eBay India launched its inaugural Online Business Index report in Delhi recently, building its credentials as an industry thought leader. The index follows other well-regarded reports, such as the eBay Census.
The report surveys the practices and views of online entrepreneurs in 2013 and provides interesting insights into India’s domestic and retail export businesses. Trends in ecommerce adoption by entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises are some of the highlights.
“eBay India is committed to encouraging many more Indian entrepreneurs to benefit from the large domestic and export opportunity that eBay provides through its strong entrepreneurship platform and consumer base,” said Latif Nathani, managing director of eBay India. “The eBay Online Business Index is an attempt to take the pulse of the online entrepreneur and give their views a voice.”
The index was compiled using survey responses from more than 700 of eBay India’s top sellers with annual gross merchandise volume (GMV) of US$10,000 to US$4.5 million. Importantly, it gives Indian businesses engaged in domestic and cross-border trade an opportunity to express their views.
Sentiment among sellers is positive. More than 89 percent of domestic sellers and 84 percent of retail export sellers are optimistic about the business outlook for the next year.
Usha Arora and Parul Arora are typical New Delhi-based sellers featured in the report.
“eBay gave us the opportunity to start and grow a business with little investment and the power to reach new customers around the world,” they said. “What started as an experiment is now an expanding business and our reach is far greater than any physical store could ever provide.”
Latif released the report at a press conference attended by representatives of 40 media outlets, as well as chief guest Anil Bharadwaj, secretary-general of the Federation of Indian Micro and Small and Medium Enterprises (FISME ) and four eBay sellers.
For more information on the eBay India Online Business Index: www.ebay.in/onlinebusinessindex.
Photo: Latif Nathani, managing director of eBay India, at left, and Anil Bhardwaj, secretary-general of the Federation of Indian Micro and Small and Medium Enterprises.