BHUBANESWAR: Odisha has emerged one of the top-10 states in the country with the highest number of consumers using digital payment methods while purchasing commodities on Amazon and the user growth has been over 10 per cent (pc) faster than the national average over the past six months.
According to statistics shared by the e-commerce major, digital adoption in the state has surged significantly in last couple of years, driven by rising smartphone penetration, affordable internet connectivity and consumer preference for convenience.
Director (credit and lending) of Amazon Pay Mayank Jain said tier-II and III cities are the hotbeds of digital payment adoption accounting for over 65 pc of all transactions received from small towns. “Cities like Bhubaneswar, Patna, Bhopal, Jaipur, Indore, Lucknow and Ahmedabad reported high digital transactions. More than three lakh Amazon Pay Later consumers from Odisha have been added in last two years, making it one of the emerging states for digital credit usage. Customers in the state are increasingly opting for UPI, net banking, debit/credit cards and Amazon pay balance for their purchases,” he told TNIE.
In tune with the expanding digital economy, more than 17,000 sellers from the state are actively conducting online business through the Amazon platform. These sellers range from small women entrepreneurs and artisans to established firms, leveraging the platform to reach a national customer base.
“Odisha is fast becoming a key growth market for us. In view of the increasing use of digital payments and participation of sellers from across the state, Amazon has set up a new fulfilment centre, 10 times the size of a football field, to store, pack and ship products along with one sortation centre, over 250 I have space stores and more than 60 delivery stations in the state,” Jain said.
Senior manager of Amazon Prime Pallavi Singh said the prime members will get a host of benefits including free and fast delivery, exclusive savings, early access and entertainment benefits.
“They can also enjoy prime early access starting from September 22 during the Amazon Great Indian Festival,” she added.