Amazon Marathi Ad: How the E-commerce Giant is Embracing Regional Languages in India
Hi everyone, welcome to another article where we explore the latest trends and developments in the world of e-commerce. Today, we are going to talk about Amazon Marathi ad, a recent initiative by the online retail giant to cater to the linguistic diversity of its Indian customers.
As you may know, India is a country with 22 official languages and hundreds of regional dialects. According to the 2011 census, Marathi is the third most spoken language in India, with over 83 million speakers. It is also the official language of Maharashtra, one of the most populous and economically important states in the country. Bengali, on the other hand, is the seventh most spoken language in India, with over 97 million speakers. It is also the official language of West Bengal and Tripura, two states with a rich cultural heritage and a large consumer base.
Why Amazon Launched Marathi and Bengali Language Support
Amazon has been operating in India since 2013, and has since become one of the leading e-commerce platforms in the country. However, it also faces stiff competition from other players like Flipkart, Snapdeal, and Reliance JioMart. To gain an edge over its rivals, Amazon has been investing heavily in expanding its reach and enhancing its customer experience in India.
One of the ways Amazon has been doing this is by adding support for regional languages on its website and app. In 2018, Amazon launched Hindi language support, followed by Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu in 2020. In September 2021, Amazon announced that it had added Marathi and Bengali language support as well[^1^]. This means that customers can now shop on Amazon.in in eight languages, including English.
The Benefits of Regional Language Support
By offering regional language support, Amazon aims to make online shopping more accessible and convenient for millions of customers across India. According to a report by KPMG and Google, Indian language internet users are expected to grow from 234 million in 2016 to 536 million by 2021[^2^]. Moreover, 70% of these users prefer local language content over English[^2^]. Therefore, by providing a localized shopping experience, Amazon can attract more customers from tier-2 and tier-3 cities, as well as rural areas.
Regional language support also helps Amazon build trust and loyalty among its customers. Many customers may feel more comfortable and confident while shopping online if they can read product information, reviews, ratings, and policies in their native language. They may also find it easier to communicate with customer service representatives who can speak their language. Additionally, regional language support may encourage customers to explore more products and categories on Amazon.in, leading to higher engagement and retention.
The Challenges of Regional Language Support
While regional language support offers many benefits for Amazon and its customers, it also comes with some challenges. One of the main challenges is to ensure that the translation and localization of the website and app are accurate and comprehensible. Amazon has worked with expert linguists to develop a user-friendly interface in each of the languages[^1^]. However, there may still be some errors or inconsistencies that need to be fixed or improved over time.
Another challenge is to deal with the political and social sensitivities around language issues in India. For instance, Amazon faced a backlash from Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), a regional political party that advocates for Marathi language rights. The MNS wrote an open letter to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos demanding that Marathi be added as a language option on Amazon.in[^3^]. The MNS also threatened to agitate against Amazon if the demand was not met[^3^]. In response, Amazon said that it was working on adding Marathi language support soon. However, this did not stop some MNS workers from allegedly vandalizing Amazon warehouses in Mumbai and Pune.
How to Shop on Amazon.in in Marathi or Bengali
If you are interested in shopping on Amazon.in in Marathi or Bengali, you can follow these simple steps:
- Open the Amazon app or website on your Android or iOS device, or your desktop browser.
- Click or tap on the menu icon (three horizontal lines) on the top left corner of the screen.
- Select Language from the menu options.
- Choose Marathi or Bengali from the list of languages available.
- Enjoy your shopping experience in your preferred language.
You can also change your language preference anytime by following the same steps. Note that some features or content may not be available in all languages. For example, voice shopping is currently only available in English and Hindi[^1^].
A Comparison of Amazon.in with Other E-commerce Platforms in India
To give you a better idea of how Amazon.in compares with other e-commerce platforms in India in terms of regional language support, we have prepared a table below. The table shows the number of languages supported by each platform, as well as the names of the languages.
| E-commerce Platform | Number of Languages Supported | Languages Supported |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon.in | 8 | English, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali |
| Flipkart | 8 | English, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati |
| Snapdeal | 12 | English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu |
| Reliance JioMart | 3 | English, Hindi, Gujarati |
| Myntra | 1 | English |
| Ajio | 1 | English |
| Nykaa | 1 | English |
Frequently Asked Questions about Amazon Marathi Ad and Regional Language Support
What is Amazon Marathi ad?
Amazon Marathi ad is a term used to refer to the launch of Marathi language support on Amazon.in. It is also a way of describing the advertisements and promotions that Amazon runs in Marathi to attract more customers from Maharashtra and other regions where Marathi is spoken.
When did Amazon launch Marathi and Bengali language support?
Amazon launched Marathi and Bengali language support on September 20, 2021. It was announced in a press release by Amazon India[^1^]. The launch coincided with the festive season in India, when online shopping activity is usually high.
How many customers shop on Amazon.in in regional languages?
According to Amazon India, more than 5 million customers shopped on Amazon.in in regional languages in 2021[^1^]. This number is expected to grow as more customers become aware of the language options and more languages are added in the future.
Which regional language has the highest number of customers on Amazon.in?
Amazon India has not disclosed the exact numbers of customers for each regional language. However, based on the popularity and reach of the languages in India, it is likely that Hindi has the highest number of customers on Amazon.in. Hindi is the most widely spoken language in India, with over 528 million speakers. It is also the official language of the central government and several states.
Which regional language has the lowest number of customers on Amazon.in?
Again, Amazon India has not disclosed the exact numbers of customers for each regional language. However, based on the popularity and reach of the languages in India, it is likely that Malayalam has the lowest number of customers on Amazon.in. Malayalam is spoken by about 38 million people in India, mostly in Kerala and some parts of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. It is also one of the least widely understood languages among non-native speakers in India.
What are some of the products that are popular among customers who shop on Amazon.in in regional languages?
The products that are popular among customers who shop on Amazon.in in regional languages may vary depending on their preferences and needs. However, some of the common categories that are likely to attract more customers are:
- Fashion and accessories: Customers may look for products that reflect their regional culture and style, such as sarees, kurtas, jewellery, etc.
- Grocery and household essentials: Customers may look for products that suit their regional cuisine and lifestyle, such as spices, snacks, utensils, etc.
- Books and entertainment: Customers may look for products that cater to their regional interests and tastes, such as novels, magazines, movies, music, etc.
- Festive and religious items: Customers may look forproducts that are relevant to their regional festivals and rituals, such as lamps, idols, decorations, etc.
How can I give feedback or suggestions to Amazon India about their regional language support?
If you have any feedback or suggestions to Amazon India about their regional language support, you can contact them through the following channels:
- Email: cs-reply@amazon.in
- Phone: 1800-3000-9009 (toll-free)
- Chat: Open the Amazon app or website and click or tap on Customer Service.
What are some of the future plans of Amazon India regarding regional language support?
Amazon India has not revealed any specific plans regarding regional language support for the future. However, it has stated that it is committed to adding more languages and features to enhance the shopping experience of its customers. It has also said that it is constantly listening to customer feedback and suggestions to improve its services. Therefore, we can expect that Amazon India will continue to expand its regional language support in the coming years.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed reading this article about Amazon Marathi ad and regional language support. We have tried to cover all the important aspects of this topic, such as the benefits, challenges, and comparison of Amazon.in with other e-commerce platforms in India. We have also answered some of the frequently asked questions about Amazon Marathi ad and regional language support.
If you found this article useful and informative, please share it with your friends and family who may be interested in this topic. Also, feel free to check out our other articles on e-commerce and online shopping trends in India and around the world. Thank you for reading and happy shopping!
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