Mumbai: In yet another landmark step, The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), apex body of Gem & Jewellery trade in India since 1966 signed an MoU with ES Online Services (India) Pvt. Ltd. (an eBay Group Company) to provide impetus to Indian Gem & Jewellery sellers on the global e marketplace and explore potential business collaborations for facilitating sectoral growth.

As a first step towards this endeavour, eBay will create a micro site (‘Made in India’ page) for GJEPC Members selling in eBay websites. GJEPC Members subscribing on eBay marketplace(s) will be placed together on this proposed micro site for better accessibility.

ES Online will facilitate awareness workshops/ webinars/ seminars to educate GJEPC Members about e-commerce retail exports opportunities and train on policies and best practices in product listings, selling, shipping, and customer services. It will also provide information on cross-border trade, such as market studies, latest design trends, standards and specifications etc. GJEPC on the other hand, will provide infrastructure support for conducting such awareness workshops/seminars.

GJEPC will be setting up an eCommerce Promotion and Facilitation Desk (“EPFD”) at all its 6 Regional Offices which will have a dedicated manpower promoting eCommerce amongst GJEPC Members and generating leads. While ES Online to train the manpower at EPFD.

Mr. Colin Shah, Chairman, GJEPC said, “The collaboration between eBay, India and GJEPC is a step towards facilitating Gem & Jewellery Exports through E Commerce platform and drive the vision of “Digital India”. The platform will enable Indian jewellers to have easy access to international buyers. During the pandemic, the industry demonstrated a keen willingness to adapt to new business realities. Demand for gems and jewellery is picking up in all major export markets, hence it is important for us to tap all important online opportunities. I believe this association with eBay will be a key catalyst for the digital transformation of the gems and jewellery sector in India.”

“GJEPC’s association with e-Bay will help the gem and jewellery industry to contribute to our Hon’ble Prime Minister’s dream of enabling MSMEs to reach out to the Overseas Customers; this will aid in achieving the vision of making every district in India to export at least one product (One District One Product). Moreover, it will boost the gem and jewellery exports thus helping us to achieve our goal of USD 75 billion exports by 2025.” added Mr. Shah.

Mr. Vidmay Naini, Country Manager, eBay India-CBT, said, “We, at eBay in India, are convinced that Indian Gems and Jewellery sellers are well poised to scale their business and presence across the eBay marketplace globally. The MoU is a step forward in enabling them in this endeavour. Together with GJEPC we will educate, support and scale these sellers on the eBay marketplace.”

ES Online, itself or through its service providers will assist GJEPC Members on registration/sign-up process on eBay Marketplace and provide support to end-to-end onboarding procedures (including sellers’ registration on eBay, KYC documents, PayPal registration etc.) and getting their account activated.

For GJEPC members, eBay to offer its basic store subscription (worth US$ 27.95 per month) at free of cost for three months from the date of registration/sign-up on eBay Marketplace.

GJEPC and eBay will work jointly with the Government on regulatory, policy and procedural aspects for facilitating retail exports of Gem and Jewellery from India.

A comprehensive e-Commerce Policy for the gem and jewellery sector:

The Council has been working with different stakeholders for a comprehensive e-Commerce Policy for the gem and jewellery industry.

GJEPC has been engaging with stakeholders like Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Department of Commerce (DoC), Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), SEZ authorities, DG Systems, Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL), Department of Post, Courier Companies, Express Industry Council of India, Customs field formations, Custodians etc. to work out a channel which can aid Gem & Jewellery exporters in catalogue selling where goods are manufactured after receiving order and shipped to the consumer across geographies through fast track delivery.