Decathlon India begins listing products by other brands on its e-commerce store (#1687098)

Sportswear and equipment retail business Decathlon has begun to list products by other brands on its India e-commerce store. The business has emphasised that it remains a single brand retail business as it redirects shoppers to these other brands’ own websites for purchasing. 

“We are a single brand retail company and not a marketplace,” said a spokesperson for Decathlon, ET Bureau reported. “In alignment with Foreign Direct Investment norms, we neither facilitate nor are involved in the sale, management of inventory, collection of payments or providing last-mile delivery service as is done in a marketplace model.”

Decathlon states that it has decided to list products by other sportswear brands such as Adidas in order to make the online shopping experience simpler for consumers. Billing and order fulfilment for other brands’ goods are conducted on their respective e-commerce sites. 

Globally, Decathlon retails a multi-brand selection of goods across many of its stores. However, FDI regulations in India state that 100% FDI is permitted in e-commerce only when the business does not hold any of the inventory itself. The business had previously held discussions with the Indian government about the possibility of retailing multi-brands goods in its stores.