Want to buy cow dung and trains? Online marketplaces have these and many more
When it comes to going online and e-commerce, till a few years back, no one could predict e-commerce would become so successful that it will become a such a big part of most people in urban cities in India. The adage "Give a man a marketplace and he will sell anything and everything", is best suited when it comes to e-commerce.
E-commerce portals started their sales with books, the safest of all choices, and targeted the reading class. It was an intelligent move, as people who read proactively would be intelligent and open-minded to understand online selling and would end up as early adopters and the first movers. Soon it moved to electronics and gadget freaks started pouring on the websites.
As the e-commerce wave started, there were adopters and skeptics. The skeptics were silenced by exceptional customer service. As we moved to fashion e-commerce, there were concerns of buying clothes without trying them on. However, we have moved to times where people do not shy away from posting ridiculous things for selling online. Here are few things we saw people sell online.
Cows – The term 'Holy Cow' can't get more literal than this when cows are available on a premium listing on Quikr. No need to go to the cattle market, as now even urban dwellers can buy cows online. The price of cows available online range from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1,60,000 (the cost of a Royal Enfield motorcycle). Although most cows are priced and listed based on their breed and yield, one can't be sure of their use, as some might buy them for consumption as well.
Cow dung – What is holier than the holy cow? Well it is cow dung. The good news is that it is not as costly as the cow. Apart from being used in rituals this can also be used as a collectible, which would remind people of the great e-commerce run we had in India. One can buy a pack of five cow dung cakes for just Rs 99.
Gangajal –What is holier than the holy cow and holy cow dung? Yes, you guessed it right. It is Gangajal or the water from river Ganga. However, it is difficult to ascertain if the Gangajal is merely tap water. (Hint: just Google for ‘Aquafina + tap water’ and you will know what we are talking about). The Gangajal which is being sold on eBay for Rs 249 for 100ml seems like a good business model for anyone to make a quick buck. However, the sellers are from Kanpur, and the delivery is inside the city only. One wonders what is it that stops the buyer to go to the ghat and collect Gangajal from the river itself. A trip would cost less than the amount spent on buying online.
Goats – It is not only cows that one can buy from online stores, but even goats. Goats emerged online during Bakri-id and have been online ever since. Ranging from Rs 8,000 to Rs 30,000, you can find goats in all varieties and colours. Be it to sacrifice or for consumption or anything else. OLX even has a category for animals with over 1,70,000 ads posted on them.
Maggi – Nestle announced Maggi's comeback by partnering with Snapdeal. Though this is a good way to return and will guarantee visitors, selling it online would also mean that people who live in states where Maggi is still banned can also buy.
We part with a snapshot of this listing which does not need any discription and has been making the rounds on social media of late.
