e-Commerce Wars

Online shopping cos. have seen unprecedented growth in India, so much that relatively new players have amassed wealth in tune of billions. The success story of the Bansal’s, co-founders of Flipkart is awe inspiring. These thirty something former employees of Amazon have provided stiff competition to Amazon, an e-shopping giant, in India. The recently concluded FlipKart's 'Big Billion Day' blitzkrieg made a cool $100 mn in sales in 10 hrs. and got a billion hits to its website. These numbers are staggering by any means. The response was so enormous, that the servers went down due to overload, much to the chagrin of some of the customers who could not participate in this carnival. This left them bitter and they expressed their anger on various social networking sites, accusing the company of cancelling their orders to spiking the costs all of a sudden. The founders did apologies to this disgruntled lot.

Disgruntled Lot Who Could Not Shop On The Day Of Shopping Carnival

On the other hand many shopped like there was no tomorrow, purchasing everything possible from phones, TV, sports apparel, designer labels to household items. The freebies that were promised by the e-retailer were enough for people to splurge and go on a shopping spree. Huge discounts on smart phones, TV sets, computers, peripherals were simply irresistible. Getting a 10 GB pen drive for 1 rupee was never heard off and won’t happen in future. The customers had a great time, so did the Flipkart owners, laughing all the way to the bank with millions of dollars and a name to reckon. This bonanza also improved their brand value as the largest e-retailer in India, a domain which was largely untapped till recent past.

Lucky Customers Who Had Gala Time Shopping

Many other e-retailers have made their presence felt in the market and are beckoning a huge customer base in India and worldwide. Not to be left behind, besides Flipkart, are other competitors namely Snapdeal and the ubiquitous and the trailblazer in e-retailing, Amazon. The fight between these three and others is hotting up and is going to benefit the customer immensely. Like in the past the Cola war, Tech war was munched and talked about, e-retailing war is in vogue now. Every other entrepreneur, head honchos of huge conglomerates are putting their money in the new game of e-retailing. To intensify this competition, Amazon has decided to pump in $ 2 billion in India to take this iconic giant to a next level and to counter the over burgeoning competitors. CEO Jeff Bezos recent visit to Amazon office in Bangalore was a major event. He has thrown in the gauntlet for others to match if not transcend.

Jeff Bezos Throws The Gauntlet

Flipkart co-founders, the erstwhile employees of Amazon have taken special liking for their former employer. They greeted Jeff Bezos in Bangalore, India with aggressive hoardings which internally are known as “Welcome Me Bezos”. Bansal’s even went ahead and said, Bezos decision to pump in $ 2 billion in Indian operations was out of panic, as he is being seriously threatened by a relatively new player like Flipkart. All said and done, these are exciting times for the customer who is being treated like a King, seeking his all-important attention, otherwise in today’s times, who is going to sell smart phones, TV sets, household items at throw way prices?

FlipKart Fires A Salvo At Their Former Employer

The other e-retailer, Snapdeal too had a successful run and raked in millions of dollars from the recently concluded shopping bonanza ushering the festive season in India. The latest to join the festive bonanza band wagon is Amazon. In a weeks’ time we would know how it fared. Jeff Bezos and the Indian operations team must be hoping to score a point over its arch rival Flipkart. Nowadays the ads that are bombarded in print and visual media are undoubtedly featuring the e-Retailers and their enticing offers. Don’t be surprised if, like soap operas, e-retailing operas or e-commerce operas rule the idiot box for next few years. Suddenly getting involved or investing in these cos has become fashionable and even the traditional business houses are venturing into this domain. “Sky is the limit” as they say, is so true with this technology backed online shops, the testimony to this is, the worth of these entrepreneurs who in a short span of 5-6 years have turned billionaires.

e-Retailers Enticing The Customers

Mushrooming of these e-retail shops and the gigantic business that they are making is a clarion call to all the other small retailers. They are up against the behemoths who in no time would gulp them up. Already at the start of this festive season in India, small retailers are suddenly short on demand. Thanks to the customers who have already emptied their pockets on these online shops. Survival of the fittest is not only the rule of the jungle but true for human societies as well.

 

Humans and especially the women folk (Sorryyyy) don’t require a reason to shop. With this insatiable urge to shop, is only going to make the e-retailers happy and buoyant, and with the freebies they offer is only going to increase this urge. Don’t be surprised if you find offers as below on these sites

1. Rs.3000/- branded shoes only for Rs 300/- offers limited, rushhhhhhh.
2. A home studio free with a buy of 42 inch branded TV.
3. Buy a branded smart phone and get unlimited usage paid for next six months.
4. Buy internationally known branded chappals with easy 12 month EMIs.
5. Buy a tie and get a suit for free.

The offers sound very frivolous but you would be pleasantly surprised, so be ready to empty your pockets and carry out the loot in these tempting shops, though you won’t know, who is looting, the shop owner or the customer.

Brangelina Wedding

Finally on 23^rd August the suspense of years was laid to rest when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie walk down the aisle in an intimate ceremony attended by family and close friends at chapel of Château Miraval, the family's estate in the French village of Correns. Everyone from paparazzi, paparazzo and more importantly their six kids must have breathed a great sigh of relief. Years of speculation of Brangelina’s impending marriage was talked written and discussed all over the world by many. The paparazzi were waiting with a bated breath to get one pic of them together for it would fetch them a huge amount of dough. Gossip mongers, film goers, men, women and every Tom Dick and Harry discussed about them with great fervor and interest. They were all obsessed with this idea of them getting married. This euphoria around their marriage was one of its kind, may be never experienced earlier in the history of Hollywood. A union of one of the most eligible bachelor and the sensuous diva was majestic and eye pleasing.

Both Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had their share of relationships earlier before they got together. Their coming together was so popular and liked, that they were termed Brangelina by their fans. During the heydays of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, the pair was so popular, and their chemistry on and off the screen was so striking, that they were popularly known as Lizndick, and to my knowledge this word was added to the English dictionary, though I am not aware what it means. This love, popularity, reverence is not something common, and is attributed only to the best. Together, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie qualify this test. Both of them have a magnetic personality and no one can take their eyes off them, in fact many men and women go weak in their knees when they see this suave couple.

Their biological and adopted kids played a major role in their marriage ceremony and were proud to see their father and mother exchange vows to live together all their life. Kids participating in their parents’ marriage, isn’t it one of its kind? In lighter vein a kid once declared to his parents, he won’t invite them for his marriage, when the parents asked why? He said, you never invited me for your marriage. Luckily this won’t be a problem with Brangelina’s kids, isn’t it? I read, their kids were heavily involved in making this day a special one for their parents. The kids not only wrote the vows but also baked the cake and walked their beloved mother down the aisle; tossed petals gathered from the garden. I am sure it would have been very emotional for both Brad and Angelina. I can also envisage the wedding invitation would have looked like this.

Brad Pitt n Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie is an epitome of beauty; prettiness personified (Jolie in French means Pretty). Beneath the glamorous exterior lies a compassionate soul. Her charity work speaks volumes of her empathy towards the less privileged and is something to be adored and supported. Unfortunately, I think her glamorous aspect of her personality eclipse her Good Samaritan nature, and is judged by people accordingly. Her relation with her estranged father Jon Voight is a constant feed for media to churn out juicy stories, and no wonder he was not invited for her wedding, though this is not new to Hollywood. Nevertheless with Brad as her partner she has started a new inning of her life which everyone would like to see it prosper and continue till eternity. Their beautiful kids must be super happy for their beloved parents, and they make a big wonderful family. Here’s wishing the dashing couple loads of best wishes and happiness. For me, the union Brangelina is synonymous to marriage of the Greek gods, what do you think people?

Happy Married Life Brangelina