eBay Announces its Association with the International Gemological Institution for its Seller Community

With an objective to drive precedence in one of the most significant categories in Indian exports, eBay in India announced its association with the International Gemological Institute (IGI).The largest organization of its kind, IGI is a highly trusted name in certifying the widest variety of gemstones and jewelry in the world.

The Gems and Jewelry Certification program (GJCP) introduced by eBay for Indian sellers primarily aims to support the country’s jewelry industry in the global market and establishing eBay as an ultimate destination for fine jewelry products.  The sellers can now get their products certified from IGI at the most competitive pricing available exclusively to the Indian domiciled eBay seller community.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Vidmay Naini, India Country Manager at eBay said, “At eBay our aim is to provide our sellers avenues to win more customers across the world and to get global customers the best quality of products. Our association with IGI is a step in that direction. Transparency and authenticity are the topmost considerations while making a purchase for fine jewelry. In the current scenario, with most of the purchases happening on the e-commerce platforms, it is only fair to say that consumers expect authenticity in what they purchase. The certification of Diamond Jewelry and loose stones will foster that confidence in the buyers and sellers alike on eBay.”

He further added, “Loose Diamonds & Gemstones category has witnessed a healthy push in the previous quarter with the introduction of GJEPC certification program. Meeting the demand for higher priced gemstones along with building trust amongst the buyers globally through certification has been the strategic approach at eBay INCBT, and we will continue to build upon the same in 2020 and onwards.”

Mr. Tehmasp Printer, Managing Director at IGI said,” We at IGI, consider the association with eBay as the beginning of a revolutionary consumer experience. With IGI certification, customers can now purchase their jewelry online, validated as per internationally acclaimed grading standards and practices. We look forward to empowering buyers on eBay with our services.

eBay Sellers domiciled in India can avail Gems and Jewelry Certificate Program benefits in three simple steps:

1.      Sell the Gemstone and Fine Jewelry Items on eBay marketplace

2.      Apply and obtain IGI certification for such Fine Jewelry items

3.      Ship the certified Fine Jewelry items with the IGI certificate to buyers

For more details, check https://bit.ly/GemsAndJewelryCertification

The Indian jewelry industry holds prominence on the platform and has shown a steady growth in recent years, providing a shining example of achieving international competitiveness. With real-time insights into the global market demands, eBay- INCBT has enabled some of India’s top diamond jewelry manufacturers and exporters who offer latest designs best quality diamonds and free customization at aggressive price points to the world.

eBay is committed towards understanding the concerns of both the buyers and sellers alike. The IGI certification provides a global standard of excellence to the diamonds and loose stones exported from India and gives much needed impetus to this commitment.

About eBay:

eBay Inc. is a global commerce leader that connects millions of buyers and sellers across 190 countries around the world. eBay has over 1.4 Billion live listings. eBay marketplace boasts of $90.2 Billion GMV (FY2019), $10.7 Billion revenue (FY2019)

eBay in India is focused on driving cross border trade and providing Indian MSMEs and artisans a platform to expand their reach to global customers. The cross-border trade business has more than 1,00,000 sellers registered on the website with over 16.8 million product listings. eBay is working towards building a robust ecosystem for Indian sellers and facilitating with the requisite skills and knowledge to undertake retail exports and provide them with an opportunity to expand their reach out to millions of buyers across the globe.

Spinny Sees 400% Increase in Queries and Home-Test Drive Requests from Women

Spinny – a complete online-to-offline retail platform for buying and selling preowned or used cars – has sold more than 1,200 cars since lockdown 4.0 began. The company has observed a 400% increase in queries from women buyers since preowned cars are now considered a ‘necessity’ for urban households. For the safety of all customers and employees, Spinny has processed all orders #WithExtraCare via a contactless delivery system. 

As women are inconvenienced by social distancing and other COVID-19 related restrictions, owning a car is now seen as the swiftest, safest way of personal mobility. Due to the liquidity crunch, however, along with other customers, women are opting for preowned cars. Therefore, Spinny is providing a safe modern-day solution at each touch-point keeping ‘Customer Convenience’ and safety at the center of every experience. Since the lockdown, the number of women customers is estimated to be 20% compared to 10% women car buyers in 2019.

Commenting on the trend of women preferring preowned cars, Niraj Singh, CEO  & Co-Founder – Spinny said: “The ongoing pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for customers, including women. Be it buying, selling, online ordering, home-test drives or home deliveries, we have set industry standards in zero-contact processes.  Men try but women helm the responsibilities of the safety of the family in a household, and with the rising enquires, it's evident that women wouldn't compromise in safety in transportation for any household.''

 In its Home Test Drive #WithExtraCare, Spinny rigorously follows the necessary precautions as per WHO guidelines, with safety as the top priority. Once on the website or app, buyers go through three simple steps for zero-contact home delivery of their chosen car. Thereby, Spinny has processed numerous orders since lockdown 4.0. In facilitating online purchases, the process is wholly transparent. The car’s entire history is online with HD images covering every angle of the vehicle. Customers are given a real-time virtual tour in viewing the car. All Spinny cars displayed on the portal are available for a home-test drive at the customer’s convenience.

Besides, Spinny stringently ensures employee hygiene. Screened for temperatures daily, the staff adheres to all social distancing norms while attending to customers. Across cities, Spinny car hubs function as deep sanitization zones where each car is sanitized before and after every test drive with special focus on frequently-touched areas. During the test drive, customers receive a complimentary safety kit comprising masks, gloves and sanitizers. Once satisfied, the customer can buy the car on the spot after the test drive or request home delivery. 

Spinny is redefining the auto retail of preowned cars via its seamless ‘phygital’ purchase process. Since its inception, Spinny has earned the trust of 10,000-plus customers. Currently, it operates in six cities – Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune – via 10 car hubs. With its No Haggling Fixed Price Assurance, 1-Year Warranty and 5-Day No Questions Asked Money-Back Guarantee, Spinny has gained customers’ trust while augmenting their premium buying experience.

About Spinny

Spinny is a full-stack car-buying platform for the young Indian, enabling a car buying experience that is simple and delightful. Though in the early stages, Spinny has been appreciated by its customers with an above 4.5 out of 5 ratings from Spinny car owners – and a 78% NPS and 35% referral purchases. Headquartered in Gurgaon, Spinny employs 500-plus people across 6 cities in India.

An IIT-Delhi alumnus, Niraj Singh (Founder & CEO) is a serial entrepreneur and investor. Spinny was born out of his desire to deal with a core area that directly addresses the customer’s challenge – in this case, a car. He noticed the absence of a platform that offers a completely trustworthy and premium experience to people purchasing second-hand cars, even though they are spending a significant amount and the purchase is a very aspirational one for them. He was determined to solve this problem by eliminating the distrust and making the process simple and straightforward for customers.

Vestige Launches ASSURE Night Care Gel Crème for Youthful Healthy Skin in Indian Market

Healthy Skin 

* Non-greasy and fast-absorbing formulation ensures complete skin care overnight

* It has anti-ageing properties. It hydrates and nourishes the skin, making it healthy and youthful

* Enriched with natural ingredients like Roseroot extract, Sicilian Sumac extract, Vitamin E and Shea butter

Vestige Marketing Pvt. Ltd., one of India’s leading direct selling companies and the manufacturer of hygiene, health and wellness products, expands its personal care portfolio with the launch of the ASSURE Night Care Gel Crème. Created from natural ingredients such as Roseroot and Sicilian Sumac extracts along with Shea tree butter, this Vitamin E enriched ASSURE Night Care Gel Crème gives one a healthy skin.

The ASSURE Night Care Gel Crème hydrates and nourishes the skin, while its anti-ageing properties provide a youthful and healthy look. It also helps maintain the skin’s natural elasticity, firmness and texture. It is an addition to Vestige’s growing portfolio of moisturisers, creams, masks and cleansers in the beauty and skincare segment.

Commenting on the launch, Mr Gautam Bali, MD, Vestige Marketing Pvt Ltd said, “We are delighted to share that we are expanding our portfolio of skincare and beauty products, which is one of the fastest growing segments. ASSURE Night Care Gel Crème is a unique product with natural ingredients. It provides non-invasive skin care. In today’s busy life, people tend to ignore skin care. With dust and other pollutants, the skin takes all the brunt. A quality night cream can help enhance the skin’s health as it accelerates tissue repair and promotes cell renewal during sleep.”

The ASSURE Night Care Gel Crème is suitable for all weather conditions as it enhances the skin’s natural properties. It uses a fast-absorbing and non-greasy formulation that ensures complete overnight care of the skin and makes you ready for your morning mirror assessment.

The ASSURE Night Care Gel Crème works at various levels:

1.      Promotes skin cell rejuvenation and gene activity of antioxidant enzymes in the skin

2.      Protects against skin cell damage and skin eruptions due to its anti-inflammatory properties

3.      Preserves the youthfulness of the skin owing to rapidly renewing collagen and reduction in the appearance of fine lines; works as an anti-ageing solution as well.

ASSURE Night Care Gel Crème comes in a 60 gram pack and is priced at MRP ₹315.00, inclusive of all taxes.

Will EBay sell off 65% in Skype for $2b?

EBay Inc agreed to sell 65% of its Skype Internet-calling unit to an investor group led by Silver Lake for about $2 billion to focus on reviving sales at its main e-commerce site. The buyers will pay $1.9 billion in cash and will also give EBay a $125 million note, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. Ebay, which had planned an initial public offering for Skype, will retain 35% of the business.

The sale lessens CEO John Donahoe’s dependence on a unit that he has said doesn’t fit with the rest of EBay’s operations. The company is improving its Internet-retail operations to stem customer defections to Amazon.com Inc. Donahoe’s predecessor bought Skype for about $2.6 billion in 2005 and wrote down its value the following year.

The buyers also include Andreessen Horowitz, a venture-capital firm headed by Internet pioneer Marc Andreessen, and Index Ventures, a firm that invested in Skype before EBay acquired it.

Skype, started in 2002, lets people make calls from their computers to land lines and mobile phones, as well as other computers. It makes money when users call regular phones, set up voice mail and use text-messaging services.

Donahoe said in May that Skype’s value in an IPO could be over $2 billion.

Agencies

Has Microsoft hired Morgan Stanley to sell Razorfish?

Microsoft has hired Morgan Stanley to sell Razorfish, its digital agency, and French marketing company Publicis Groupe SA is thought to be a possible bidder, according to a media report.

Microsoft acquired the agency, formerly called Avenue A Razorfish, as part of its $6 billion takeover of aQuantive in 2007.

The report cited an analyst valuing Razorfish at $600 million to $700 million, based on sales of about $400 million last year and profit margins for similar businesses of 12 to 13 percent.

Publicis and Morgan Stanley were not immediately available for comment.

Microsoft declined comment.

Razorfish is one of the largest interactive advertising and marketing agencies, boasting a client list that includes McDonald's Corp, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, and Carnival Cruise Lines.

Microsoft and VivaKi, the digital arm of Publicis, last week unveiled a broad cooperation deal to develop new content, improve marketing performance and better target digital advertising audiences.

Agencies

Amazon.com finds competitor in Google in e-books

Seeking to find common ground with authors, who have complained about copyright violations through search services, Google plans
later this year to begin distributing and selling e-books on behalf of its publishing partners.

"We've consistently maintained that we're committed to helping our partners find more ways to make their books accessible and available for purchase," Google spokesman Gabriel Stricker said confirming the move first reported by the New York Times.

"By end of this year, we hope to give publisher partners an additional way to sell their books by allowing users to purchase access to partner programme books online," he said in an e-mail to InformationWeek, a leading source for information technology news.

"We want to build and support a digital book ecosystem to allow our partner publishers to make their books available for purchase from any Web-enabled device."

Google is anxious to find common ground with authors, who have complained about copyright violations in the past through services like Google Book Search.

Formerly known as Google Print, Google Book Search was introduced in 2004 and targeted by publishers and their lawyers the following year for digitising books without the permission of copyright holders.

A proposed settlement of that lawsuit is currently being reviewed by the courts and the US Department of Justice.

Google's e-book sales service will be made available to participants in the Google Book Service Partner Programme, a marketing programme for promoting books through Google Book Search.

If Google succeeds in making peace with authors and publishers, it may find itself competing more directly against Amazon.com, the publication said.

Amazon gave up competing against Google Search in 2006 when it closed its A9 search engine, but Amazon Web Services, the company's on-demand computing infrastructure service, remains a strong contender against Google App Engine.

With its Kindle e-book reading devices, Amazon has been building the infrastructure and market for electronic texts on portable devices, a transition in reading technology that's been anticipated for a decade, but never fully realised.

Apple too will soon release its iPhone 3.0 operating system, which will bring e-book sales opportunities to the iPhone's many e-book reading apps, InformationWeek said.

Apple is rumoured to be working on tablet computing device, a form factor ideal for reading e-books. Other players, like Sony, see a future in e-books, too.

Agencies

Does SAP sees signs of recovery from recession?

SAP Co-Chief Executive Leo Apotheker said the next few months may bring "glimmers of hope" for the global economy.

Apotheker also said he believes the business software maker should stay independent, following fresh speculation in European markets that Microsoft Corp could bid for the German company. The talk was sparked by Microsoft's plans to sell a multibillion-dollar debt issue.

"We're probably starting to see a stabilization of the situation," Apotheker said at a news conference in New York. "We'll probably start to see some glimmers of hope in the second half of the year for the global economy." Global markets will likely see a fuller recovery in 2010, he added.

The S&P 500 and Dow industrials pared losses after his comments. Apotheker, who will become the sole CEO of SAP when Henning Kagermann's retires later in May, declined to comment on the Microsoft speculation, but said he believed it is in SAP's interest to remain independent.

"Our customers believe an independent SAP is the best value they can get," he said. Rumors periodically surface that either IBM or Microsoft might acquire SAP, which sells business management applications to large businesses that neither of those technology giants have in their portfolios.

Apotheker criticized rival Oracle Corp's decision to purchase hardware maker Sun Microsystems Inc, saying that businesses do not want to buy from vertically integrated technology companies that sell software alongside the computers that run it.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you," he said in response to a question on how Oracle's $7.4 billion purchase of Sun might reshape the industry. "It won't affect the industry much."

But Apotheker said SAP will do a few acquisitions "as we go along." SAP announced on Monday that it bought privately held Clear Standards, a small maker of software that helps businesses manage greenhouse gas emissions. Apotheker did not discuss financial terms of the acquisition.

Sterling, Virginia-based Clear Standards sells software that helps companies measure and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global climate change and are increasingly coming under regulatory scrutiny.

Apotheker also said that previously announced job cuts are progressing as planned at SAP. The company is not planning any more job cuts, he added.

Agencies

Apple likely to unveil cheaper iPhone in 2009

Apple Inc will probably begin selling a lower-priced version of the iPhone in the first half of 2009, tapping a new chipmaker for a key component, according to Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co.

Qualcomm Inc will replace Infineon Technologies AG as the supplier of the baseband processor -- the chip that translates radio signals into voice and data -- in the new model, analyst Craig Berger said in a report. The phone might debut in the second quarter, he said, citing unidentified industry sources.

Apple may be turning to lower-cost products to fuel sales in developing countries as the US economy shrinks. The company is planning a smaller version of its Shuffle music player and a cheaper MacBook laptop, Berger said. None of the devices is likely to be ready to be unveiled at next week’s Macworld conference, where Apple typically makes product announcements.

“Mobile phone sales figures will continue to grow worldwide in 2009 and most of that growth will come from developing countries,” said Hakim Kriout, a portfolio manager at Grigsby & Associates, a New York-based securities trading firm that owns Apple shares.

“Turning the iPhone into a product line by adding another device for the lower end of the market is the next logical phase.”

Jennifer Bowcock, Apple’s spokeswoman for the iPhone, didn’t immediately return a call or email seeking comment. San Diego-based Qualcomm’s Bertha Agia also didn’t immediately return a phone call.

Wal-Mart, Best Buy
Apple currently sells two versions of the iPhone, an 8GB model for $199 and a 16GB device for $299. Wal-Mart Sto
res Inc, the world’s largest retail chain, began offering the product last week, with its starting price at $197. Best Buy Co, the biggest electronics seller in the US, sells the phone for $189.99 and $289.99.

Berger, who contacted parts suppliers, also said that Apple made fewer iPhones in the fourth quarter than originally estimated. That shortfall will be partially offset by greater first-quarter output, he said. About 10 million phones were available for purchase in the fourth quarter, he estimates.

Apple said this month that chief executive officer Steve Jobs won’t appear at the Macworld show, fuelling speculation that the company doesn’t have a significant new product to offer.

Apple will probably use the event to show updated versions of its aluminum-cased iMac desktop computers and a new operating system, Brian Marshall, an analyst at Broadpoint.AmTech in San Francisco, said.

Source: Agencies