Retail giant Walmart expects its e-commerce segment to grow substantially in India with 90 per cent of its business to be ‘digitally-influenced’ with the advent of better online connectivity technologies such as 4G.
Walmart, which had recently launched two mobile solutions, ‘Best Price’ Mobile App and ‘Dial-a-Deal’ IVR system for members of its wholesale stores in India, says offering such omni-channel shopping experience is poised to be a major growth driver for Walmart in India.
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“If we look at digitally influenced business, nearly 90 per cent of our business would be digitally influenced, primarily because those who are coming to our store are also checking price on web through their cell phone,” Walmart India President & CEO Krish Iyer told PTI.
He said one of the main reasons for great optimism over e-commerce is the advent of better connectivity such as the 4G becoming a reality in India.
“4G from every single prospective is good for e-commerce. It becoming a reality would benefit a lot in terms of connectivity and it’s a great enabler,” said Iyer.
Walmart has been enthused about multiple B2B channels to service its members due to rapid technology adoption led by increasing use of devices such as smartphones and tablets and access to the Internet through broadband, 3G and 4G, he said.
At present, under the country’s FDI policy, foreign investment is not allowed in online retail but is allowed in B2B e-commerce.
The company - which has been laying off thousands of US employees and shifting its core focus to e-commerce - said it would create 10,000 jobs, equal to less than 1 per cent of its US workforce, this year as part of a USD 6.8 billion capital spending plan
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