Amazon Great Indian Festival 2024 and AI Innovations
The Amazon Great Indian Festival 2024 is scheduled to begin on September 27, marking a significant event for the company. This year, Amazon is leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance the shopping experience for its customers. Saurabh Srivastava, the Vice President of Categories at Amazon India, discussed the impact of AI-driven innovations in an interview, highlighting their importance during this major festive sale.
AI is set to simplify the decision-making process for shoppers, making it easier for them to navigate through the vast array of products available. The integration of AI technologies aims to provide a more personalized and efficient shopping experience, reflecting Amazon’s commitment to improving customer satisfaction during one of its most important sales events of the year.
Amazon Great Indian Festival 2024 Date and Benefits
The Amazon Great Indian Festival 2024 is set to commence on September 27, featuring a special 24-hour early access for Prime members. This annual event promises customers a wide array of enticing deals, blockbuster entertainment, and the launch of new products across various categories, including smartphones, fashion, beauty, and large appliances.
In addition to the exciting offers, Amazon is providing a 10 percent instant discount for purchases made with SBI Debit and Credit Cards, as well as Credit EMI options. Customers can also take advantage of No-cost EMI plans. For Prime members, there is an added benefit of 5 percent unlimited cashback when shopping with the Amazon Pay ICICI credit card, enhancing the overall shopping experience during the festival.
Expansion of Fulfilment Network and Job Creation
To enhance the shopping experience for customers across India, three new fulfilment centres have been added to Amazon’s extensive operations network, which already includes over 43 million cubic feet of storage, sortation centres in 19 states, and around 2,000 delivery stations. This expansion is supported by Amazon Air and collaborations with Indian Railways and India Post, ensuring efficient delivery across all pin codes.
In anticipation of the festive season, Amazon has also generated over 110,000 seasonal job opportunities throughout its network. These positions, which encompass both direct and indirect roles, are available in major cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, and Chennai, reflecting the company’s commitment to meeting the surge in customer demand during this busy period.
Enhancements in AI for Shopping Experience
This year, significant advancements have been made in enhancing the shopping experience through AI technology. The introduction of AI-generated review highlights allows customers to quickly grasp the essence of customer feedback, facilitating faster and more informed purchasing decisions. Additionally, the launch of Rufus, a conversational shopping assistant, enables users to engage in natural language interactions within the Amazon app, making it easier to ask questions, receive product recommendations, and compare items.
The integration of these AI tools aims to create a more intuitive shopping environment. Customers can now interact with the app through both typing and voice commands, benefiting from personalized recommendations and the assistance of Alexa. These innovations collectively enhance the overall shopping experience, making it more user-friendly and efficient.
Supporting Small and Medium Businesses at Amazon
Amazon is dedicated to fostering the growth of businesses of all sizes, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMBs) and emerging entrepreneurs. With a vast network of 1.6 million seller partners, the company has implemented various initiatives aimed at enhancing e-commerce opportunities for these businesses. Recently, Amazon India has reduced selling fees across multiple categories, enabling sellers to broaden their product ranges and better prepare for the festive season. The fee reductions, which range from 3 to 12 percent, are designed to alleviate financial burdens and encourage growth among sellers.
In addition to fee reductions, Amazon has introduced several programs such as Karigar, Saheli, Launchpad, and Local Shops, which are specifically tailored to support the digitization of SMBs. These initiatives aim to increase the visibility of small businesses and facilitate connections with customers throughout India. By focusing on these efforts, Amazon is not only helping individual sellers thrive but also contributing to the overall growth of the e-commerce ecosystem in the region.
Trends in Online Shopping
This year, the online shopping landscape is significantly influenced by Gen Z shoppers, who are not only consumers but also trendsetters. Their preferences emphasize sustainability, personalization, and alignment with brand values, prompting businesses to rethink their marketing strategies and product presentations to better connect with this demographic. As Gen Z continues to shape consumer behavior, brands are adapting to meet their expectations and values.
Another important trend is the rise of premiumisation, where there is a growing demand for high-end products such as jewelry, premium smartwatches, and upscale apparel. This trend is particularly pronounced during festive seasons and weddings, indicating a shift in consumer spending towards more luxurious items. Retailers are responding to this demand by enhancing their offerings in these categories to attract consumers looking for premium experiences.
In response to emerging trends, new initiatives have been introduced to enhance customer experience, including the launch of diverse Amazon Prime membership tiers tailored to various customer preferences. The company has also prioritized faster delivery options, now offering same-day delivery for over one million products and one-day delivery for more than four million items, all available for free without a minimum purchase requirement.
Furthermore, Amazon has established Creator University and Creator Connect, aimed at empowering Gen Z and Alpha creators. These platforms are designed to facilitate engagement, learning, and growth within the rapidly changing creator economy, ensuring that new generations have the resources they need to succeed.
Record Growth for Amazon India in 2023
In 2023, Amazon India achieved unprecedented success, recording over 1.1 billion visits and welcoming more than 4 million new customers for their first shopping experience on the platform. This surge in activity highlights the company’s robust ability to serve customers across all serviceable pin codes in India, particularly as 80 percent of shoppers hailed from tier 2 and tier 3 cities. The event also marked the highest number of Prime sign-ups in a single day, alongside significant seller participation and the introduction of 5,000 new product launches from leading brands.
During the Amazon Great Indian Festival 2023, nearly half of all orders placed by Prime members were delivered within 48 hours, showcasing the efficiency of their logistics network. The company is optimistic that this year’s festival will be the largest in its history, reflecting the growing popularity and reach of Amazon in the Indian market. The combination of increased customer engagement and rapid delivery times underscores Amazon’s commitment to enhancing the shopping experience for its users.
Amazon’s Support for Indian Sellers During Festive Season
During the festive season, Amazon is dedicated to empowering Indian sellers to connect with global customers through its Amazon Global Selling initiative. The goal is to help Indian businesses achieve over $13 billion in e-commerce exports by 2024. Since the program’s launch, over 150,000 exporters have engaged, collectively selling more than 40 crore ‘Made in India’ products across 18 international Amazon platforms. The initiative has seen widespread participation, with sellers from more than 200 cities in India contributing to its success.
To enhance the experience for Indian exporters during the festive season, Amazon collaborates closely with them to identify international shopping trends, streamline shipping processes, and effectively market their products. There is a notable demand for traditional Indian items such as clothing, jewelry, incense, and decorative lamps among the Indian diaspora, highlighting the importance of this initiative in promoting cultural products globally.
