E-commerce major Flipkart has increased its dominance in the competitive online smartphone market over Amazon for 2017, according to the latest report compiled by Counterpoint Research. Flipkart snagged a 51% share of the online smartphone shipments for 2017 while Amazon India cornered a 33% share, the report noted. When compared to 2016, both the e-tailers have registered gains. Flipkart and Amazon India had a 44% and...
33% market share respectively in 2016. The report noted that Amazon emerged with a higher share of premium smartphones sales made online compared to Flipkart. Amid concerns over slowing smartphone sales globally, both these players have relied heavily on the low-margin category as their core driver of growth. Overall, the Indian online smartphone shipments grew 23% last year and contributed to more than one third of the total smartphones sales in 2017. The growth in online smartphones sales was largely driven by exclusive smartphones launches — close to 100 in 2017. For 2018, the report expects the overall contribution of the online channel to remain the same as brands focus on the hybrid strategy of pushing sales via online and offline channels.
Karn Chauhan, research analyst at Counterpoint Research, pointed out that Amazon has a higher pie in the premium smartphone space with 63% of shipments in 2017 driven by sales of OnePlus and Apple, while Flipkart contributed about 31% to premium smartphone shipments.
Counterpoint Research associate director Tarun Pathak said, “The online channel contributes more than one third of the total smartphones shipped in India during the year, which is the highest in the world. Flipkart led the online smartphone channel capturing more than half of the market in both volume and value terms maintaining its lead with Amazon. However, Amazon was also able to grow its share by capturing almost one third of the market in volume and value terms.” Flipkart head of smartphones Ayyappan Rajagopal said, “As a market leader, we continue to grow the sector through India-centric innovations and solve for customer's need.”
Karn Chauhan, research analyst at Counterpoint Research, pointed out that Amazon has a higher pie in the premium smartphone space with 63% of shipments in 2017 driven by sales of OnePlus and Apple, while Flipkart contributed about 31% to premium smartphone shipments.
Counterpoint Research associate director Tarun Pathak said, “The online channel contributes more than one third of the total smartphones shipped in India during the year, which is the highest in the world. Flipkart led the online smartphone channel capturing more than half of the market in both volume and value terms maintaining its lead with Amazon. However, Amazon was also able to grow its share by capturing almost one third of the market in volume and value terms.” Flipkart head of smartphones Ayyappan Rajagopal said, “As a market leader, we continue to grow the sector through India-centric innovations and solve for customer's need.”