School Of Fine Art

E-commerce for the weavers of Bargarh

India has an internet user base of about 354 million as of June 2015. Despite being the second-largest user base in world, only behind China (650 million, 48% of population), the penetration of e-commerce is low compared to markets like the United States (266 million, 84%), or France (54 M, 81%), but is growing at an unprecedented rate, adding around 6 million new entrants every month. The industry consensus is that growth is at an inflection point.

In India, cash on delivery is the most preferred payment method, accumulating 75% of the e-retail activities. Demand for international consumer products (including long-tail items) is growing much faster than in-country supply from authorized distributors and e-commerce offerings.

Largest e-commerce companies in India are Flipkart, Snapdeal, Amazon India, Pay tm.

India's e-commerce market was worth about $3.9 billion in 2009, it went up to $12.6 billion in 2013. In 2013, the e-retail segment was worth US$2.3 billion. About 70% of India's e-commerce market is travel related. According to Google India, there were 35 million online shoppers in India in 2014 and is expected to cross 100 million mark by end of year 2016.

By 2020, India is expected to generate $100 billion online retail revenue out of which $35 billion will be through fashion e-commerce. Online cloth, sari, and other handlooms, apparel sales are set to grow four times in coming years.

Taking in to consideration the think tanks of Odisha Handloom (IKAT) Department of Textile, Govt, of Odisha has started a new and innovative marketing strategy to woo millions of internet user towards its mesmerizing hand loom products. Thousands of weavers their support staffs including government officials are tirelessly engaged in producing fine clothes in ikat with spell bounding colors .hypnotizing designs. Anyone can be arrested by the splendid and spectacular creation of Odisha weavers. Each product is beyond compare and different from other. Still without a proper market every efforts is meaningless. Every consumer products need a market and market is always dynamic. Consumers are not static. They have variation depending open time, moods, place and accessibility. When one get ample of alternative just in a click of mouse why he should roam the entire market to posses his own choice of cloth or products. It is a very welcome step by the Department of Textile to introduce e-commerce amongst the weavers of Bargarh under the direct supervision of Asst. Director of Textile, Bargarh Sri Upendra Kumar Devta. Amazon the leading e-marketing firm has extended his interest to market odisha handloom particularly Sambalpuri or the handloom of Bargarh is praiseworthy. Though it will take time for full blooming of the e-commerce because of computer illiteracy of weavers still we hope one day this venture will come out with flying colors and every standards or weavers will get a fair chance to sell his product in open market and get fair price of his product. As The weavers are highly skilled and the handloom of Bargarh is high in demand this idea will give a new boost as well as easily reach new height in global market.

From L to R Sri Surendra Kumar Patra Dyp Director WSC BBSR Sri Upendra Kumar Debta, Asst.Director of Textile,Bargarh,Sri Surendra Kumar,Director,IIHT,Bargarh.Sri S.Kohali. Miss Ameya Grover,Executive Amazon.com Bangalore.

Key Drivers in Indian e-commerce are—

Large percentage of population subscribed to Broadband Internet. Burgeoning 3G internet users and recent introduction of 4G across the country.
Explosive growth of smart phone users, soon to be world’s second largest smart phone user’s base.
Rising standards of living as result of fast decline in poverty rate.
Availability of much wider product range.
Competitive price compared to brick and mortar retail driven by dis-intermediation and reduced inventory and real estate costs.
Increased usage of online classified sites, with more consumers buying and selling second hand goods.

Sri Sampurnananda Pradhan, Sri Santanu Kumar Meher, National and international award winner Weavers, Primary weavers Designers, Presidents and Secretaries of different weaver’s co-op society including govt. Staffs in the meeting.

"Every Weaver has equal value for a sustainable goal" ADT, Bargarh Sri Upendra Ku. Debta inspecting a weaver cottage