Amazon.com stepping into India – setting up fulfilment center in Mumbai

Amazon.com – the largest online retailer in the planet, is stepping into India this year. Most probably! After a long wait, the company has decided to make some serious investments in the country. Amazon.com is setting up its first “fulfillment center” for India in Mumbai.

Well, thats not an official statement given by the company, but its job listings for the company states that Amazon.com is looking for IT Managers and Stations Operations Manager for its fulfilment center based out in Mumbai.

Well,  fulfilment centres are giant warehouses that help Amazon and other online retailers store products, ship them and handle returns quickly. Setting up these centers is not a easy job. These centers are equipped with all latest technologies, operations are almost machine driven and help serve tons of online requests in no time.

Outside US, Amazon.com has its fulfilment centres in Germany, UK, Japan, China and now eyeing India. Amazon could not find a better place on the planet for it is stepping into the second populous nation and a place where internet penetration is ramping up faster.

In my views, Amzon.com entry into India is not so timely. There are at least half donzens of well established online retailers – backed by heavy pockets, publicly listed companies and bigger VCs. Amazon has to compete with out local and homegrown breeds to establish itself here. But, the country of this massive size, can demand dozen more online retailers in the coming years and theres always a place for well established brands like Amazon. So, Amazon.com should be able to sneak into market very easily and grab a good pie of it in no time. Lets wait and watch Amazon.com fight with local giants.