India Post eyes e-commerce

If all goes well, the Department of Posts may launch its own e-commerce portal to sell various government products online in the future.
Reacting to media queries, after participating in the golden jubilee celebrations of the Postal Training Centre,  Mysuru, Chief Postmaster General, Karnataka, M S Ramanujan, on Monday, said: “It may take some time, but it is the niche area, with the government being a vendor, producing many products that include handicrafts and other things.”

Ramanujan said that at present, the department was catering for private players in the realm by providing ‘same day delivery’ service. In Bengaluru, the service is called ‘Metro’ and the products booked online are delivered before 9.30 pm the same day. 

The service launched in October last is growing at a rapid pace between 20 and 25 per cent, assuring a promising revenue to the department every month.

Earlier, addressing the trainees and staff members, Ramanujan appealed to them to gear up to face the new challenge in e-commerce. 

Unlike the IT sector, e-commerce is growing at a fast pace. The need of the hour, on the part of the postal department, is to observe and respond, he said.

Though the volume at present is less, with the department offering ‘same day delivery’ in select cities such as Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi, it may increase in the future, throwing up a bigger challenge, added Ramanujan.

Ramanujan said though technology had eroded the services, with the advent of the Internet (e-mail), it was a global phenomenon. 

“While the postal service providers in foreign countries were quick to incorporate technology, we are in the midst of a major technology rollout. But it’s just a matter of time,” he said.

Museum
Earlier, member (HRD) of the Postal Services Board, New Delhi, S K Sinha, inaugurated the renovated postal museum at the Postal Training Centre. The museum houses different exhibits that include stamps brought out on different occasions, including events, personalities, themes, besides record books and manuals, postman’s attire and equipment used in the past, letter boxes, etc.