Amazon India launches “Sell as Individual” marketplace

Amazon India has launched a new marketplace service – called “Sell as Individual” – which enables individuals to list and sell products and used goods on the Amazon website, and then also use Amazon to arrange the doorstep pickup, packaging and delivery. The basic premise sounds very familiar, so it is not surprising that the media have dubbed “Sell as Individual” as Amazon’s answer to eBay. An important point to note, though, is that Amazon is also handling the pick-up, packaging and delivery. You could either see that as a plus, because it makes the process seamless and “hassle-free”, or you could say that it is a way of tying the consumer into the Amazon system.

According to the notice on the Amazon India website, the new service is currently only available in Bangalore.

To cover the delivery charges, sellers will pay: ₹10 per item sold, for items valued below ₹1,000; ₹50 per item sold, for items valued between ₹1,000 and ₹5,000; and ₹100 for items valued above ₹5,000.