FIDAK, AIT observe Bandh; continue protest against e-commerce

In recent years we have seen that the e-commerce industries have almost changed the regular market industry, making it very difficult for the regular dealers to survive in the market. Within this few years we have seen numerous numbers of e-commerce trade and e-tailers with huge and surplus external funding had started selling IT hardware online at huge discounts, ranging from 12% to 30% on recommended sale price. This is being possible for them as they are utilizing the surplus investments they hold, with a desperate attempt to acquire the major market share.

Because of that the regular distributors and the channel partners are facing heavy losses and many of the businesses have also closed down. So, to raise a voice towards ecommerce, FIDAK and AIT along with IT hardware trade across the Karnataka state observes trade bandh on 24^th November and silent Dharna in front of Puttanna Chetty Town Hall, Jayachamaraja Wodeyar Road, Bengaluru.

When asked about the Bandh to Sunil Kukreja, CEO, Kukreja Electronics and executive committee member of AIT said, “It was a 100% successful and we were closed all over Karnataka. Now the matter is with ‘All India Dealers Associations Delhi’. The national distributors have taken time till 17th December and hopefully positive result will be in-front of us.”

Satya Prasad, president of AIT said, “If we do not voice out now, the future is going to be more uncertain, as e-commerce believed to go on with unreasonable discounts, with the use of investors’ funds. The associations across the country, including Karnataka tried to bring the house in order through dialogue with the government, highlighting the financial and taxation irregularities and submitting the memorandum to Competition Commission of India (CCI).”

Sridhar, secretary , FITDAK said, “If the OEMs and brand owners do not come back with corrective steps for regulating the MOP by OLS market place, within 2-3 weeks as they promised during the recently held meeting in New Delhi the protest will be re-started.”

The Bandh was a success but that cannot be the only answer to all the questions, even though the shops are closed the online market is still selling the items bringing more loss to the vendors.