Indian apparel exporters seek special costing proposals from Amazon for selling masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) kits through the online selling website, even as Indian apparel exporters expect the Government to lift the ban on the export of PPE kits soon.
It is pertinent to mention here that e-commerce exports help Indian MSMEs see year-long demand.
The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), official body of Indian apparel exporters, held a discussion with Amazon officials in this regard.
Dr. A. Sakthivel, Chairman, AEPC, said “For a mask that is a lower value item, it should not bear similar charges. PPE kits are used for health purposes and they should work out special rates for masks and also for PPE kits for our members.”
There is a huge market for masks across the world and all the fashion brands have started asking for it. Indian apparel manufacturers have also started preparing for getting the international certifications that’s required before exporting to these countries.
The Government is seriously considering to allow the export of PPE kits. It is being said that the ban on the export of PPE kits can be lifted by the third or fourth week of June. Nearly 400 such companies have got their products tested and approved by the Government.
AEPC has requested the Government to help exporters get the accreditation from the European lab, that is, ConformitéEuropéene (CE marking), and a certification from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to export PPEs to the European Union and US market, respectively.
The traditional way of export now has limited opportunities, owing to coronavirus, and so exporters are now keen to do online export, which can create more business for them. As it’s the case worldwide, there is a high demand for jackets in markets like the US, followed by Europe. The holiday season increases the demand by 4-5 times; Amazon Global Selling programme is one such a good option for them.
AEPC and Amazon are supporting and motivating exporters in this regard. A webinar was also jointly organised by them on ‘How to start exporting through B2C e-commerce’, which saw participation from more than 750 participants.
Sumeet Swapnil, Category Lead, Apparel, Amazon Global Selling, India, said “Signing up on Amazon Global Selling is extremely easy and seamless. With registration, the listing of products and selection of delivery options, one can get started or expand their exports business.”
He also added that payments for products sold online are sent directly into the exporter’s account every 15 days without manual intervention. The Amazon Global Selling also takes the responsibility of handling returned products.
