CAIT launches vendor onboarding app

New Delhi: Traders' body CAIT on Thursday launched a vendor onboarding mobile app for its upcoming e-commerce portal 'Bharat e Market'.

The app will enable businesses and service providers to register on the portal and create their own "e-dukaan". The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said its 'purely Indian' Bharat e Market portal will comply with all the rules and regulations of the country. CAIT has been engaged in a tirade against foreign e-commerce companies, accusing them of violating the country's FDI policy norms - a charge denied by the firms.

CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said "the way in which the e-commerce market is greatly vitiated by foreign e-commerce entities through their arbitrariness and violating the rules and laws of the country, it was essential to create an e-commerce portal fully dedicated to the traders and consumers of India." The traders' body aims to onboard 7 lakh traders on the portal by December this year and 1 crore traders by December 2023.

More than 40,000 trade associations across the country will play a crucial role in onboarding the traders, it said. "Most importantly, there will be no charge for creating an e-dukan nor any commission on business done on the portal. The other e-commerce portals are charging commission from 5 per cent to 35 per cent on transactions happening on their portal," Khandelwal said at a press conference. He said no foreign investment in the portal will be accepted and users' data will remain in India.

Moreover, no Chinese goods will be allowed for sale on the portal, Khandelwal said, adding that special emphasis will be accorded to products made by women entrepreneurs, artisans and craftsmen. "The portal will comply with all rules and regulations of the government both in letter and spirit," Khandelwal added. CAIT National President BC Bhartia said in pursuance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's clarion call of 'vocal for local' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat', CAIT has developed its Bharat e Market portal which will provide both B2B and B2C business opportunities.