The last two years of the pandemic may have restricted people’s movement across the globe, but it has also established that businesses need to transcend geographical barriers to flourish. Recent data released by the Government of India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry indicates that India's export growth is steadily contributing to the turnaround in the economy. A major driver of this growth is the vision of building an atmanirbhar Bharat, a vision that Amazon India has long been committed to.
Working with industry peers, trade associations, state and central government bodies, and export councils, Amazon is committed to making exports simpler and more accessible to businesses of all sizes. As part of its Global Selling program, various on-ground events and workshops are organized at regular intervals to generate awareness on the benefits of e-commerce exports in key export clusters across India. The program started in 2015 with just 100 exporters. It is designed to cater to the business needs of Indian exporters and creating the right infrastructure and support system needed to enable businesses of all sizes to export from India by leveraging e-commerce.
Big platform for small businesses
So far, the Global Selling program has enabled over 1 lakh Indian exporters to reach global consumers. These manufacturers are showcasing 140 million+ Made in India products in over 200 countries and territories across the world. Cumulatively, they have added $3 billion to India’s economy. Many sellers on the program come from non-metros, and are first generation entrepreneurs and emerging brands. Notably, there has been a 30% year-on-year increase in new sellers joining the Global Selling program in the last two years.
Our journey began in 2015 and one of the first products we sold was to a customer in the US. Since then, we've been able to scale our business selling over 200 products across 10 categories and there's been no looking back.
Turning domestic sellers into global brands
Folkulture is a Mumbai-based home decor brand run by husband-wife duo Chaiti Jain and Rinkesh Mehta. The business grew from within the confines of their home to a popular home decor label in the US market. It was one of the first businesses from India to join Amazon Global Selling in 2015. Says Jain, “Our journey began in 2015 and one of the first products we sold was to a customer in the US. Since then, we've been able to scale our business selling over 200 products across 10 categories and there's been no looking back. Despite not having a local footprint or an established network in the US, we've been able to leverage e-commerce to become one of the top home decor brands selling online in the market. Our business is growing 100% every year and we are optimistic about continued growth and expansion through Amazon.”
It is heartening to witness the role Amazon is playing in empowering Indian sellers to reach International markets and create global brands from India.
E-commerce helps transcend physical boundaries
E-commerce allows businesses to sell directly to a worldwide customer base. It offers them an ‘easy to adopt and scale’ mechanism to grow their business, by reducing dependence on intermediaries and bringing the seller closer to the customer. By running experiments directly with customers in small quantities and with lower upfront investments, businesses can establish product-market fit as well as stress test important operational aspects such as buying, shipping, and handling returns.
Another manufacturer who realized his goal of operating in international markets is Nimisha Dhanda of D’Moksha Homes. “Traditionally, we have operated in a B2B industry, manufacturing and selling products to brands from the West that have direct access and knowledge of the end customer. Thanks to Amazon Global Selling program, the geographic location of a brand is not an unfair advantage anymore. Digital access is an equal opportunity for all, and we are now on a level playing field. In a very short span, even through the most turbulent, pandemic-struck times, we've grown 5X in the last couple of years and accrued 100% dollar revenue for D'Moksha,” says Dhanda.
In a very short span, even through the most turbulent, pandemic-struck times, we've grown 5X in the last couple of years.
Expressing happiness over achieving the 1 lakh exporters milestone, Abhijit Kamra, Director, Global Trade, Amazon India says, “It is heartening to witness the role Amazon is playing in empowering Indian sellers to reach International markets and create global brands from India. Sellers from across the country are placing their trust in Amazon by adopting e-commerce exports to reach new heights. We remain committed to making exports easy for Indian businesses and empowering them to tap their true potential. We remain committed to to enable $10 billion in e-commerce by 2025 and contribute to overall exports from India.”
