GCC tying up with private e-commerce company to tap online market

 Visakhapatnam: State government-owned Girijan Cooperative Corporation (GCC) proposes to tie up with a private e-commerce company to improve sales and expand its marketing network both in India and abroad. Top on list of the corporation’s 15–20 forest products are Araku coffee and honey, which already have a market.

GCC has already written to management of the private e-commerce company in this regard. Corporation officials are confident about the tie-up.

They say once the private e-commerce company agrees, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the GCC and the private e-commerce company could be signed as early as next week.

“We have already shown our packaging and barcoding to the private e-commerce company. GCC gives 25 to 30 per cent commission to its distributors.

The same will be given to the private e-commerce company,” corporation vice-chairman and managing director Gedela Suresh Kumar told this correspondent.

He said every online e-commerce company seeks 60 days’ credit. As GCC is a government-owned organisation, it will extend credit only for 30 days.

Further, as our corporation runs on no-profit-no-loss basis, we will not be able to give more than 25–30 per cent commission. This has been conveyed to the private e-commerce company management, Suresh Kumar said.

The MD said GCC wants to tap offline markets as well. They have approached defence canteens in Visakhapatnam for putting up these products for sales. “We want to make these products available in popular stores too, apart from medical outlets. For example, we have approached the Medplus chain. But the difficulty is these medical stores are asking above 40 per cent commission,” Suresh Kumar underlined.

Incidentally, Girijan Cooperative Corporation has opened its own store at Rayadurgam Metro Station in Hyderabad.