Amazon India is expected to render hundreds of people jobless as it winds up Amazon Distribution, its wholesale e-commerce website. The e-commerce company is already discontinuing the operation of its meal-delivery business, Amazon Food, in the country and will soon put an end to the delivery of packaged consumer goods to small businesses. Its online learning platform, Amazon Academy, has also been shut down.
That means, three verticals are being closed almost at the same time.
The move is part of Amazon’s cost-cutting exercises, globally and is a result of its yearly review of operating plans.
Amazon Food, the meal-delivery vertical was launched in 2020. It is being discontinued in a phased manner, along with the doorstep deliveries so that partners and customers are not put to any inconvenience.
The distribution service of Amazon was aimed at supporting local pharmacies, kirana stores and department stores and make them more efficient. It was benefitting the small business owners in a few districts of Karnataka, primarily Hubbali, Bengaluru and Mysuru.
Amazon Academy was launched to offer online test preparation support to students so that they are able to gain admission to Indian medical colleges and engineering institutes.
As per media reports, Amazon will also look at delaying various projects presently in the beta testing stage. While the exact number of people to be affected is not really known, a Bloomberg report said that about 10,000 jobs may be impacted.
