E-commerce sites cash in on leap year

NEW DELHI, INDIA: The e-commerce world has witnessed a boom over the last few years in India -- and shopping portals are eagerly cashing in on leap year "festivities". Websites like Fashionandyou.com, Tradus.in and Timtara.com are offering special discounts for Feb 29 and they are expecting a major boost in sales.

"We felt that we should take this unique opportunity of this Leap Year Day to shower our love towards our members with fantastic deals. We would like to share our success with our members, so this day we are giving back almost 100 percent to the members who shop with us," Pearl Uppal, co-founder and CEO, Fashionandyou.com, told IANS.

Fashionandyou.com, a members-only luxury fashion site, is offering an extra 29 per cent discount on all luxury and fashion lifestyle products across categories for the day.

Tradus.in is hosting a 'Leap Year Clearance Sale' with a 50 per cent slash on branded watches, wallets, handbags, et al, while Timtara.com is offering a discount of Rs 4,000 on various products.

"We feel the offer itself of a 29 per cent shop credit absolutely free is unique and never been heard of or offered before by any e-retail brand. We are hoping that this highlights our true priorities, that is customer satisfaction and a great shopping experience," added Uppal.

For Arindam Bose, managing director and chief customer officer, Timtara.com, "Its another way of showing our patrons that we are here to offer them amazing deals throughout the year. And if we get an extra day, we will go out of the way and offer something exclusive."

He expects a 30 per cent increase in sales on the online electronic website on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Tradus.in started its Leap Year Clearance Sale a week ago, and its representative says the response has been great.

"Our Leap Year Clearance Sale with discounts of 50 to 90 per cent has been running for a week already, and will continue to run for another week after Feb 29. We expect to see a 1000 percent jump in sale of clearance items on Feb 29 because of additional discount we are offering only on that day," said Krishna Motukuri, the company's managing director.

According to Mehul Gupta, associate vice president, Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), e-commerce sector has been on the rise, and is poised for more growth. He had predicted that the total net commerce market of India was expected to grow to Rs 46,520 crore by December 2011, from Rs. 8,146 crore in 2007.

"E-commerce as a whole is a win win situation for everybody and its success since its inception bears testimony to the fact. I think we have still a long way to go but the start has been very positive. The industry as a whole has definitely laid the foundations for a very big common platform for the retailer and the consumer to interact with each other," said Bose.