Tech was supposed to get anybody and everybody in business… I remember that in the year 1999, everyone was trying to create an online platform… Even I tried starting Kitaab.com and saatphere.com (both never went life though)… Smaller entities were trying to challenge bigger entities by launching their websites and generating online revenues.
Seventeen years later, we have seen very few online B2C success stories… And most of the success stories are:
– Global in nature : Google / Facebook / Amazon
– Massive but still loss-making: Flipkart / Snapdeal
Technology is no longer a leveler for any B2C business. In fact, as we move forward bigger entities will have better technology (either in-house or bought out) and with more data (without which AI may not make sense), they will create market differentiation.
While it’s easier to create a website / mobile apps/shopping cart, creating real value is getting more and more difficult.