e-commerce
E-comm ecosystem to create 1.45 million jobs by ’21: KPMG-Snapdeal
MUMBAI: Ecommerce sector is powering employment generation in India, a report by Snapdeal & KPMG has concluded.
Snapdeal, in partnership with KPMG today released the findings of a study examining the macro-impact of the e-tail industry and the associated ecosystem, on the employment landscape in India. The study titled Impact of Ecommerce on Employment in India focuses on the role of e-tail in socio-economic development, outlining the alignment of measures with key government initiatives like Make in India, Digital India, Start-up India and Skilling India, among others.
| Highlights from the Study |
| o E-tail and allied ecosystem (logistics, warehousing, IT, ITeS) is expected to create direct employment for around 1.45 million workforce by 2021 o Logistics and warehousing sector is expected to be the largest contributor (approximately 55%) to direct employment opportunities in e-tail o E-tail is expected to add 0.4 million high-skilled jobs by 2021 o E-commerce in improving the socio-economic environment o Impacted employment generation beyond metros – 70% of the online sellers expected to come from smaller towns by 2018-19 o Driving women empowerment and self-sustainability – 20% of total online sellers today are women o Government initiatives like Make in India, Digital India, Start-Up India, Skill India will fuel growth and generate further employment for e-commerce |
The study further outlines the potential challenges and shares recommendations on the different roles that various participants like the government, industry bodies and e-commerce companies themselves can play in building more employment avenues and up-skilling.
Snapdeal Co-founder and CEO Kunal Bahl said, “The impact of e-commerce industry on the entire employment landscape has been the most exciting part of India’s digital growth story, and yet often the least spoken about. Through this report, we aim to highlight how the industry is generating direct and indirect jobs in core and associated industries, creating entrepreneurship opportunities in the deepest pockets of India and how it is influencing the socio-economic fabric of the country for a more balanced development. At Snapdeal, we are working towards building the most reliable and frictionless digital commerce ecosystem in the country and we recognize the deep-seated role of our talent pool, our sellers and other associated partners in achieving this. We felt the need to conduct a systematic study to identify opportunities and challenges, that will further build models and skill sets to foster a mature, sustainable employment avenue. Our entrepreneurial culture and initiatives play a pivotal role in up-skilling our workforce for addressing the consumption needs of India.”
KPMG India CEO Richard Rekhy said, “The contribution made by the e-commerce industry in employment creation is something that has been recognized for a while now. This report highlights how this impact can be increased multi-fold by facilitating an ecosystem of growth for the industry – developing a skilled workforce, promoting entrepreneurship, improving physical infrastructure, facilitating participation of SMEs and MSMEs, defining clear regulatory frameworks, and providing easier access to funds, etc. to name a few areas which require attention. These measures will ensure that growth in this industry becomes self-sustaining to support the expanding employment opportunities that it can offer. With innovation and mobile e-commerce leading the way, this industry also looks to propel growth and generate abundant demand for IT/ITeS professionals in the years to come.”
This report is part of a series of initiatives that Snapdeal has undertaken to build wider understanding about the evolving e-commerce landscape, and its seen and unseen impact on the country’s economy. This follows a previous study by KPMG, Impact of E-commerce on SMEs in India, which focused on creating an ecosystem for MSMEs and leveraging e-commerce for their growth.
e-commerce
Instamart and Duolingo launch street spell check campaign for Instaprint
Duo the owl fixes signboard typos across cities to showcase instant printing.
MUMBAI: If spelling mistakes had a sworn enemy, it might just be a bright green owl with a printer. Instamart has teamed up with language learning platform Duolingo for a quirky nationwide campaign that turns everyday spelling errors into a public spectacle while promoting its instant printing service, InstaPrint. The playful activation takes aim at the many misspelled shop boards and public signs scattered across Indian streets. From “saloons” that promise haircuts rather than drinks to menus and posters peppered with punctuation mishaps, the campaign sends Duolingo’s mascot Duo on a mission to restore linguistic order.
Armed with Instamart’s instant printing feature, Duo prints corrected versions of the mistakes on the spot and pastes them over the originals. The result is a series of humorous street interventions that have quickly begun circulating on social media.
Photos and videos of the grammar correcting owl have been widely shared online, with amused users reacting to the unexpected spell check patrol. One user joked, “Ab ayega na maza bhidu,” capturing the internet’s delight at the unusual campaign.
Behind the humour lies a practical message. The activation is designed to showcase the capabilities of Instaprint, Instamart’s printing service that allows users to print documents and posters almost instantly.
The company says the feature is meant for everyday needs such as printing resumes, visa documents or last minute posters without the usual scramble to locate a print shop.
Instamart introduced Instaprint in 2025 across select metropolitan cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi. The service allows users to order printed materials directly through the platform, extending the quick commerce model beyond groceries and household essentials.
By combining Duolingo’s famously persistent owl with India’s street level spelling quirks, the campaign taps into the internet’s long running fascination with grammar mistakes while demonstrating a real world use case for instant printing.
After all, in a world full of typos, sometimes what you really need is a quick printer and a very determined language teacher.
