Online gaming in India is among the world’s most vibrant, says MoS I&B Dr L Murugan at Storyboard18 DES 2025

Opinion Trading platform is betting and gambling: MC Sarangan of TNOGA  at Storyboard18 DES 2025

Digital adex now accounts for over 55% of India’s M&E spend: MIB's Sanjay Jaju at Storyboard18 DES 2025

Game on! Gaming creators bets gaming being India’s next creative economy

Digital Entertainment Summit 2025 to debut in Delhi as India stakes its claim on the future of global media

Nobody’s Perfect Retro Porsche Ad

In Conversation With Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard

Shahid Kapoor And Varun Ganjoo Speaks On PokerBaazi's Campaign

In conversation with IHCL’s Puneet Chhatwal & GroupM’s Kate Scott-Dawkins

Why are brands including e-sports in their sports marketing itinerary?

Storyboard18 x The English Nut: How to pronounce these 10 brand names

Experts' Take On Reinvention Of Ad Campaigns Through Technology

Experts Speak On Key Emerging Trends In Cannes Lions Entries

Leaders of the future have to be outstanding human beings: Nestle MD

In conversation with VMLY&R’s Hari Ramanathan

The Delhi High Court has stayed a previous order that had directed the e-commerce giant to pay Rs 340 crore in damages to Lifestyle Equities over alleged trademark infringement involving the ‘Beverly Hills Polo Club’ brand. The division bench, led by Justice Hari Shankar, put a temporary hold on both the damages and legal costs imposed by the earlier single-judge ruling, while allowing Amazon time to comply with remaining directions from that order.

This development comes after Amazon challenged the February ruling issued by Justice Prathiba M Singh, which accused the company of selling and advertising products bearing marks deceptively similar to the well-known luxury brand. The original judgment found that Amazon’s platform offered lookalike products at lower prices, potentially misleading consumers and harming Lifestyle’s brand value.

Lifestyle Equities and Lifestyle Licensing, owners of the Beverly Hills Polo Club trademark in India since 2007, argued that the brand enjoys considerable goodwill globally and across categories such as apparel, accessories, eyewear and bags.

Amazon, in its appeal, asserted that the earlier order lacked substantial evidence to support claims of infringement and raised broader questions about how liability is assigned to platforms in trademark disputes, especially when sellers operate independently within marketplace ecosystems.

The stay order marks a temporary breather for Amazon in what is shaping up to be a precedent-setting battle in India’s digital commerce and intellectual property landscape. With billions at stake and marketplace accountability under legal scrutiny, the case could have wider ramifications for platform liability, brand protection, and the boundaries of e-commerce responsibility.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/sc-rejects-lalit-modis-plea-seeking-bcci-to-pay-%e2%82%b910-65-cr-fema-penalty-72541.htm">SC rejects Lalit Modi’s plea seeking BCCI to pay ₹10.65 cr FEMA penalty</a>

Delhi HC pauses Rs 340 crore trademark blow to Amazon in Beverly Hills Polo Club dispute

The tech, demographic and policy tailwinds from the past decade that have fueled the rise of a $1 trillion digital opportunity, as per the report titled Click, Watch, Shop: the consumer opportunity in India’ by Bessemer Venture Partner. The report also talks about the user behaviours that will shape consumer offerings in the future.

A tailwind trifecta of internet penetration, evolving demographics and policy changes are among the trends that have enabled the rise of new age consumer companies such as Swiggy, Urban Company, Boldfit, Vetic and more. Going forward, it is the evolution of commerce marketplaces, content platforms and changing consumer aspirations that will power newer companies to win in the Indian context.
 
Anant Vidur Puri, Partner, said “India presents a $1 trillion dollar digital opportunity. The emergence of multiple consumer marketplaces, platforms and new-age brands in the past decade are a testament to the growing aspirations of an emergent India. This makes us exceptionally optimistic about the potential for many more consumer plays to emerge in the coming years.”

As per the report, commerce will become quicker, better and more aspirational across channels as India's burgeoning online commerce sector has witnessed an extraordinary expansion in recent years. Starting from a base of $30 billion in 2020 and is expected to get to $300 billion by the end of the decade in 2030, contributing to a $1 trillion dollar digital opportunity. This demonstrates it is no longer a niche phenomenon catering to a small segment but has firmly established itself as a dominant force within the Indian retail landscape for a significant and growing share of the population. 

In addition, the recent rise of quick commerce has introduced a new dimension to the online retail ecosystem, further revolutionizing the way consumers access goods. Platforms such as BigBasket, Blinkit, Swiggy and Zepto have spearheaded this movement, demonstrating the viability and consumer appeal of rapid delivery services. This segment is seeing the further trend of verticalised q-commerce emerging, with startups like Snabbit, Swish and Slikk catering to niche needs.

Moreover, D2C brands are increasingly catering to an aspirational mass-premium audience - an audience characterized by the demand for newer, better priced, higher quality products.

India is also experiencing a content revolution driven by consumers' diverse appetites for entertainment, education and gaming. Characterized by short attention spans and a multitude of accessible platforms across interests, languages and budgets, user engagement is rapid, facilitated by frictionless microtransactions or autopay-led subscriptions.

The report reveals that the platforms are adapting to these shorter attention spans with quick and engaging content. Over the past five years, short-form video platforms in India have witnessed a 3.6X growth in daily active users, competing with mainstream digital platforms. Moreover, the rise of virtual tipping, UPI autopay and other micro-transactions is expected to reach $1.5 billion by 2029 and exemplifies the growth of UPI-enabled microtransactions which allows companies to experiment with diverse monetisation models beyond just ads. 

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/sporting-events-push-visa-searches-up-60-transforming-global-tourism-reveals-atlys-data-71806.htm">Sporting events push Visa searches up 60%, transforming global tourism, reveals Atlys data</a>

Furthermore, the modern Indian consumer’s choices increasingly prioritise what were previously seen as lifestyle spending. These include previously thought “non-essential” spending in areas such as physical and mental health, financial wellness, and pet care. This expenditure has moved from being a good-to-have to a must-have for Indian consumers. For instance, there is increased spending on organic food, protein, fitness gadgets, preventive healthcare, and wellness services.) Health-focused food and beverage (F&B) as a category has expanded from approximately 11% to about 16% of F&B spend and is expected to continue to increase as brands have been quick to adapt to this trend.

Similar trends can be seen in segments such as financial services such as personal finance offering and petcare.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/nearly-60-of-indian-cxos-feel-strained-by-ai-investments-survey-71744.htm">Nearly 60% of Indian CXOs feel strained by AI investments: Survey</a>

From $30 to 300 billion! India’s online commerce set to 10X by 2030, reveals Bessemer Venture Partner report

In a pointed critique at modern consumerism, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale voiced strong concerns that e-commerce and market-driven lifestyles are undermining the fabric of human relationships. 

Speaking at a discussion on the book 'Integral Humanism: A Distinct Paradigm of Development' by Ashok Modak, Hosabale drew a striking distinction between impersonal online transactions and trust-laden traditional markets, according to a <em>PTI</em> report.

He illustrated his point with a relatable example: ordering a book by Ashok Modak online to a village in Tamil Nadu. "It seems convenient. I pay and they deliver. But is it really that simple?" Hosabale asked. His deeper point centred on relational loss: the absence of a cropping of trust and communal bonds that flourished in local marketplaces, where shopkeepers knew families intimately. “Will Amazon ever understand or replicate that kind of trust?” he asked rhetorically.

Hosabale also pointed out that our increasing dependence on "market-based, government-oriented life" has relegated interpersonal relationships to mere transactions, devoid of emotional resonance. He warned that this trend is not only changing social dynamics but also eroding the core of societal cohesion.

He highlighted that the impulse should not be just material progress, but also value-centric living, further stressing on sustainable growth, noting that while modern infrastructure is indispensable- "we cannot live without electricity"—we need to align development with environmental responsibility. He also argued that education should do more than transmit information; it should imbue values that reinforce social harmony.

Praising Bhutan's Gross National Happiness index, he proposed that well-being and nature must be re-centred as key pillars of national progress. For Hosabale, societal health depends not just on GDP, but on compassion, compatibility, and collective welfare.

"A society cannot live in the past alone. People may draw lessons and inspiration from history, but they must also look ahead to the future and live fully in the present. Bharat has never lived just for itself, it has always existed for the wellbeing of the world," he said.

About the notion that India has failed to produce ideologues in recent centuries, the RSS leader said, "We do not accept this claim made by the West. Western civilisation, particularly in Europe, has been the cradle of ideologies like communism, capitalism and feminism. In contrast, Bharat has contributed philosophy."

An ideology is a closed system which can not be changed, Hosabale said, adding that it comes in the way of independent thinking. "Bharat's contribution lies in philosophy, which offers light and guidance but encourages each person to find their own path. Buddha, Mahavir and Swami Vivekananda were not ideologues, they were philosophers. Bharat has never been a land of rigid ideologies," he said.

“Will Amazon ever understand that kind of trust?” RSS leader Hosabale warns e‑commerce eroding societal bonds

E-commerce unicorn Meesho is quietly recalibrating its corporate governance as it inches closer to a blockbuster IPO that could value the company at nearly $10 billion. In a strategic move seen often in pre-IPO plays, the company has restructured its board to consolidate control with its largest investors while dialing back representation from shareholders with relatively smaller stakes, Moneycontrol reported.

As reported by Moneycontrol, SoftBank and Prosus, who collectively hold around 22% in Meesho, have stepped down from board positions, making way for a leaner, more IPO-ready leadership structure. The shift gives more decision-making heft to Elevation Capital and Peak XV Partners, Meesho’s two largest backers, holding 13.5% and 12.5% stakes respectively. Their board representatives, Mukul Arora and Mohit Bhatnagar, continue to have a seat at the table.

Board exits include Sarthak Misra of SoftBank and Ashutosh Sharma of Prosus Ventures, a common pattern in SoftBank-backed firms approaching IPOs, as the firm typically avoids promoter classification or lock-in restrictions post-listing. Veteran board member Kalpana Morparia has also exited, replaced by former Pepsico and Kimberly-Clark executive Kimsuka Narasimhan.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/air-india-suspends-flights-to-and-from-middle-east-europe-and-north-america-amidst-middle-east-conflict-71528.htm">Air India suspends flights to and from Middle East, Europe, and North America amidst Middle East conflict</a>

Meesho’s newly structured board now includes eight members, founders Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal, Elevation’s Arora, Peak XV’s Bhatnagar, Narasimhan, Jubilant Bhartia Group’s Hari Bhartia, PhonePe’s Rohit Bhagat and Ema AI CEO Surojit Chatterjee.

The rejig comes just days after Meesho completed its high-stakes flip back to India from its previous U.S. domicile, a move that involved a hefty $288 million tax payout but signals the startup’s commitment to list domestically.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/colgate-palmolive-eyes-india-as-global-growth-engine-plans-brand-influx-and-digital-first-push-71531.htm">Colgate-Palmolive eyes India as global growth engine, plans brand influx and digital-first push</a>

Meesho restructures board to tighten control ahead of $1 billion IPO

E-commerce giant Amazon India has announced that it will be investing Rs 2,000 crore, nearly $233 million in the ongoing year (2025) to expand and upgrade operations infrastructure, improve associate safety and well-being programs, and develop new tools and technology for its fulfillment network. The e-commerce behemoth, which has been running its operation in the country for more than a decade, has aimed to leverage the Rs 2,000 crore of investments to launch new sites and upgrade existing facilities across its fulfillment, sortation, and delivery network.

"This investment will enhance processing capacity, improve fulfillment speed, and increase efficiency across the company's operations network," the online shopping platform said in a statement.

Further, Amazon India said it will also allocate funds towards the health and financial well-being of employees and associates across the operations network, including programs like ‘Ashray’ – to provide dedicated rest points for delivery associates; ‘Samridhi’ - a financial well-being program focused on financial education and personal finance support for associates and drivers; ‘Pratidhi’ program supporting children of associates with scholarship; and ‘Sushruta’ to address the healthcare needs of truck drivers. 

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/amazon-ceo-andy-jassy-signals-ai-led-workforce-realignment-70832.htm">Amazon CEO Andy Jassy signals AI-led workforce realignment</a>

"For over a decade now in India, we have been focused on building the best-in-class logistics infrastructure—designed to deliver with safety, speed, scale, and reliability for our customers across the country. These latest investments reflect our commitment to continually expand and upgrade our operations across our fulfillment, sortation, and delivery network. By strengthening our infrastructure capabilities, enhancing processing capacity, and implementing state-of-the-art technology, we're positioning Amazon to better serve customers throughout India while supporting our employees, associates, and partners who are the heart of it all." said Abhinav Singh, VP - Operations, Amazon India and Australia.

The announcement comes hot on the heels of the ecommerce giant's entry into the ultra-fast delivery space with the launch of its quick commerce platform, Amazon Now, in select parts of Bengaluru this week.

"We are running our 10 mins delivery service Amazon Now in select pin-codes in Bengaluru and are excited with the initial customer response and positive feedback, especially from Prime members. Based on this, we're now expanding the service over the next few months," an Amazon spokesperson told Moneycontrol.

Separately, Amazon.com Chief Executive Officer Andy Jassy recently shared an internal memo signaling imminent layoffs as the company invests in AI.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/over-50000-advertisers-tap-amazons-ai-powered-ad-tools-in-q1-2025-ceo-andy-jassy-70920.htm">'Over 50,000 advertisers tap Amazon's AI-powered ad tools in Q1 2025': CEO Andy Jassy</a>

As the company will roll out Gen AI and agents in the future, Jassy stressed it would change the work environment entirely. According to Jassy, there would be massive job cuts as Amazon has increased focus on implementing AI services across the segments, including shopping, Alexa, advertising, and internal operations.

"We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs. It’s hard to know exactly where this nets out over time, but in the next few years, we expect that this will reduce our total corporate workforce as we get efficiency gains from using AI extensively across the company," the Amazon CEO asserted.

Amazon India to invest over Rs 2000 crore to bolster pan India operations network

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy in a letter to employees acknowledged that the rapid deployment of generative AI technologies will fundamentally reshape the company's workforce in the years to come. As AI agents take over certain tasks, Amazon anticipates a shift in job roles with fewer people needed for legacy functions and new demand emerging for AI-native capabilities.

Jassy noted that while this may lead to a reduction in Amazon’s corporate headcount, it’s part of a broader evolution driven by efficiency gains from using AI extensively across the company. Over the last three years, Amazon has already trimmed approximately 27,000 jobs and this AI-driven transition suggests further restructuring is ahead.

Describing generative AI as “the most transformative technology since the Internet,” Jassy positioned Amazon’s internal strategy as one that requires employees to adapt, upskill, and participate actively in reinventing the business. He encouraged staff to become “conversant in AI” to remain valuable contributors as the company retools for an AI-first future.

“Technologies like generative AI come once in a lifetime,” Jassy said, emphasizing Amazon’s expansive investment in the space. “What started as a conviction that AI would reinvent every customer experience is quickly becoming reality.”

Jassy’s remarks underline a pivotal shift in how Big Tech leadership is framing the future of work, not just as a question of automation, but as a call to realign workforce capabilities around emerging technologies that are already reshaping business operations, customer service, and innovation pipelines.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/all-facebook-videos-to-be-classified-as-reels-soon-in-major-meta-update-70771.htm">All Facebook videos to be classified as Reels soon in major Meta update</a>

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy signals AI-led workforce realignment

The Central Consumer Protection Authority has issued a sweeping advisory to all e-commerce platforms, urging them to eliminate so-called “dark patterns” - deceptive design practices that manipulate consumer behavior online.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/govt-directs-all-e-comm-firms-to-self-audit-and-remove-dark-patterns-67759.htm">Read more: Govt directs all e-comm firms to self-audit and remove dark patterns</a>

The advisory, part of a broader government push to regulate the digital marketplace, directs platforms to conduct self-audits within three months to identify and remove interface designs that could mislead or confuse users. These include tactics such as false urgency cues, hidden costs or pre-selected options that pressure shoppers into purchases or subscriptions.

The Authority has also encouraged companies to submit voluntary self-declarations affirming that their platforms are free from such manipulative practices. The move is aimed at fostering a “fair digital ecosystem” and rebuilding trust between consumers and online retailers.

The crackdown follows the issuance of formal notices to several e-commerce companies found in violation of the country’s 2023 Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns. The guidelines outline 13 specific design tactics considered unfair under Indian consumer law, including “basket sneaking,” “subscription traps,” “drip pricing,” and “confirm shaming.”

“The deployment of deceptive design interfaces undermines consumer autonomy and confidence,” the CCPA said in a statement, adding that it would continue monitoring platforms for compliance.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/ccpa-needs-more-teeth-to-tame-dark-patterns-industry-demands-tougher-regulation-and-penalties-66938.htm">Read more: CCPA needs more teeth to tame dark patterns; industry demands tougher regulation and penalties</a>

A Joint Working Group, formed by the Department of Consumer Affairs and comprising representatives from government ministries, regulators, law schools, and consumer organizations, has been tasked with flagging violations and recommending public awareness initiatives. The group meets regularly to review industry practices and advise the ministry on enforcement strategies.

The move reflects growing global scrutiny of dark patterns, as regulators weigh new rules to rein in aggressive digital marketing tactics. In India, officials see the regulation of such practices as critical to protecting users in one of the world’s fastest-growing e-commerce markets.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/dark-patterns-explained-the-digital-design-tactics-misleading-millions-68150.htm">Read more: Dark Patterns, Explained: The digital design tactics misleading millions</a>


CCPA warns e-comm firms over “dark patterns”; self-audit within 3 months

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is gearing up to sue e-commerce majors Amazon and Flipkart for allegedly retailing products that failed to meet India’s mandatory certification standards, a move that signals heightened regulatory scrutiny over online marketplaces, Moneycontrol reported. As per the media report, the consumer standards watchdog will not only seek legal action but also demand monetary compensation from both platforms under the BIS Act, 2016, which empowers the agency to claim up to ten times the value of non-compliant goods sold.

The legal action stems from enforcement raids carried out by BIS in March 2025, where teams conducted search-and-seizure operations at the warehouses of both e-commerce giants. The agency claims to have found and confiscated a variety of products lacking the mandatory BIS certification, items that fall under India’s Quality Control Orders (QCOs), making their uncertified sale illegal.

During a raid at Amazon’s warehouse in Chennai, officials seized over 3,000 uncertified products including insulated flasks, food containers, metallic water bottles, ceiling fans and toys, collectively valued at around Rs 36 lakh, according to BIS. In Flipkart’s case, seized products included baby diapers, stainless steel bottles, insulated hotpots and casseroles, all covered under mandatory QCOs. Although BIS has not disclosed the monetary value of the goods seized from Flipkart, officials confirm these items were being stored or sold without proper certification.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/eminems-eight-mile-style-sues-meta-for-109-mn-over-alleged-copyright-infringement-69025.htm">Eminem's Eight Mile Style sues Meta for $109 mn over alleged copyright infringement</a>

The looming lawsuit could set a major precedent in India’s regulatory approach to platform liability, shifting focus from sellers to the platforms that enable such sales. While BIS primarily targets manufacturers and importers for compliance, this move signals its intent to hold e-commerce intermediaries accountable as well particularly when uncertified goods are repeatedly found on their platforms.

As the nodal agency under the Consumer Affairs Ministry, BIS has been intensifying enforcement around product safety, especially after the expansion of QCOs covering everyday items like toys, household appliances and baby products.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/help-us-not-waste-this-food-the-whole-truth-wins-internet-with-honest-no-waste-marketing-move-69024.htm">'Help us not waste this food': The Whole Truth wins internet with honest, no-waste marketing move</a>

BIS set to take Amazon, Flipkart to court over sale of non-certified goods

India's grocery industry is undergoing a significant shift as quick commerce players have fuelled incremental demands and influenced purchasing behaviour. The increased access to discounts has hit the general trade severely, including the Kirana store.

According to a report by Kearney, modern trade, e-commerce players and quick commerce consistently provide the highest discounts to consumers. E-commerce and modern trade optimize costs with larger delivery sizes and higher-value baskets, enabling them to offer significant discounts. On the other hand, discounts in quick commerce drop by about 200 to 250 basis points. 

According to the analysis, modern trade's 'discount versus MRP' stood at 17.8%, followed by e-commerce at 16.7%, quick commerce at 6-9%, and Kirana at 2-5%, respectively.

	
<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/gig-worker-attrition-hits-e-comm-quickcomm-platforms-31-of-employers-lament-voluntary-exits-67892.htm">Quick commerce faces high attrition challenge of gig workforce: TeamLease</a>

However, in terms of employment generation, quick commerce, and general trade were in the same line. 

"General trade is the most labour-intensive channel, employing 63 to 66 people per Rs 1 crore of monthly Gross Merchandise Value (GMV). Whereas quick commerce generated 62 to 64 jobs per Rs 1 crore of monthly GMV".

Quick commerce has shifted sales from e-grocery, modern trade, and Kirana stores, but it remains inconsistent across all categories.

According to Kearney, consumers are still purchasing fresh produce (fruits and vegetables) from Kirana, indicating a preference for handpicked non-packaged items. However, snacking, and confectionery, such as munchies, chocolates, and cold beverages are more frequently purchased on quick commerce platforms for instant consumption.

Overall, for all sales happening via quick commerce, a 6 to 8% share is purely incremental, while the rest is coming at the expense of sales from other channels--predominantly modern trade and e-commerce followed by general trade outlets.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/cait-demands-luxury-tax-on-quick-commerce-62980.htm">CAIT demands luxury tax on quick commerce</a>

The report suggested that kirana stores and modern trade outlets will need to enhance efficiency and streamline operations to remain competitive alongside the growing influence of quick commerce.

According to a report by Kearney, India's grocery sector, including food fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), non-food FMCG, and fruits and vegetables, is expected to grow by 8% to reach Rs 78 lakh crore by 2029.

"Going forward, quick commerce is expected to play a larger role in the retail sector, coexisting with other channels while continuously adapting to market dynamics and consumer preferences," the report added.

Quick commerce disrupts India's grocery industry, kirana stores hit hard: Kearney

While the quick commerce sector has continued its blitz through India’s urban landscapes, it is facing a severe challenge of high attrition among the gig workforce. The massive volatility in the delivery workforce has remained a structural challenge in quick commerce and ecommerce platforms, such as Flipkart, Amazon, Zepto, Blinkit, and Swiggy Instamart, According to a report by TeamLease Services, as many as 31% of the employers have lamented over the voluntary exits of gig workers. 

While there can be multiple reasons for high attrition, the report underscored that "platform-switching behavior, lack of long-term incentives, and the transitory nature of gig work," are the key factors the behind this trend.

Notably, the increased cost pressure has impacted the wages of the workers. Factors such as customer acquisition offers, free returns, and tight delivery deadlines have compressed the margins of e-commerce and quick commerce platforms. 

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/57-of-gig-workers-find-15-minute-deliveries-stressful-borzo-report-63003.htm">57% of gig workers find 15-minute deliveries stressful: Borzo report</a>

The report mentioned, "Platforms are finding it harder to balance wage inflation in metros and tier-1 cities with sustainable unit economics. The competition is fierce—and every rupee saved or lost at the labor level adds up at scale".

The other major human resource challenge for quick commerce companies is 'time-bound hiring'. 25% of employers said that delays in onboarding can elevate churn risk. 

<strong>'Expansion in gig roles'</strong>

Further, the report observed a the rise in job roles of gig workers, which is no more confined to delivery riders or freelancers, but is evolving into a strategic muscle across high-skill domains. 

According to the report, 64% of employers report rising gig adoption in sales and customer service. Companies are leaning on contractual CX agents, outsourced telesales teams, and platform-based service models. Gig-based support also rising for inventory turnover, just-in-time logistics, and micro-fulfillment is gaining ground, especially in  FMCG, Q-commerce, and D2C ecosystems.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/the-high-price-of-ratings-gig-workers-struggle-under-arbitrary-review-systems-62651.htm">The high price of ratings: Gig workers struggle under arbitrary review systems</a>

Besides, finance and accounting are also relying on gig professionals for short-cycle needs such as internal audits, reconciliations, and regulatory filings—particularly around tax season support or compliance projects. Around 33% of the employers are now using gig talent in strategic domains—from product design and UX research to market entry consulting and GTM strategy. 

According to Kartik Narayan, CEO-Staffing, TeamLease Services, "The future lies not in simply expanding headcount, but in shaping highly specialized, flexible teams that can scale, evolve, and thrive amid continuous market shifts. By fostering such talent ecosystems, companies will not only adapt but will lead India’s workforce into a new era of growth and opportunity".

ECOMMERCE