Amazon India unveils 'Select' to help brands in growth journey

E-commerce major Amazon has started a new programme 'Select' in India to help emerging brands in the country get access to a suite of brand building tools and services. Amazon India, which competes head-on with Walmart-backed rival Flipkart, has also recently crossed the milestone of four lakh sellers on its platform. "We have been piloting 'Select' over the last few months and have worked with over 100 brands. We have helped them get access to a suite of brand building tools and services spanning across discovery, consumer insights, brand consulting inputs, and enhanced brand protection services," Amazon India Director and General Manager (Seller Services) Gopal Pillai said.

He added that the focus of the initiative is to develop long-term relationships with brands to help them generate measurable value for their businesses on Amazon and helping them achieve their business aspirations. Some of the brands that Amazon is working with under the 'Select' programme include Miss Chase, The Yaya Cafe, Soul Fit, Skin Elements, Zink London and Daily Objects.

"Our aim is to help across a brands' value chain, from generating assortment insights, to providing quick-turnaround logistics solutions, and driving traffic to their products. Select is a horizontal/cross-category offering targeted at new and existing brands with differentiated product solutions," he said. Talking about seller growth on its platform, Pillai said three years ago, Amazon India had one lakh sellers on board and it took the company about 11 months to double the seller base.

"Interestingly, it has taken us just 15 months to go from 2 lakh to 4 lakh sellers now, who offer over 170 million products to customers," he said adding that this reflects the strong growth trajectory the company is on in the Indian market. Ahead of the festive season, the company has slashed rates across key product categories and is offering various benefits under its seller programmes to help sellers further cash in on the increased demand during the sale period. Amazon is holding its Great Indian Festival between October 10-15.