CCD - Betting on 'A Lot to Happen Over eCommerce'

Bangalore Based Café Coffee Days’ plan to enter ecommerce is a strong stamp over the health of ecommerce. 8% of the revenue for the chain is generated through selling merchandise at the stores and taking this online will definitely be boost its margins."We are actually working on a portfolio of products and we want to get our act together. We are definitely looking at partners, who can retail their products through our website. Maybe bags, wallets, coasters, stationery, accessories or something that appeals to the youth." Said Vejay Anand, Café Coffee Day President. The ecommerce will be a separate entity altogether and it is still in the planning phase. They intend to roll out the offering in the next 3-4 months.

CCD has also partnered with IPL (Indian Premier League) teams KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) and CSK (Chennai Super Kings) to sell merchandise online.

This turn of events takes the whole idea of “In the future, everything will be a coffee shop” to the next level. Taking a cue from the Western world, Indian players are customizing the model very well to suit local markets.

In a recent story, we also talked about how eDabba’s “Brick and Click” model has been such a hit. Selling vegetables online must also have been a laughable idea a decade ago, but it no longer surprises anyone.

With the nation going online, what other players do you think can enter the online business? Do we have enough blue-collar services online? These are some interesting questions worth mulling over and we'd love to hear from you.