All E-commerce activities begin even in the Red Zones: Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal welcome the move

When the Government of India extended the nation-wide lockdown till May 31, it issued some guidelines too. One of the more interesting parts is that e-commerce can begin even for non-essential commodities. So basically, now you can order anything online, and receive it, despite the ongoing pandemic.

In its latest guidelines, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that all activities, except those specifically prohibited, are now open. After the central government removed all restrictions on online retail as part of its plan for Lockdown 4.0, E-commerce companies will resume fill operation from Monday. These include companies like Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal, as well as vertical etailers including Lenskart, Nykaa, and Firstcry.

What did the e-commerce giants have to say?

“We are working hard to resume all services based on the government. Request you to keep checking availability at your Pincode as we strive to expand our serviceability,” says Flipkart.

“We welcome the guidelines announced by the MHA. They pave the way for a broader resumption of economic activities across most parts of India. E-Commerce has played a crucial role in the last two months by delivering a range of much-needed goods to consumers; within the safety of their homes,” said Snapdeal.

Amazon spokesperson said, “Amazon welcomes the latest notification from Government of India. It enables e-commerce to deliver a wider selection of products while upholding the tenets of safety and social distancing."

The Government had restricted these platforms to sell non-essential goods like smartphones and electronics. They could only deliver these green and orange zones. But, they could deliver essential items such as food and grocery nationally.

These activities are still prohibited in Containment Zones. Even in other zones, all delivery agents are required to abide by all safety guidelines. These include wearing a face mask or cover, use hand sanitizer and handle all packages with care.

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