Clicktech has acquired Appario, the leading seller on Amazon India.

Clicktech, a prominent seller on Amazon India, is in the process of acquiring its counterpart, Appario, as part of Amazon’s strategy to divest stakes in sellers operating on its platform. Appario holds the distinction of being the largest seller on Amazon India, particularly after the cessation of Cloudtail’s operations, and facilitates a considerable volume of orders for the local branch of the US-based e-commerce giant. This marks the second instance where Amazon is divesting its stake from a seller entity in compliance with local e-commerce regulations.

In addition to acquiring Appario, Amazon is also set to fully acquire Frontizo Business Services, the parent company of Appario, from its joint venture partner, Patni Group. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Frontizo, Appario will subsequently become owned by Clicktech.

Raj Jain, the executive director of Clicktech, explained the rationale behind the acquisition, stating that Clicktech envisions scaling and expanding its operations by broadening its product offerings on the marketplace. Consequently, the decision to purchase Appario’s business aligns with Clicktech’s growth strategy.

Both Frontizo and Appario spokespersons confirmed the transactions, albeit without disclosing specific deal details.

Clicktech is promoted by the Vinod Poddar group, which holds diverse interests spanning steel and coal processing, real estate, and plastics.

Appario stood as the final major seller on Amazon in which the e-commerce giant itself held a stake. In October 2022, Amazon announced its intention to gradually remove Appario from its platform over the following year. This decision came amidst protests from smaller sellers and mounting regulatory pressures. Subsequently, on November 24 of the preceding year, Economic Times reported that Amazon and Patni Group, the joint venture partner of Appario Retail, were actively exploring diverse options to enable Appario Retail to sustain its presence and continue selling on the marketplace.