Exports Digest 2024: Building the Future of E-commerce Exports

Technology is transforming how Indian businesses export and helping them build globally successful brands.

At Amazon, we think big about small businesses. Through Amazon Global Selling, a flagship e-commerce exports program, we have enabled 150,000+ Indian businesses to connect with hundreds of millions of customers in 18+ global Amazon stores to sell their 'Made in India' products. It’s not just about helping them export goods — it's about leveraging innovation to open doors that were once out of reach and creating opportunities for growth that transcend borders.

We have been capturing the growth, scale, and success of these exporters in our annual coffee table book, Exports Digest. We recently released this year’s edition, our sixth so far, titled Tech in Trade: Building the Future of E-commerce Exports. The book, themed at the intersection of trade and technology, explores how cutting-edge technology solutions and AI and machine learning applications are revolutionizing exports for Indian businesses and helping them succeed in international markets.

Exports Digest 2024 dives deep into the current status and untapped potential of e-commerce exports in India. Drawing on Amazon's proprietary data, insights and perspectives from Amazon and industry leaders, and featuring inspiring success stories from Indian exporters, the book shines a spotlight on how Indian brands are making waves internationally through Amazon Global Selling. It also delves into India’s evolving export policies, including the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 and other key government initiatives that are paving the way for the future of e-commerce exports in India.

Why is this important?

• Advancement in trade technology is transforming how the world exports. From logistics to payments and compliance, technology is streamlining every aspect of the export journey, lowering entry barriers to international trade, and making exports more efficient and inclusive for India’s MSMEs and D2C startups.?
• With the rapid growth of the global e-commerce market and the penetration of 5G internet, e-commerce exports from India has gained significant traction in recent years. The Foreign Trade Policy 2023 estimates that the sector could touch $200-$300 billion by 2030.
• Despite the sector’s potential, there is a lack of adequate reliable data and insights in this space. Exports Digest aims to bridge this gap, by presenting valuable insights on Indian exporters on Amazon Global Selling and contextualizing their growth and success within the broader policy and ecosystem landscape in India.

Key insights from Exports Digest 2024

#1: Growth trends in India's e-commerce exports sector

• Since 2015, Amazon Global Selling has registered over 150,000 Indian exporters, from over 200 cities across India, to sell on Amazon’s 18+ international marketplaces (till the end of 2023).?

• Amazon has assisted Indian exporters in selling more than 400+ million product units to customers around the world.?

• Top marketplaces for Indian exporters on Amazon Global Selling in 2023 include the US, the UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Mexico.?

• Product categories that showed significant growth on Amazon marketplaces in 2023 include beauty, apparel, health and personal care, toys, and home.
• Exporters also witnessed remarkable growth during global sale events. Indian exporters on Amazon Global Selling recorded over 80% business growth compared to business as usual during the BFCM 2023 sale. Exporters from tier-2 and tier-3 cities like Karur, Junagadh, Erode, and Jaipur experienced strong year-on-year growth.

Our pledge: Amazon is on track to enable tens of thousands of Indian businesses to surpass $13 billion in cumulative e-commerce exports from India by the end of 2024. Amazon is also committed to enabling $20 billion in cumulative e-commerce exports from India by 2025.

#2: Technology solutions to drive seller success

• Amazon is putting technology to work to simplify e-commerce exports end to end for Indian businesses. From Export Navigator — a one-stop dashboard on export compliance — to advanced logistics solutions like Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and a 90-day launch program for new sellers, Amazon’s suite of tools and products are designed to guide exporters at every step of their journey.
• Amazon is also leveraging generative AI capabilities to improve the seller and customer experience. Amazon’s AI tools help sellers create high-quality product pages, including product titles, descriptions, and additional attributes. These tools help sellers improve efficiency, save costs by automating time-consuming tasks, expand across marketplaces, and increase sales.
• Amazon also leverages AI to improve the authenticity and usefulness of customer reviews. Strict guidelines are enforced to prevent fake reviews, and AI is used to analyze data for potential fraud. By combining AI with human oversight, Amazon maintains a trustworthy review environment.

#3: Government policies enabling e-commerce exports

• Foreign Trade Policy 2023: Called for the establishment of dedicated E-commerce Export Hubs offering warehousing, customs clearance, and returns processing, simplifying export operations for e-commerce businesses.
• Districts as Export Hubs initiative: Aims to convert Indian districts into specialized export centers, promoting international trade participation for MSMEs, farmers, and small industries.

• RoDTEP scheme: The Remission of Duties and Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP) scheme provides refunds for various taxes and duties on exported goods, including e-commerce shipments.
• Other technological advancements: Government initiatives to digitize and streamline key aspects of trade include The Indian Customs Electronic Gateway (ICEGATE) which provides e-filing services to Indian exporters and the DGFT’s Common Digital Platform which issues digital Certificates of Origin to exporters.

Bottomline

With deeper penetration of 5G internet, easier access to working capital for MSMEs, and innovative logistics models, India’s e-commerce exports sector is poised for rapid growth and transformation. Driven by supportive government policies and collaborations between trade bodies, export councils, and private players like Amazon, Indian businesses are not just getting ready to climb the global value chain; they’re preparing to leave a lasting mark on the world stage. Imagine millions of customers worldwide discovering the innovation, craftsmanship, and quality of Indian products. The e-commerce exports sector in India is set for a remarkable growth trajectory — and this is only the beginning!

For detailed insights on the growth and potential of the e-commerce exports sector in India, read Exports Digest 2024 here: https://sell.amazon.in/grow-your-business/amazon-global-selling/exports-digest.