GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

Context:

Despite the rapid advancement of the digital platform, local vendors/small businesses are finding it difficult to integrate with the platform-centric e-commerce system which is resulting in centralising tendency of digital commerce transactions.

Reasons for a radical transformation in India’s consumer behaviour:

• Increased sphere: Affordable data plans, penetration of smartphones, increased has catalysed the online revolution in the country.
• Pandemic induced demand: The novel coronavirus pandemic has also added to a great extent in changing the behaviour of Indian consumers.
• Easy availability: From groceries to online medical consultations and even to resolving disputes online- all of this has become a reality now.

The problem faced by small businesses:

• The local store/enterprises are still confined to a digital vacuum, owing to the additional cost to register their presence on numerous platforms.