ShopClues to take the cloud route to promote hyperlocal services

As ecommerce firms focus on profitablity while initiating measures to expand offerings and improve market share, leading marketplace, Tiger Global-backed ShopClues plans to position its ecommerce operating system on cloud. To help its existing sellers expand their offline reach, ShopClues will aggregate services such as marketing, logistics and advertising on digital channels.

With an aim of booking profits by 2017, ShopClues, which boasts of a seller base of two lakh, many of whom also have an offline stores, will assist them in increasing sales locally. Rivals, Amazon and Flipkart too are exploring the hyperlocal model to increase revenues. Amazon Kirana for instance has been operational for a year now and Flipkart too is in the process of launching a similar hyperlocal service. On ShopClues, a registered sellers can pick domain names to create their online stores, integrated with a payment gateway and chat option, to cater to orders from neighbourhood localities.

For delivery, ShopClues will work as service aggregator, listing door-step delivery options available in the given area. The sellers will be assisted by ShopClues to create their digital coupons, advertise online, choose discount models and get flyers printed through service providers listed with ShopClues.