E-commerce Posing A Stiff Challenge To Retail Commerce

MGP held a public meeting on e-commerce on Sunday. Mr. R. Sateesh, Promoter, Yellow Pages was the main speaker. He explained the transformation that has taken place in the means of communication between person to person and its impact on the way people do commerce. The advent of mobile and internet has brought fundamental transformations in this sphere and the e-Commerce is an automatic off-shoot of this transformation. He explained the changes in the technological and economic parameters which have resulted in such a transformation and the emergence of very strong social media the world over.

Mr.Sateesh said that even when other IT service providers are doing their bit in encouraging e-Commerce the world over, the Google has out surpassed all others in t his field.Substantial portion of commerce in the advanced countries is now carried out through e-commerce, both mobile and internet based. Whereas in our country it is a fastest emerging sector with 128 per cent growth rate. Flipkart, SnapDeal, Quickr, Amazon and others have made significant impact on commerce in the country. No doubt a very strong traditional retail distribution net work and high density of populations in our urban centres are keeping in check the speed of expansion in the e-Commerce in the country.Also the way we Indians do our purchases encourages traditional commercial practices. However, the change is emerging with a large population of IT generated young earning group.

Mr.Sateesh assured the audience that any mischief by the dealer/s in e-Commerce will go viral in very short time and that would be the end of such unscrupulous businessmen. And this works as a great deterrent in this field. Also the government is time to time bringing out changes in the law governing various facets of e-business to protect the consumers. He gave the example of chip-based credit cards being made compulsory which has now eliminated the abuse of credit cards.

Mr.R.Chandra Prakash, President, Mr.K.S.Shiva Shankar, Working Vice President, Executive Members Ms.S.Sobana, Maj.Gen. (Rtd.)Sudhir Vombatkere and members Prof.B.S.Shankara, Dwarakanath Narayan, K.V.Ramanath, Asha Vombatkere, Ganga Prasad, and many members of public participated in the meeting.