+91-9696969696
In a recent interview with Transtopics, Amarinder Dhaliwal, Chief Product Officer, IndiaMART InterMESH Ltd. highlighted how IndiaMART is working as a dedicated platform to generate leads for businesses in automobile sector. Edited excerpts below
Q: Can you share any insights into the growth trajectory of transport/automobile businesses, especially smaller truckers, on the IndiaMART platform, including notable milestones or achievements?
Over the past year, IndiaMART has witnessed significant growth in the Transport category, driven by a surge in buyer demand. In the past year, we saw more than 20% increase in page views of the category, aligned with the ongoing trend and projected exponential growth of the Indian automotive and transportation market. We also saw a 36% increase in the site traffic for Transportation service as a category in the last year.
We have a dedicated platform – “Ship with IndiaMART” to generate the transportation business leads and support the load owners to transport their goods. It also allows load owners to generate business leads in three different modes including Full Truck Load (FTL), Part Truck Load (PTL) and Courier Service. The load owners are further connected with relevant fleet owners and transport agents and fulfill their demand. We observed an increase in adoption for Ship with IndiaMART as the business leads posted by load owners increased by 52% over the past year. As a result, we are seeing a significant amount of transporters joining the platform to actively fulfill the demand in the logistics segment.
As the automotive industry grows, we saw a good surge for small truckers in the Part Truck Load (PTL) transportation where tonnage varies from 1-1.5 Ton. In the Light Commercial Vehicle category, small or mini trucks gained significant popularity, with more than 25% increase in site traffic over the past year. This trend underscores the market’s demand for compact and efficient transportation solutions. Traffic from visitors looking for these products peaked in September and October last year, while January 24 was marked as the peak month from a supply perspective in the small/mini truck segment.
Electric scooters were the most searched products in the automobile category, followed by battery-operated rickshaws and three-wheeler battery-operated rickshaws, indicating a shift towards electric vehicles in the commercial sector. In the commercial vehicle category, TATA Ace, Mahindra Supro, Mahindra Jeeto, and Ashok Leyland Mini Truck topped the positions for most popular brands on the platform.
Q: What are some prevalent challenges faced by smaller truckers operating online, and how is IndiaMART addressing these challenges to facilitate smoother transactions and better opportunities?
In the online space, smaller truckers face several challenges. This includes receiving limited leads from their preferred pickup and drop-off locations, as most transporters focus on Tier 1 cities. However, the demand for transportation is considerably higher in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. In addition to this, there is often a challenge around received leads lacking sufficient information and the unavailability of leads that match their preferred load weights.
To address these challenges and support small truckers in expanding their business, we have Ship with IndiaMART, a dedicated platform launched to provide enriched business leads to the transporters along with all the required information such as pickup-drop location, material type and load weight. The algorithms and logics at Ship with IndiaMART honors preferences of the transporters and verifies the credibility and genuinity of the leads posted. At IndiaMART, we have a dedicated servicing team, supported by a strong ML algorithm, for Ship with IndiaMART which supports our sellers and buyers in reducing the need for manual efforts, time and resource investment. By leveraging IndiaMART’s platform, smaller transporters (truck operators) can streamline their business processes, enjoy better pricing, access consistent quality goods, and manage logistics more effectively.
Q: Are there any specific product categories within the transport/automobile sector that have recently seen significant traction among smaller truckers on IndiaMART? What factors do you attribute to their popularity?
At Ship with IndiaMART, we see a majority of transportation needs for heavy machines, industrial raw materials like iron ore, coal etc. consumables like rice, wheat and maize. Transport requirement of construction materials like cement, steel and iron products etc. too makes a significant chunk. On an average, load weight of transport requirements generated is around 2-3 Tons which is also ideal for small truckers. Upcoming market trends, seasonality factor of consumable products and seamless integration of Ship with IndiaMART in the entire platform to offer end to end solutions has resulted in the increased traction in above categories.
In the automobile segment, we saw a significant uptick in the demand for electric and CNG vehicles, particularly in the commercial vehicle category. The surge in demand for electric and CNG vehicles can be attributed to their numerous benefits, including increasing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) due to their cost-effective alternative to conventional fuels. With the increasing awareness of environmental concerns and government incentives for adopting eco-friendly solutions, smaller truckers are adopting EVs as a smart choice. The significant cost savings on fuel and maintenance are additional advantages, making these vehicles more attractive options for smaller truckers.
The Indian government’s proactive initiatives to promote the adoption of EVs and CNG vehicles, such as subsidies and tax incentives, have played a crucial role in the increased demand. This robust support from the government has not only made these vehicles more affordable but has also encouraged businesses to consider them as viable options. Moreover, the growing need for efficient and cost-effective logistics solutions in the Indian economy has further increased the demand for alternative energy-powered vehicles.
As a result, local brands of Three-Wheeler E-Rickshaws and Battery-Operated Loaders are gaining traction on IndiaMART, catering to commercial vehicle owners looking for affordable and environmentally friendly options.
At IndiaMART, we are actively working to optimize and focus on the environment-related categories, further driving the increase in demand and supply of such products on the platform. As part of our initiatives, we encourage the discovery and promotion of products that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, fostering progress towards a sustainable future. Through the platform, we simplify the process for buyers to discover and procure essential eco-friendly goods, helping suppliers promote their relevant businesses. By offering a wide range of eco-friendly offerings, IndiaMART supports the global shift towards adopting green products, as both consumers and businesses increasingly prioritize reducing their carbon footprint.