STARTUP
E-commerce | Scrutiny or not, it is time India’s e-commerce companies check deep discounting
If online commerce companies keep on burning investors’ cash, a flop-show similar to WeWork may be from India’s e-commerce sector.
COMPANIES
Startup Corner | India’s online grocery may be a low-hanging fruit for Uber’s Cornershop. If it can burn cash
From cab aggregation to food delivery, Uber has always seen fast growth in India. Online grocery may be no different if it manages to find the right operating model.
TELECOM
Opinion | IUC backpedaling another instance of regulatory instability
It is time India’s telecom regulator takes a stand to stick to its decisions, deferring it only raises doubts
AUTOMOBILE
Shared Mobility | CCI questions Hyundai-Kia’s proposed $300-million investment in Ola. What next?
If CCI blocks Hyundai-Kia’s investment in Ola, M&M’s acquisition of 55 percent stake in Meru may hit the walls of the antitrust watchdog.
COMPANIES
WeWork Debacle | A wake up call for not just Softbank, but Indian startup founders and their investors too
A look at Masayoshi Son’s investments in Indian startups like Oyo and Ola would show Softbank’s inclination to invest at inflated valuations. It is time startup founders and their financial backers stop bluffing
BUSINESS
Startup corner | Oyo new Softbank darling after WeWork setback. Should it be cautious?
Softbank-invested WeWork’s IPO hit a bump due to valuations that seemed too high. A share buy-back by founder helped Oyo’s valuation jump three-fold within a year.
BUSINESS
E-commerce | CCI lens on deep discounting could be a double-edged sword
Deep discounts or not brick-and-mortar retailers may always find reasons to blame online retailers for eating into their businesses. But if done well, the CCI intervention could ensure fair trade practices.
AUTOMOBILE
Carpooling | Regulations alone may not make car owners share their ride
In India, carpooling will find mass acceptance only with the help of sufficient incentives
BUSINESS
The Screen Test | Apple TV+ pricing is a killer, but it needs to figure out localisation fast
The iPhone maker’s Rs 99 subscription plan for Apple TV+ could be a competition killer only if it can feed Indian consumers with local language content
BUSINESS
Jack Ma’s retirement from Alibaba — End of an era, or is it just the beginning?
Retirement or not, Ma has his control, and he’ll always retain his power. A formal retirement and a relief from administrative duties would give him the chance to build his legacy beyond Alibaba as a do-gooder.
COMPANIES
Startup corner | Paytm needs to sharpen its focus to make its IPO dream come true
Mounting losses and expansion into several business areas could derail India’s first profit-making payments bank. For mobile wallet Paytm, banking could be its best pathway to an IPO
BUSINESS
Shared Mobility | Can Meru help M&M build its service vertical strong enough?
M&M started tapping the services space earlier this year, probably because it realized selling cars may not be enough to sustain growth. The Meru deal is a big leap in that front.
COMPANIES
Retail Reform | Easier norms for single brand FDI could change India’s retail landscape
Relaxing local sourcing norms will encourage more retailers, while local producers will be forced to be competitive in the global marketplace of sourcing
COMPANIES
Retailing | Why Ikea is tweaking its India strategy
After a little more than a decade, IKEA has probably understood one thing about India – it needs to be flexible to do business in a nation with 1.3-billion population.
BUSINESS
Chart of the Day | With tender and order finalisation on slow lane, investment won’t pick up soon
There has always been a lag of 2-3 months between tendering and order finalisation. So, a cascading effect of the declining trend is unavoidable at least for a quarter or so.
BUSINESS
Startups | Differential voting rights could light a funding spark for successful tech entrepreneurs
The ability to issue differential voting rights shares gives startup founders more room for raising funds without losing control.
BUSINESS
Startup troubles | End of the road for angel tax?
Will relaxing angel tax rules encourage domestic capital inflows into startups? May not happen immediately but one more option is now on the table.
BUSINESS
E-commerce: consumer protection was an article of faith but now it gets teeth
The government has proposed guidelines on consumer protection that will be made applicable to e-commerce companies. Bigger players should have no problem implementing them
BUSINESS
Digital tax | India wants to fix loopholes in the law to tax local income of global tech giants, before it is too late
Companies like Google, Facebook and Twitter, among others do not pay tax on income generated locally, including that from advertising revenue, as they do not have permanent establishments. But, that’s going to change soon.
BUSINESS
Talk time | Apple is hardselling privacy for iPhones. What’s the big deal?
Not often you see Apple going that extra mile to tom-tom its track record on data security. So, is there more to it than meets the eye?
BUSINESS
What’s cooking | Amazon’s interest in Uber Eats may go beyond food
The retail big shot is leaning heavily on what it has been good at – delivery. But food is a different proposition altogether.
BUSINESS
The Screen Test | Will Netflix’s mobile-only gamble pay off in India?
The entertainment firm is going for the kill. But building loyalty is not easy, especially in a market as vast as India
BUSINESS
Startup Corner | ShopClues' woes point to a bigger malaise unfolding in venture world
The famed startup story is showing cracks. Once a leader in unbranded products, ShopClues is an example of how lack of foresight and complacency can affect a business
BUSINESS
Testing waters: Can co-working be the lucky mascot for Oyo?
Co-working as a business model is getting all the attention. But Oyo has to deal with a tough challenge from the likes of WeWork
