Covid-19 curbs make e-commerce viral: Amazon, Flipkart see record sales

Amazon and Flipkart saw record sales during their pre-Independence Day promotions. But this surge does not indicate a decisive revival in consumer sentiment. Here's why

If e-commerce and not the much-feared foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail turned out to be the real disruptor in the Indian shopping scene, as Arvind Singhal of Technopak Advisors had predicted some years ago, Covid-19 has come as an accelerator. The evidence is in the recent online events — Amazon Prime Day and Flipkart sales in the run-up to Independence Day. But, the record sales do not necessarily translate into a revival in consumer confidence, industry experts point out.

After the 48-hour sale, meant for Prime members, Jeff Bezos-led Amazon declared it was the biggest so far in India.