattle by now immortal Jeff Bezos, Amazon has in the years since
become a household name when it comes to online shopping. This internet company today
has the largest revenue in the world, but its beginnings were humble. It was initially not
more than an online bookstore. Take a look at this interview with Jeff Bezos from 1999 and
see how unpredictable things were back then.
2. Jingdong – Chinese eCommerce
Many of us living in a western world didn’t even hear of this eCommerce giant! The second
on our list of the largest eCommerce companies in the world is Jingdong, also known as
JD.com. This e-Commerce company operating from Beijing is the first of three major
Chinese companies we list here. Rivalled by the more popular Alibaba, Jingdong has well
over quarter of a billion registered users as of 2018. It was founded in 1998 and started

24
trading online six years later. Today, the company brandishes its high-tech delivery system,
comprised of robots, AI, and a fleet of drones.
3. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. – Chinese eCommerce

Dragon
If you are buying stuff on the Internet, there’s a significant chance that you bought something
from AliExpress or Alibaba. This Chinese mega company comes third on the list of the
largest e-Commerce companies in the world!
Few people haven’t heard of Jack Ma’s success story. The Chinese business magnate’s life
is a riches-to-rags story. Having been rejected from more than 30 job posts in the early 1990s,
he started making websites for companies with his wife and a friend. The business grew
exponentially and in the year 1999, Alibaba Group was founded, the world’s largest retailer
of present-day, operating in more than 200 countries.
4. eBay Inc. – The eCommerce Company That Once Sold a

Whole Town
The eBay’s beloved red-blue-green-yellow logo is for many a symbol of the 1990s and for a
good reason. It was one of the first successful dot-com bubble companies that epitomized
online shopping. The company was founded in San Hose, California in 1995 and its most
distinctive feature is the online auction feature, alongside a conventional buy-it-now
shopping option.
With the revenue of almost $11B in 2018, eBay comes fourth on the list of the largest e-
Commerce companies in the world.
5. Groupon – E- Commerce that Connects Users with Local

Businesses
This American eCommerce marketplace launched in Chicago in 2008 reshaped the concept
of group discount online shopping. It connects its subscribers to local businesses in one of
500 cities worldwide. The principle is simple: users get a discount and business owners
increase the revenue; it’s a win-win situation.
6. Zalando – Largest European eCommerce Company
Surprisingly enough, this the first European company on the list of the largest e-Commerce
companies in the world.
Zalando’s headquarters are in Berlin and they predominantly have online stores that sell
fashion items, such as apparel and shoes. Their logo resembles an orange guitar pick.

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7. Rakuten, Inc. – Japanese eCommerce Godzilla

After a brief spell of American companies, we return to the Far East. Rakuten is
a Japanese eCommerce company launched in 1997. They operate Japan’s largest online
bank, in addition to online shopping and credit card payments. In all, Rakuten Group runs
some 70 businesses, ranging from widely used instant messaging app Viber (as 2017
officially known as Rakuten Viber) to having their logo on FC Barcelona’s jerseys.

26
 CHAPTER 3:

DATA FINDING &

ANALYSIS

27
 Total World-wide E-commerce sales

Figure 1:

Source: https://kinsta.com/blog/ecommerce-statistics

Figure 1: Data Finding & Analysis

Even with limited capital, it’s easy to set up a business nowadays thanks to ecommerce
growth. With consumers increasingly relying on online shopping — it is estimated that 95 %
of purchases will be made online by 2040 — ecommerce is opening the doors of opportunity
to countless entrepreneurs.
And, those ecommerce sales opportunities are rapidly growing. In 2017, ecommerce was
responsible for $2.3 trillion in sales, which is expected to nearly double to $4.5 trillion by
2021. In the U.S. alone, online shopping already accounts for 10% of retail sales and is
expected to grow at a year-on-year rate of 15%.

2.Mobile E-commerce is up and Poised for Further Growth

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Figure 2:

Source: Statista

Figure 2: Data Finding & Analysis

Worldwide, e-commerce growth is primarily being driven by consumers using their mobile
devices, phones and tablets, to acquire goods and services. According to eMarketer estimates,
retail e-commerce sales reached $2.3 trillion in 2017, a 23.2 percent increase over the
previous year. The mobile share of this stood at 58.9 percent, or $1.4 trillion. In 2021, mobile
e-commerce could rake in some $3.5 trillion and then make up almost three quarters (72.9
percent) of e-commerce sales.

3. E-commerce Market Share:

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Figure 3:

Source: https://kinsta.com/blog/ecommerce-statistics
Figure 3: Data Finding & Analysis
Though the United States is often thought of as the largest market for ecommerce, it isn’t.
However, it does make the list of the top 10 largest ecommerce markets in the world:
 China: $672 billion
 USA: $340 billion
 United Kingdom: $99 billion
 Japan: $79 billion
 Germany: $73 billion
 France: $43 billion
 South Korea: $37 billion

30
 Canada: $30 billion
 Russia: $20 billion
 Brazil: $19 billion

4. Payment Methods:
Figure 4:

Figure 4: Data Finding & Analysis

Payment method aside, more Americans already prefer online shopping than shopping in a
physical store, with 51% percent clicking their way to making purchases. A total of 96% of
Americans have made at least one online purchase in their life, with 80% doing so in the last
month alone. However, Americans actually spend 64% of their budget in physical stores and
only 36% online.

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INDIAN E-COMMERCE INDUSTRY ANALYSIS REPORT

Introduction

E-commerce has transformed the way business is done in India. The Indian E-commerce
market is expected to grow to US$ 200 billion by 2026 from US$ 38.5 billion as of
2017. Much of the growth for the industry has been triggered by an increase in internet
and smartphone penetration. As of September 2020, the number of internet connections
in India significantly increased to 776.45 million, driven by the ‘Digital India’
programme. Out of the total internet connections, ~61% connections were in urban
areas, of which 97% connections were wireless.

Market Size

The Indian online grocery market is estimated to reach US$ 18.2 billion in 2024 from
US $1.9 billion in 2019, expanding at a CAGR of 57%. India's e-commerce orders
volume increased by 36% in the last quarter of 2020, with the personal care, beauty and
wellness (PCB&W) segment being the largest beneficiary.
Propelled by rising smartphone penetration, launch of 4G network and increasing
consumer wealth, the Indian E-commerce market is expected to grow to US$ 200 billion
by 2026 from US$ 38.5 billion in 2017. Online retail sales in India is expected to grow
31% to touch US$ 32.70 billion in 2018, led by Flipkart, Amazon India and Paytm Mall.
In India, smartphone shipments reached 150 million units and 5G smartphone
shipments crossed 4 million in 2020, driven by high consumer demand post-lockdown.

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In festive season CY20, the Indian e-commerce GMV was recorded at US$ 8.3 billion,
a significant jump of 66% over the previous festive season. Similarly, the Indian ecommerce
market recorded ~88 million users in festive season CY20, a significant jump
of 87% over the previous festive season.

Investments/ Developments
Some of the major developments in the Indian e-commerce sector are as follows:
• In February 2021, Flipkart partnered with Maharashtra State Khadi & Village
Industries Board and Maharashtra Small Scale Industries Development
Corporation to bring local artisans and small and medium businesses into the ecommerce
ecosystem.
• In February 2021, Zomato entered into an agreement with the Ministry of
Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) to introduce 300 street food vendors on
its portal.
• In February 2021, Flipkart Wholesale, the digital B2B marketplace of Flipkart
Group will offer grocery on its app with an aim to provide kiranas and small
retailers one-stop access to a wide selection of products.
• In February 2021, Udaan, a B2B e-commerce firm, announced to expand its
warehouse capacity (by 5x) to 50 million sq. ft. across several states in the next
7-8 years.
• In January 2021, Flipkart introduced Super coin Pay to strengthen its super Coin
rewards programme by allowing customers to pay through Super Coins at >5,000
retail outlets across the country.
• In January 2021, The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)
unveiled eKhadiIndia.com, an e-commerce portal, which will comprise >50,000
products, ranging from apparel to home décor.
• In January 2021, the B2B e-commerce platform, Udaan raised US$ 280 million
(~Rs. 2,048 crore) in additional financing from new investors—Octahedron
Capital and Moonstone Capital. Prior to this, in October 2019, the company
raised US$ 585 million (~Rs. 4,280 crore) from Tencent, Altimeter, Footpath
Ventures, Hillhouse, GGV Capital and Citi Ventures. It is likely to deploy the
latest fund towards continued market creation of B2B e-commerce in India and
digitise more small businesses across the country.

33
• Flipkart partnered with PayTM for its annual Big Billion Days Sale event in
October 2020, offering customers the convenience of making payments directly
through the latter's application with the bonus of receiving PayTM cashbacks
over and above Flipkart discounts.
• Infibeam Avenues signed a contract with Oman’s second-largest bank, the Bank
of Muscat, to process the bank’s online card transactions of various payment
networks through its digital payment solution—CCAvenue Payment Gateway
Service in November 2020.
• In November 2020, Amazon India announced collaboration with Hindustan
Petroleum Corporation Limited. Under this partnership, customers will be able
to book and pay for their LPG cylinders until the delivery.
• In November 2020, Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd. (RRVL), a subsidiary of
Reliance Industries (RIL), acquired a minority stake of Urban Ladder Home
Decor Solutions Pvt. Ltd. for Rs. 182.12 crore (US$ 24.67 million).
• In November 2020, Flipkart acquired Scapic, an Augmented Reality (AR) firm,
to boost user experience.
• In November 2020, Amazon India has opened 'Made in India' toy store, in line
with the government's ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ vision. The store will allow thousands of
manufacturers and vendors to sell toys driven by the Indian culture,
folk tales and toys that promote creative thinking and are locally crafted &
manufactured.

Government initiatives
Since 2014, the Government of India has announced various initiatives, namely Digital
India, Make in India, Start-up India, Skill India and Innovation Fund. The timely and
effective implementation of such programs will likely support growth of E-commerce
in the country. Some of the major initiatives taken by the Government to promote
Ecommerce
in India are as follows:
• As of February 15, 2020, the Government eMarketplace (GeM), listed 1,071,747
sellers and service providers across over 13,899 product and 176 service
categories. For the financial year 2020-21, government procurement from micro
and small enterprises was worth Rs. 23,424 crore (US$ 3.2 billion).
• In a bid to systematise the onboarding process of retailers on e-commerce

34
platforms, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)
is reportedly planning to utilise the Open Network for Digital Commerce
(ONDC) to set protocols for cataloguing, vendor discovery and price discovery.
The department aims to provide equal opportunities to all marketplace players to
make optimum use of the e-commerce ecosystem in the larger interest of the
country and its citizen.
• National Retail Policy: The government had identified five areas in its proposed
national retail policy—ease of doing business, rationalisation of the licence
process, digitisation of retail, focus on reforms and an open network for digital
commerce—stating that offline retail and e-commerce need to be administered
in an integral manner.
• The Consumer Protection (e-commerce) Rules 2020 notified by the Consumer
Affairs Ministry in July directed e-commerce companies to display the country
of origin alongside the product listings. In addition, the companies will also have to reveal
parameters that go behind determining product listings on their
platforms.
• Government e-Marketplace (GeM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with Union Bank of India to facilitate a cashless, paperless and
transparent payment system for an array of services in October 2019.
• Under the Digital India movement, Government launched various initiatives like
Umang, Start-up India Portal, Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) etc. to boost
digitisation.
• In October 2020, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Piyush Goyal invited
start-ups to register at public procurement portal, GeM, and offer goods and
services to government organisations and PSUs.
• In October 2020, amending the equalisation levy rules of 2016, the government
mandated foreign companies operating e-commerce platforms in India to have
permanent account numbers (PAN). It imposed a 2% tax in the FY21 budget on
the sale of goods or delivery of services through a non-resident ecommerce
operator.
• In order to increase the participation of foreign players in E-commerce, Indian
Government hiked the limit of FDI in E-commerce marketplace model to up to
100% (in B2B models).
• Heavy investment made by the Government in rolling out fiber network for 5G

35
will help boost E-commerce in India.

Road Ahead
The E-commerce industry has been directly impacting micro, small & medium
enterprises (MSME) in India by providing means of financing, technology and training
and has a favourable cascading effect on other industries as well. Indian E-commerce
industry has been on an upward growth trajectory and is expected to surpass the US to
become the second largest E-commerce market in the world by 2034. Technology
enabled innovations like digital payments, hyper-local logistics, analytics driven
customer engagement and digital advertisements will likely support the growth in the
sector. The growth in E-commerce sector will also boost employment, increase
revenues from export, increase tax collection by ex-chequers, and provide better
products and services to customers in the long-term. Rise in smartphone usage is
expected to rise 84% to reach 859 million by 2022.
E-retail market is expected to continue its strong growth - it registered a CAGR of over
35% to reach Rs. 1.8 trillion (US$ 25.75 billion) in FY20. Over the next five years, the
Indian e-retail industry is projected to exceed ~300-350 million shoppers, propelling
the online Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) to US$ 100-120 billion by 2025.
According to Bain & Company report, India’s social commerce gross merchandise
value (GMV) stood at ~US$ 2 billion in 2020. By 2025, it is expected to reach US$ 20
billion, with a potentially monumental jump to US$ 70 billion by 2030, owing to high
mobile usage.

36
 CHAPTER 4:

CONCLUSION &
RECOMMENDATION

37
 CONCLUSION
The world revolves around the internet today. E-commerce is a great forum for startups to
establish themselves. In a country like India, e-commerce plays an important role because it
needs minimal or no investment and all one needs is an idea to begin an online store. The
unemployed youth of India has a great advantage to make use of through the electronic
commerce platform. E-commerce still represents one of the business methods that take
advantage if done the right way, even if the stock market and commodities fell, but E-
Commerce still able to survive and receive high transaction. E-commerce has a tremendous
opportunity in the course of or business in Malaysia. In addition, it is also to introducing new
techniques and styles in a transaction. Use the extensive E-Commerce in the Internet world is
actually much better to bring the goodness of the individual or the state.
E-Commerce has undeniably become an important part of our society. The successful
companies of the future will be those that take E-Commerce seriously, dedicating sufficient
resources to its development. E-Commerce is not an IT issue but a whole business
undertaking. Companies that use it as a reason for completely re-designing their business
processes are likely to reap the greatest benefits. Moreover, E-Commerce is a helpful
technology that gives the consumer access to business and companies all over the world.

38
 RECOMMENDATION

(a) Displaying a list of suggested products based on the visitor’s browsing history
(b) Use product recommendation engines to personalize your email campaigns.
(c) Providing access to the shopper’s browsing history
(d) Alert viewers of products that have been updated
(e) Personalize recommendations by showing items related to previous purchases
(f) Feature best-selling items for each brand
(g) Generate product bundles (items frequently purchased together) and offer a special
discount for purchasing the group.
(h) Don’t limit references to best-selling items to one product or brand. show best-sellers
across entire product categories.
(i) Make sure all recommendations are relevant and timely. they should also be informed by
returns and reviews.
(j) Adjust your recommendations to keep popular products highlighted and to provide
additional viewing opportunities for lower-selling items (20 percent of your items will
provide 80 percent of your sales).
(k) Show highest rated items in product recommendations. Try injecting some social proof
into your product recommendations by displaying items that have the highest customer
reviews.
(l) Know your visitors. the more personalization you can add, the better your results.
(m)Provide product recommendations when items added to the cart require accessories
(fishing reels need fishing line, flashlights need batteries, shoes often require socks).
(n) Use product recommendations for moving the buyer up to a more fully-featured version
of the one currently being browsed (upselling).
(o) Use product recommendations to remind the shopper about upcoming holidays or other
special events.

39
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Global Electronic Commerce: Theory and Cases, by Chris Westland and Ted Clark,
MIT Press, 1999.
2. E-Business - Roadmap for Success, by Ravi Kalakota and Marcia Robinson, Addison-
Wesley Publishing Company, Inc, 1999
3. Electronic Commerce - A Manager's Guide, by Ravi Kalakota and Andrew B.
Whinstone, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc., 1997
4. Statista

WEBLIOGRAPHY

1. www.flipkart.com
2. www.yahoo.com (links and search data)
3. www.google.co.in (links and search data)
4. www.investopedia.com
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mergers_and_acquisitions "
6. https://kinsta.com/blog/ecommerce-statistics

40
41