Small traders' body CAIT to launch ecommerce platform

Kolkata: After fighting tooth and nail with online retailers, the apex body of small traders, Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), has decided to launch its own ecommerce portal in the next three months.

Named 'e-Lala', the proposed portal will provide a direct interface between sellers and consumers and there will be no third agency which will be involved in any transaction, thereby eliminating the commission component which the sellers need to pay.

The proposal was recently discussed at the national governing council meeting of CAIT.

The body has constituted a committee under the chairmanship of its national president BC Bhartia to implement the plan.

"It will be the first ecommerce portal in the country by the traders for the traders. It will be a location-based portal wherein traders from different cities will be registered under their respective category of items. Consumers will have the option to buy either online or from the physical store of the chosen seller," Bhartia said.

As per the plans, each seller at the portal will have his own website and there will be a technical team in each city to provide support. Trade associations across the country will be associated with the portal.

CAIT secretary-general Praveen Khandelwal said since ecommerce is a promising business, an ecommerce portal which will provide an additional marketplace for the traders was the need of the hour.

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