ASIRT intensifies war against E Commerce

ASIRT has also started the process of educating customers by way of digital promotion on Social Networking sites, with Search Engine Optimization and E-mail awareness campaign.

Talking about the initiative, Mr. Kshitiz Kotak, president of ASIRT said, “With the campaign "In a shop you can be sure", ASIRT retailers now have an additional tool to convince customers of their genuine endeavour to help customer make the right choice and follow that up with service support and help in availing warranty support.”

“With posters and standees for all ASIRT member retail stores and members of ASIRT into retailing from their offices, ASIRT is taking all it takes to empower members to provide answers to customers of questions they are afraid to ask and arm themselves with ability to convince customers”, he said.

Mr. Kotak pointed out the unethical practices on online giants which is not only hampering businesses of small retailers but also eating tax revenue of the country.

“With E-commerce giants eating up into retailer markets by way of deep discounting, their game has been bared. Flaunting rules of Foreign Direct Investments, refusal to issuance of bills with Buyer's VAT number and buyer losing on VAT credit and bypassing various other taxes and local levies helps them achieve unfair, undue, probably even illegal advantage over traditional retail store”, Mr. Kotak said.

“Unfortunately, this is a fight between David and Goliath. We are doing our best to hit the Goliath and make ASIRT member story a hit”, he affirmed.

It is to be noted that ASIRT has taken various initiatives to support small retail stores and system integrators to fight the onslaught of E-commerce sites. ASIRT delegation had met union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and presented memorandum to the government. ASIRT has demanded to tax online trade at the rate of 20 per cent across India and probe into foreign funding in online business.