Google is all set to target the e-commerce market in India as it plans to open an exclusive eStore for India in November. The company knows the growing importance of e-commerce in India so they are also trying to approach this market in their own ways. Therefore the company plans to launch an online storefront dedicated to Google-branded products.
Google eStore
The store will showcase products like Pixel smartphones, Chromecast, Home Speakers, VR headset, Daydream, and several other products. However, this store will not sell products directly but it will be more like a virtual experience store.
Basically, the company will launch its dedicated website for merely showcasing its premium product lines to influence the buying experience. Moreover, the company is looking more interested in customer data and user behavior to have a robust buying experience.
“We are looking to launch a Google-branded online store for all hardware launched in India, with an authorized partner who will operate and manage the fulfillment,” said a company spokesperson.
It means there will be a third-party vendor that will manage order fulfillment, shipping, and logistics. A report says that the company is in talks with Ingram Micro, and other vendors to handle the actual sale.
If we look into this overall approach of Google, we’ll find it similar to Apple’s virtual storefront approach in India. Apple’s website also showcases its high-end and premium products. Thereafter, if a user clicks on the buy button it offers Apple Authorized Resellers locator.
As of now, Store.Google.com website currently allows visitors to discover offline and online retailers that sell Google products. But starting November, it will take users to the partner’s page to complete the purchase.
Importance of Brand-Specific E-commerce Websites
Now if we talk about some market Statistics we will notice that Google is not in a very good position when it comes to smartphone market share in India. According to Counterpoint Research, in 2017, Google had 0.07% of the overall smartphone market in the country, while smartphones above $600’s market share stood at 3%. But in the first nine months of 2018, those numbers also came down to 0.03% and 1.6%, respectively.
Other companies like Xiaomi, Honor, Samsung, and OnePlus have their own dedicated and exclusive e-commerce websites. These websites are also gaining customers very quickly. Manu Jain the Managing Director of Xiaomi India stated that Mi.com had become “the third-largest e-commerce in India” in terms of overall gross merchandise value (GMV).
According to Counterpoint Research, Mi.com held 14% market share in online smartphone sales. Amazon was at 30%, and Flipkart was leading with 54%.
With all this facts and figures, Google is approaching customers in a different way and somewhat similar to Apple’s way. Though Google’s store will not offer any direct purchase option, it can still influence buyers by providing a unique online experience store. Moreover, it will also help its partners to sell Google products.
Also, have a look at Google Domains Services Launched In India