Customer response overwhelming, stay tuned for more: Amazon India head on recent q-comm foray

Bengaluru, Aug 13 (PTI) Amazon India head Samir Kumar on Wednesday said the e-commerce company has seen an overwhelming response from customers in Bengaluru and Delhi, where it recently launched quick-commerce offering, and hinted at "big plan to grow beyond", urging people to “stay tuned”.

Online commerce space has ample room for multiple players and it is still early days, Kumar - Country Manager at Amazon India told PTI in an interview.

"We at Amazon, believe that competition is always good for us. We welcome that. But at the same time, this whole space, e-commerce and online commerce, is such a big space," he said.

There's room for multiple players, Kumar said adding "we believe it's very early on." "We are still scratching the surface," he pointed out.

On the Amazon Now, the company's quick commerce play in Bengaluru and New Delhi, Kumar said the response has been overwhelming.

"...On beyond Bengaluru and Delhi, stay tuned for that. We have a very big plan to grow beyond…," he said about the ultra fast delivery service.

Amazon Now started a pilot in Bengaluru more than six months back, and marked its Delhi debut around mid this year.

"It took us a few months to get the customer experience right. We spent time to make sure that our supply chain was straightened. We have the right set of selection in our micro-fulfillment center, as we call them. So we got them all organised...And believe me, it's been overwhelming to see the customer response," he said.

Customers are giving feedback around the selection and the quality of produce.

"And we have spent a lot of time building the back-end fulfillment and supply chain infrastructure. So that has been really good for us," he said.

On which cities will be up next in its q-comm run, he said: "Stay tuned. You'll hear from us soon about that".

On competitive intensity in the Indian market, Kumar said he believes there is room for multiple players.

"And if you are differentiating on behalf of customers, you will do well. And how we are differentiating is, we will not only be available at a fast speed with a limited selection, but we'll also provide very large selection that will be available to you in hours, and in some cases in the evening or early morning the next day, and in other cases in two days.

"So we will serve customers when they need it and what they need, and provide them the widest assortment or selection that's possible at every speed point that's possible," he said. PTI MBI ANU ANU