.

(E-

Loveleen Gaur & Tanya Varma

ONLINE OR OFFLINE RETAIL: BATTLE OF

SUSTAINABILITY IN INDIA
Loveleen Gaur

RESEARCH
!ricludes research
articles that focus on
the analysis and reso
lution of managerial
and academic issues

Amity International Business School,

Amity University, Naida, India

&
Tanya Varma

Amity International Business School,

Amity University, Naida, India

Abstract
The Indian E-commerce market isset to grow the fastest trend with a comnoundes;I annual
growth rate (CAGR) of over 57% (201221;6), a26ording to the Asia P~cifi6:0n1irie''R.etail
Forecast, 2011
To 2016, research report by F orr~~ter. Ascordillg to CRIS IL R~seaxch, t~~ . expec;ted market
size and trends of online retail in India for 2015-16 will grow at a healthy 50-55% CAGR.
The trends of online retail i11.. lndia. a. ,re 1.vei:y promising and buoyant. SimuJtaneously, it is evident
that this growing trend in online retail is impacting hugely on offline retailers in terms of
revenue
.
~
..
S
and market share. The competition is huge and intense and compelling them to go online.
The crucial battle of the left hand and right hand where we have the ofiline retail on the left
and online retail on the right, a fight 'that has no end like two parallel lines is on. What happens
when the rules of the game are changed~:.Jlrickand mortar stores feel likethe neglected kid
who is sent to one comer for punishment. The focus of this paper is to understand the current
scenario of retail industry in India and the peril of Being a brick and mortar sfore a.fiasustainin
the digital world.

Keywords : online retail, ojfline

sustainability, Brick and Mqrtar, . g.~retai[

I

February-July 2015 I

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