Online shopping in the time of COVID 19 Pandemic in India

eCommerce players like Flipkart, Amazon, Grofers, 1mg, etc. facing issues in delivering orders.

Aimed at fighting against Novel Coronavirus (nCoV), India decided to enforce nationwide 21 days complete lockdown till 14th April. From malls and shops to retail stores, all have been shut down. Though the lockdown is the only way to protect people from the highly contagious virus, life has become more complicated.

E-commerce had got a boom when the public and private sector both allowed their employees to 'work from home'. In the initial days of work from home and lockdown, the e-commerce giants viewed it as a big opportunity to serve consumers in this situation. Gearing up for the same biggies in this space like Flipkart, Amazon, Paytm Mall, Myntra, Club Factory, etc. were ready with their offers and plans. But now the conscious public taking social distancing seriously and avoiding contact unknown persons. Also, due to the strictness of the government and the administration, now couriers are not been able to reach and orders are very difficult to deliver.

eCommerce platforms have experienced a huge jump in order across various categories including majorly for hand sanitizers, masks, and hand gloves. As per a report by ET, e-grocer cancelled or rescheduled over 1,70, 000 orders on Sunday- the day of nationwide JantaCurfew on March 22. The day was crucial for all the e-commerce players because authorities forced them to keep warehouses closed and delivery trucks were not allowed to move on roads.

While the Ministry of Consumer Affairs has advised exempting e-commerce operations from any type of prohibitory orders to maintain a seamless supply of essential commodities. But the big brands like Grofers, BigBasket, and 1mg expressed their concern about the current situation as they felt message from central government was not properly conveyed to the local authorities and as a result, their services are being adversely affected.

The pioneer brands in the e-commerce sector like Amazon, Flipkart, Paytm, etc. are making efforts to keep running its operations and also taking the right precautions by implementing preventative health measures for their employees. Ensuring the same, Flipkart rolled out a campaign #WorkForHumanity - Your Safety Comes First. Aimed at delivering the message that the company is taking urgent measures to ensure consumer's safety amidst CoronaVirus, besides, paying tribute to those who step out to look after our comfort, nourishment, and safety by risking their own.

Your safety is always our priority. Stay home and stay safe during the #JantaCurfew today and let's take a moment to cheer on those who support us during these difficult times. Let's celebrate those who #WFH #workforHumanity. pic.twitter.com/XRocGGTpOm

— Flipkart (@Flipkart) March 22, 2020

Since the whole nation is lockdown until 14th April, the coming days are going to be tough for all and hence clarity in instructions and guidelines by government and authorities can make life easier. It was the first day of the lockdown on Tuesday and people were confused. Meanwhile, Flipkart's CEO's informed that the e-commerce brand is all set to resume its services after getting clarification by the government and local state authorities on the functioning of e-commerce during the lockdown.

We are grateful for the clarification provided by the government and local state authorities on the functioning of e-commerce during the lockdown. We are resuming our grocery services today. India, we are committed to serving you at this time 🙏 Thank you for your trust

— Kalyan Krishnamurthy (@_Kalyan_K) March 25, 2020

However, within a few minutes, Flipkart replied to his message that the brand will not be able to serve as all deliveries have been paused ahead of this nationwide lockdown.

We are sorry to let you know that due to nationwide lockdown in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, all order deliveries have been temporarily paused. (1/3)

— flipkartsupport (@flipkartsupport) March 26, 2020

On the other side, Big Bazaar has initiated doorstep delivery services across major cities of various states including Rajasthan, Maharastra, and Gujarat. However, its just 2nd day, the e-commerce players faced issues with deliveries due to lockdown. The local authorities have also been instructed to allow shopping of necessary commodities from local shops by following certain guidelines of social distancing.

We have initiated Doorstep Delivery services in Rajasthan. Get your daily needs delivered at your doorstep.✅Call the nearest store and place your order✅Delivery at your doorstep.✅Pay at home.Pass this information to your friends & relatives in Rajasthan. pic.twitter.com/tSwvQL2YDH

— Big Bazaar (@BigBazaar) March 24, 2020

If the guidelines of social distancing and sanitisation are properly followed, e-commerce platforms could be very helpful in maintaining the flow of essential commodities during this phase of lockdown. There should be coordination between the government (Central and State) and local authorities. The directions of the Union and State Governments regarding supply of essential services and relaxation to delivery vehicles should be properly communicated to local authorities. This is because the field staff of e-commerce cannot work without the cooperation of police and security forces. Also, e-commerce players need to be very careful and ensure that they are taking all the necessary measures for the safety of their employees and consumers.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are the personal views of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Devdiscourse and Devdiscourse does not claim any responsibility for the same.)