Online Grocery Stores in India

Why online grocery may not be successful in India
Some time back two things happened.  I and my office colleague were having discussion on his friend opening online grocery store in Hyderabad.  Also another friend posted an quote on FB "Currently people are suffereing from MALLaria".  This got me thinking about the success of online grocery store in India and will it be ever successful in India. 
 
Family Weekend Get-together
Logistical Issues
Quality Issues
Peripheral purchases
Time of Matter
Online Population
Inhibitive Costs and thin margins
Proliference of nearby Stores

Giveter - A gift recommending engine

Today in this fast paced world, people jump to look for better work. One company to another company. One city to another city. But often they leave behind folks with whom they had interacted for months and even years. They develop special relationship which weather out over time as we make new acquaintances. Often we remember the time we have spent together; those celebrations; those exchanges of gifts.
Giveter.com gives an opportunity to relive those moments. Giveter.com allows you to send gifts even to persons you don't have address of. So there is no need to worry if the person has moved on to a different place and you want to be uncomfortable to ask their address; because it ends in a long series of question and answers. In the present scenario, all the current ecommerce portals require the delivery address to be entered in order to process the order. But with Giveter.com, you only have to select the gift. In fact, Giveter.com will also suggest you gifts based on occasion, relationship and other factors. In order to send the gift, Giveter.com will need receiver's address, Facebook/Twitter ID or email ID. Giveter.com contacts the receiver at the specified ID and convey in email details like the gift received, sender details, any personal message left by sender. After receiving the email, the person responds back with his address. Giveter.com will send the gift and the personal message to the receiver

Double-edged sword on Nokia

Currently Nokia is facing double whammy. Clearly with so many advertisements airing on the TV, online and print media, they are bearing huge costs to sell their phones. Also revenues are down from the previous high. Currently it is very short in losing the top position for top mobile makers. Stephen Elop joined Nokia as CEO from Microsoft. He is the first non-Finn to become so. Nokia is closing the Meego division, a joint venture with Intel. Thats also after launching a single phone (Nokia N9). Nokia is also shutting down the Symbian division and will be releasing only Windows phones from now on. They are transferring the Symbian division to Accenture They should follow what Samsung has done. Samsung is the lead Android phone maker apart from HTC. It is also making phones on Bada platform and on its own proprietary OS for lower end phones. So different phones at different price tags for different type of people. So is it all lost for Nokia. Will it see another bright rise. Well that is for time to tell. What do you think which strategy will work for Nokia. Or is it becoming a Titanic midway to the iceberg.

Current Crude prices pinching more

 

Currently India is among the nations which pay the highest prices for gasoline (petrol).  The current petrol is hovering around INR 70 (USD 1.46/liter).  There are numerous reasons for this.  Currently the supply from many of the countries is on the low side due to ongoing conflict state of affairs.  In contrary to this, there is currently a decline in demand from Europe due to Italy and other countries. 

But what is happening in India.  Currently India is facing shortfall in exports; both in manufacturing and services.  The current IIP (Index of Industrial Production) have gone to the 2 years low.  RBI has increased the cost of lending by increasing the interest rates on loans.  This has affected the manufacturing sector both supply and demand side.   The Software services are experiencing turbulence.  Infy is currently facing the music for migration related issues in the US, its biggest market.  Wipro is currently not at its best right now.  Due to Satyam, the image of the IT companies has taken a beating.  The imports are currently at the same position.  Even with increase in prices, currently there is no shortfall in demand of petroleum products.  This has led to the deterioration of Rupees – Dollar exchange prices.  Three months back the USD was floating around INR 43-45.  Currently due to export crisis, it is around 48.  Due to Europe and Middle East crisis, the crude oil prices have also increased.  Currently it is at $115.  Three months back it was below $100.  This has become a double blow on India.  So if we see, before we use to pay INR 4,300 for a barrel, currently we are paying 5,520; a rise of around 28%.  What can be done about it?  Will the prices ever come down? 

I think the answer is yes. But it has to be worked upon.  Crude prices are not in our hands.  As suggested by the Planning commission, Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) is not a solution.  Even after forming SWF and investing in petroleum assets, there is no proof that we can gain significant control of crude oil prices.  Also SWF will result in suboptimal returns; well that's a different topic altogether.  The best thing to go for is reduction in usage in all forms; whether its diesel, petrol, kerosene, derivatives etc.  The other thing is fiscal austerity measure.  In current form we are paying around 55% of the prices as tax to the State and Central Government.  With the prices rise, the taxes we pay also increases and who would not like rise in income.  That's why no State/Central Government is interested in decreasing the taxes.  And also they would not say anything about price rise.  The tax on petroleum products should reduce. 

The Great Telecom Circus

The Great Telecom Circus Government of India is thinking for pan India license and also discussing the possibilities for companies who dont want to pursue mobile operations to surrender their license. This will lead to a potential mobile call rates escalation all over the country. Currently there are over 15 operators in some of the circles. Considering this move of Government, it will result in few bigger operators and will wipe out the smaller companies which currently have operations in some of the 22 circles of our great country. So who will be benefitting from this situation.Obviously Government. Lets see how. If the existing smaller telecom companies merge with the bigger companies, there will be tax benefits to Government. If they return the license to Government, Government will have additional spectrum which Government can sell at market rates given the hue and cry concerning the 2G scam. Also license fee is given by the companies. As competition will reduce, so the call rates in existing markets will go up. So is this the end of Great Indian Telecom circus.