Source: ETtech
Amazon said the move would benefit lakhs of sellers, especially the smallest ones, who are returning to sell on its platform after the relaxation of lockdown restrictions.
Amazon India on Wednesday said it would provide free health insurance to all active sellers on its platform, covering any Covid-19-related hospitalisation and treatment expenses up to Rs 50,000.
The e-commerce firm said the move would benefit lakhs of sellers, especially the smallest ones, who are returning to sell on its platform after the relaxation of lockdown restrictions. Amazon has partnered with Acko General Insurance to provide health cover to its sellers.
“This will benefit lakhs of sellers. Anyone who had an active product listing on Amazon between January 2019 and yesterday. It will also include sellers who might not be active today because they might have taken down their listings due to the impact of Covid,” Gopal Pillai, vice-president of Amazon India Marketplace, said.
The Jeff Bezos-led retail giant added that one individual from every seller will be able to get this benefit, with the company opening a seven-day enrollment window. No medical tests or copayments will be required by the sellers to avail of the Covid-19 health insurance cover.
Amazon said the insurance coverage was important to keep sellers on its platform safe, but is also part of a slew of measures announced by the e-commerce firm to help sellers restart their businesses after suffering from the lockdown.
“It can give sellers a sense of assurance and one less thing to worry about and can focus on developing their business with us,” added Pillai.
The online retailer has already waived off long-term storage fees until mid-May for its sellers, halved its commission charges for the smallest sellers and is now offering vendors an option to avail of daily payment clearance rather than a weekly clearance like before.
