Myntra, one of the biggest online shopping sites in India, has decided to return to its desktop version after the ecommerce site incurred major loss in the last financial year. Myntra decided to shut down its mobile website on March 2014, and hence the customers were forced to install the application on their phones for shopping. Two weeks later, Myntra also shut down its desktop version, and went solely with the app only approach. While few termed it the ultimate doomsday move, some called it a mobile revolution. The hardcore desktop users felt a bit cheated, and a tiny yet firm and strong rebellion was initiated against Myntra for their app only move. Nevertheless, the app only approach proved a terrible failure for the ecommerce website, and it ended up incurring losses four times higher.
However, on 3rd May, 2016, Myntra decided to break the silence on its strategy of adopting the app-only approach. Commemorating this day as an important day in the history of e commerce industry in India, Myntra announced their decision to be back with their desktop version. Being one of the largest online shopping portals, Myntra had no other way but to make this announcement. The return with the desktop view was almost known and expected, as, Myntra announced the return of their mobile website in February 2016, though the signs were visible since December 2015, when Myntra silently launched some sections of its mobile website silently without any hoopla.
Thus the much awaited desktop version of Myntra can be accessed from 1st June, 2016. Amidst all the chaos created, Myntra has left a huge lesson for the ecommerce entrepreneurs.
Mobile is in, but desktops aren’t out yet
Commenting this, the CEO of Myntra, Anant Narayana said “We found that while a majority of the growth is driven by mobile, the volume of users on desktop hasn’t decreased”. Mobiles are the new gods, but it is the desktop users that are comparatively more matured, professional and buying oriented, unlike the mobile users, most of whom are restless and are just inquisitive towards the technology.
Customers prefer bigger screens to view products
Mr Narayan says “We’ve launched a number of new categories such as home furnishing and (fine) jewellery where customers want to see the products on a larger screen.” Customers buying products from online sites want to have a bigger and better look at them before placing the order. A bigger picture promises a better view. While, countable few mobiles have big screens, same is not in the case of an average mobile user.
Bargaining is a vital ingredient of shopping in India
Though bargaining is not possible in online shopping, a desktop view helps the customers to compare prices of products at the same time, which is quite a tiresome process in mobile phones. Mr Narayan further says “According to our data, women customers, who are a key area of focus for us, in particular, want to have the option of shopping across channels.”
It is undoubtedly insensitive of Myntra to try change the shopping behavior of its customers, while biggest shopping sites like Amazon, eBay and Walmart couldn’t afford to lose its input through desktop views. We just now hope that Myntra sticks to its decision and focus on some cool innovations rather to befit and appease its customers.
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