This year in January, Snapdeal had ventured into online retail of automobiles, specifically motorcycles. Initially only Hero Motocorp bikes and scooters could be purchased online on Snapdeal. Fast forward 10 months, Snapdeal has launched an autonomous platform ‘Snapdeal Motors’ to include more Automobile corporations in its portfolio across diverse segments.
Hero Motocorp, Mahindra and Mahindra, Suzuki Motorcycles and Datsun will begin their sales online on Snapdeal Motors soon followed by Piaggio which plans to sell its commercial vehicles as well. Of late, Automobile makers have realized the crucial role E-commerce websites can play in online sales, thereby strengthening the brand across potential buyers.
Tony Navin, Senior Vice President Partnerships and Strategic initiatives at Snapdeal, voiced that Snapdeal expects to clock over $2 Billion in sales over the next two years through this platform. He also added that majority of the sales were coming from tier-2 and tier-3 cities where he sees a lot of potential unexplored.
How will Snapdeal woo the customers?
Hero claims to have sold 300,000 units of its entire range on Snapdeal alone which amounts to sales of about Rs.1,500 Crores.
With the launch of Snapdeal Motors, Snapdeal plans to take online sales of automobiles to a whole new level with a variety of Automobile companies partnering to sell their entire range online. Customers have the option of paying an advance amount online and get the booking done then and there. Free insurance makes the deal irresistible since this cannot be availed at offline stores.
However, the whole process is not targeted at obliterating offline stores from the whole engagement. Dealerships will still be crucial in maintaining the inventory and at the same time competing against other dealers in capturing their market share. This is very similar to current scenario of online sellers eyeing the top spot in customer satisfaction and maximizing sales.
Users can browse through the available models around the selected locations and choose to book the automobiles online without having to be physically present at the dealerships. Buyers do not have to go about enquiring about the deals and discounts, instead everything has been integrated in one single platform to ease out the decision making process. Before booking the automobile, interested customers would also be able to view loan options online through Snapdeal’s own Rupeepower.
Our verdict
Snapdeal is one of the most popular E-commerce websites growing at a lightening pace. With an innovative platform like this, it aims to strengthen the online and offline store partnerships. The whole process also motivates dealerships to provide attractive offers to potential buyers, which can end in a win-win situation for all.
Snapdeal also plans to introduce test drives and doorstep delivery in the coming weeks which will make the online model similar to other products on the website. Such an option is bound to make online purchases convenient and reliable at the same time.
Back in the days, many were reluctant in switching to online purchase of products, however everyone was proved wrong and now online sales are witnessing higher double digit growth in India. Even though expensive products like automobiles usually undergo extensive research and criticism before finalization, that day is not far when one would purchase these online without thinking twice.
Snapdeal is the first player in the industry to have a dedicated platform for automobile sales online and can use it to its advantage to race far ahead of its competitors. The platform will be unique for both existing and new customers and should attract a lot of attention from E-commerce enthusiasts.
Fun fact: Snapdeal is already selling Yachts online on its website which is a first of its kind in India.
