Walmart Canada Provides Consumers Access To Indian Merchants

Walmart Canada is teaming up with Myntra, the Indian fashion eCommerce platform of Flipkart, to hook up consumers and merchants in Canada and India.

According to a report in Chain Store Age, by connecting with Myntra Walmart Canada can connect customers in Canada with merchants in India who otherwise couldn’t take part in international commerce. Through the partnership, Walmart Canada customers get access to Indian sellers who are on the Myntra platform with Flipkart and can order from private branded housewares and apparel from Myntra.

Chain Store Age reported that the collaboration is part of Walmart’s $16 billion investment made in Flipkart in the summer. Walmart is now Flipkart’s largest shareholder, holding a 77 percent stake in the company.

Walmart has been growing its presence in India, which is forecast to be a huge market for online retailers. With more consumers in the country getting used to the idea of purchasing things online, Walmart and its rivals are trying to capitalize on that trend.

At the same time that Walmart Canada is giving consumers access to Indian merchants, the company is gearing up for big eCommerce changes in India. As of the start of February, Walmart’s Flipkart and Amazon India will have to be compliant with India’s new eCommerce rules. The regulations, aimed at winning the support of local merchants ahead of elections, are forcing both to spend money to overhaul their business structures and to change contracts and relationships with vendors.

Walmart has been in a deal-making mode in recent weeks as it continues to take on Amazon in the world of eCommerce. Just this week it announced it reached a long-term partnership with Fanatics, a maker of sport branded gear and apparel. Fanatics is launching a new specialty shop on Walmart.com offering licensed fan gear. Other deals include one with Lord & Taylor, in which the department store operator will sell its apparel on Walmart.com, and with Moosejaw, the outdoor apparel company.