Facebook Marketplace Starts Testing in India; Amazon Will Now Deliver SIM Cards!
Facebook has confirmed that they are now testing their marketplace feature in India, mainly in Mumbai; and this can be soon rolled out pan-India
Striking new changes are being witnessed in the Indian ecommerce and digital space.
While a social media giant, Facebook, will be soon launching their marketplace feature in India, thereby directly competing against existing marketplaces like Quikr and Olx. E-commerce giant, Amazon India, will now be selling SIM Cards, thereby directly competing against local telecom retailers.
Diversification at its best? Or over-saturation of online services?
Facebook Marketplace Testing Begins in India
Facebook had launched their online marketplace feature last year, which has now expanded to 35 countries. And India can very soon be part of this group.
Facebook has confirmed that they are now testing their marketplace feature in India, mainly in Mumbai; and this can be soon rolled out pan-India.
Karandeep Anand, director — product management, Facebook said,
“In India, we are seeing more and more people who are using social media to buy and sell goods. With the marketplace, we are making the experience a lot easier and, therefore, encouraging the behaviour and adding to the economic activity locally,”
As of now, Facebook is not charging anything for listing products, and both buyers and sellers can easily sell or buy products, using Facebook’s medium.
Globally, around 550 million users are right now using Facebook’s marketplace, and now they are planning the same success in India.
Regarding the launch date, Anand said,
“We don’t have a particular date in India for the pan-India launch. The goal of the test is to start learning. As we learn, we will understand whether the product meets the needs, finds it engaging. As we learn, we will start rolling it more broadly,”
In other countries, users of Facebook Marketplace can either pay via Paypal, or pay in person. Besides, some strict safety rules exists, like sale of guns, drugs etc are banned.
Amazon India Will Now Sell SIM Cards
Meanwhile, Amazon India has silently launched their SIM Card selling service in India.
Now, users can buy SIM Cards via Amazon, then get them home-delivered, get them verified at home itself, and then start using telecom services on the go.
Only Airtel, Vodafone and some International SIM cards are being sold via Amazon India right now.
While Airtel will sell both pre-paid and post-paid SIM Cards via Amazon, with security deposit of Rs 200, Vodafone is selling only pre-paid connection with Rs 15 activation fee.
Do you think users will buy SIM Cards from Amazon India? Do let us know your opinions by commenting right here!
This will kill a lot of small web dev businesses in India – you know, the guy who makes a quick website for the Aunty down the street selling clothes from her boutique…..?
Of course, most of them are kept busy serving foreign customers ANYWAY….. :( – Is there any way to convince Aunty to GET HER OWN WEBSITE, and NOT some FB “marketplace” EVEN IF COSTS A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY??!!
I do not think Amazon’s work will be successful.