Who doesn’t love a little more? A free cup of coffee at your favorite cafe, or the joy of having your anniversary gift delivered a day early, or just easier access to customer support when you need it the most. The best things in life are free, they say. So why pay extra — or pay at all? Think of all the reasons that make you happy while shopping at Flipkart, and add an extra dollop of goodness. That’s what Flipkart Plus is all about.
At Flipkart, we strive to make your shopping experience delightful. From introducing Cash on Delivery to No Cost EMIs, from Debit Card EMIs and Assured Buyback, to our much-loved Pay Later program, we have been innovating to make your shopping affordable and enjoyable. Ten years and counting, our motto “Customer First” continues to be the driving force behind all our initiatives. Now, we celebrate the spirit of “More” with Flipkart Plus — our very own customer benefits program, which treats you to a little extra each time you shop on Flipkart.
How did we go about it? Well, our team of experts embarked on a quest to get a deeper understanding of what you really want. Free shipping, you said? And priority customer support? We’ve woven in all of your needs and more into what we call Flipkart Plus. And not just on Flipkart, but across all your digital interactions, every day. Curious?
The Flipkart Plus advantage – what is it all about?
No rocket science. No complicated math. No headaches.
Flipkart Plus is a customer benefits program powered by a powerful currency called SuperCoins. Think of these as brownie points you earn for shopping often, and shopping smart. As you keep shopping on Flipkart, you unlock a host of benefits and rewards, among them free shipping, double the SuperCoins earnings, early access, and priority customer support.
The best part? No annual fees.
Why should you pay for being a happy and busy Flipkart customer? The treat is on us!
It doesn’t stop there. You can continue earning SuperCoins to unlock more and more rewards.
Flipkart Plus has partnered with the biggest names in your online world so you have an entire digital ecosystem on your fingertips. Our star-studded cast of partners include Hotstar, Zee5, SonyLIV, BookMyShow, Zomato, OYO, and more.
What’s in it for Flipkart, you ask? We’re just delighted to give you more reasons to shop with us.
What’s Next for Flipkart Plus?
Two words: More, Always.
In other words, the party just keeps getting better. We will continue to add a slew of other benefits to make Flipkart Plus one of the most inclusive customer benefits program for India.
Shop more, smile more. Always!
Flipkart SuperCoins is a first-of-its-kind rewards ecosystem designed to provide benefits to millions of Flipkart customers. Customers will now be rewarded for doing everything they love, with a larger variety of rewards partners to choose from, and it will all be managed on one single platform.
Here is your guide to everything you need to know about this unique rewards ecosystem:
How are SuperCoins different from other rewards programs?
While other reward programs are limited by their constraints in terms of redemption and being limited within their own business ecosystem. Flipkart’s SuperCoin ecosystem overcomes these challenges meaningfully, by bringing in a wide range of partners from across the food, travel and entertainment segments. It even does one better, by enabling customers to use SuperCoins outside the Flipkart platform too.
How can I earn SuperCoins?
While you can get SuperCoins as you shop on Flipkart, there are more avenues to earn this digital currency too. The plethora of bingeable Flipkart Videos gives everyone a chance to earn coins on every show. That’s literally making money while you relax!
You can also shop for products that give you a chance to earn extra coins. You can even take part in challenges that reward you coins as you complete each task. That sounds like a lot of work. Why not earn SuperCoins as you play too? With select Flipkart Games you even stand a chance to earn coins as you play, and level up.
Is earning Flipkart SuperCoins convenient?
Since customer convenience is the one-and-only principle for everything in Flipkart, the SuperCoins rewards program too follows this approach. No additional effort is required for renewing the Flipkart Plus membership. Once you have earned 200 SuperCoins in a year, you can easily activate your Flipkart Plus membership by visiting the Plus Zone. For a Plus member, your membership is auto-renewed if you earn 200 SuperCoins in a year.
What’s the best time to be a Flipkart Plus member? Now!
You can avail 2X SuperCoins every time you shop on Flipkart. So why wait?.
What are the SuperCoin benefits to Flipkart Plus customers?
If you are Plus member then you get 4 coins for every Rs. 100 spent on Flipkart upto a maximum limit of 100 SuperCoins in a single transaction. That’s double the SuperCoins if you shopped as a non-Plus member.
Is this all that I can do with so many accumulated SuperCoins? Not at all. You can use SuperCoins for lots of stuff. Here’s what you can do with your SuperCoin kitty.
Use them for discounts on products when you shop
Use SuperCoins and buy products as low as Rs.1, Rs. 49 and Rs. 99
Unlock Flipkart Gift vouchers
Redeem SuperCoins for getting your favorite Entertainment subscriptions, food and so many other Rewards
Use SuperCoins to play games and win exciting prizes
Use SuperCoins for your Mobile Recharges and Bill payments
‘Wouldn’t it be great if you could use my SuperCoins outside Flipkart?
That’s what we thought too.
Myntra Insider points are now SuperCoins, so you can Use your SuperCoins on Myntra while Shopping as well as Earn SuperCoins during your transactions. With post pandemic travel slowly opening up and people itching to travel, SuperCoins gives you a great excuse to do so. Now you don’t have to scour through multiple sites for coupons, you can just use SuperCoins in lieu of cash on ClearTrip and book flights for free.
Travel. Check.
Apparel. Check
What about everyday transactions?
Wouldn’t it be cool if you could use SuperCoins to pay your card bills. Well, we have you covered. Now you can even pay your card bills using SuperCoins on Flipkart on your Kotak 811 Debit Card and Slice Credit Card.
With SuperCoins now aiming to be the go-to digital currency and revolutionising the customer rewards landscape, it will usher in a new set of customers for whom Flipkart will be the one-stop destination for all purchase requirements.
With a growing market share, OPPO is a household name and among the top 5 smartphone brands in India – and the world. The brand’s top-selling models include the F17, and the Reno 5 Pro. OPPO is best known for its camera technology, delivering and consistently innovating on the portable studio experience it promises customers.
The brand was first to revolutionize the selfie experience with a built-in beautification feature that is now quotidian in smartphones. OPPO also pioneered the way for motorized camera technology, which has since been adopted by several high-end players in the market. Building on this head of steam and continuing on its path to the top of the leaderboard, OPPO has now strengthened its partnership with Flipkart to better deliver top-tier technology to the Indian consumer.
On the back of the success of the Reno 5 and Reno 5 Pro, this partnership brings with it the launch of the new OPPO Reno 6, made even more promising with the Flipkart Smart Upgrade initiative. Sharing his thoughts on this beneficial union for both the customer and brands involved, here’s what Damyant Singh Khanoria, Chief Marketing Officer for OPPO India, had to say about the power of partnership with Flipkart. An industry veteran with an in-depth understanding of the smartphone industry, Damyant has guided OPPO through various initiatives that ensure it remains a beloved brand to the Indian customer.
Excerpts from a Q&A
Can you shed light on the evolution of OPPO over the years?
Our journey in India started in 2014, and our North Star has always been to become one of the leading brands in the smartphone space. We’ve strived to bring our innovation, technology and research to India, and mould it for the vibrant and diverse Indian market. Even in the early years, it was crystal clear that the Indian market was no ordinary market, and provided ample opportunity based on the scale alone.
Fast forward almost a decade, and our objectives for the Indian market haven’t changed. We want to give Indian consumers the best technology across all price bands. Our commitment to the market is steadfast, and we’re actively investing resources to showcase how OPPO is working towards its ‘Make In India’ story.
Enjoying this story? Check out the accompanying podcast!
What makes the new OPPO Reno 6 smartphone so special?
Overall, the Reno series has been loved by the Indian consumer, checking all the right boxes, even those in their hearts! The Reno 6 builds on that legacy of creating meaningful products that make a difference in people’s lives. It’s loaded with amazing chipsets, and is the first device in India to feature the MediaTek Dimensity 900 chipset.
Besides performance, the Reno series is loved because of our camera technology. We help capture life’s special moments and give users the option to record them in extraordinary quality and clarity. The OPPO Reno 6 is, by every definition, a portable studio and comes with another industry-first feature known as the Bokeh Flare portrait video. No other smartphone has such technology, and it is otherwise only available with professional-grade DSLR cameras. All of this from a device that sits snugly in your pockets — that’s what we wanted Reno 6 to offer.
Over to the design, Reno 6 features the globally patented Reno Glow effect. It is premium, stylish, mesmerizing, and showcases just how much we’re willing to push boundaries to deliver quality. Lastly, the device is equipped with 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging, capable of giving users a fully charged device in just 32 minutes. Everything we do, even the optimization to ColorOS 11.3 is to prioritize the customer experience at every touchpoint.
How did the OPPO-Flipkart partnership come into effect?
During the pandemic, we decided to adopt an omni-channel strategy, inviting partners aboard who could take our products to consumers at scale. Naturally, Flipkart made good sense. Flipkart’s supremacy in the industry has empowered us to access a vast consumer base, perfectly catered to by the robust delivery channels.
To add to these factors, the power of partnership is felt greatly by our customers. The amazing affordability initiatives help us get technology to the hands of those who need it, no matter where in India they may be!
What were the market opportunities that reaffirmed the OPPO-Flipkart partnership?
With Flipkart, it wasn’t a hard sale. That said, the innovation in affordable shopping and logistics to ensure vast reach is incredible. Our goal was to build an online presence and enrich the customer experience. Flipkart was the perfect fit for that as they ensure a premium shopping and delivery experience right from the comfort of home.
Further, through the partnership with Flipkart, OPPO now has better access to tier-3 and tier-4 markets in India. We have full faith in Flipkart, and it has been a revelation in how well things can work when you engage in a powerful partnership.
What challenges does OPPO face and how does Flipkart address these? What is the impact felt by customers?
Thanks to Flipkart, purchasing an OPPO device online makes for a great shopping experience. Flipkart makes the entire process easy, simple, and accessible. The network and infrastructure help deliver on the promise of simplicity and convenience, which is hard to achieve. As a result of this, our customers are better served, and can affordably and easily get OPPO devices. Another noteworthy aspect is the sheer open-mindedness of our Flipkart partners. Willing to go the extra mile, experimenting with marketing, and doing it all with the gusto needed to succeed are traits that are needed in a partner, and Flipkart delivered.
What are the key milestones of this partnership?
Taking OPPO online was definitely one, but another is that Flipkart does it while offering a premium shopping experience. For OPPO, not only did we get access to a large consumer base, but also offer them an experience that aligns with our quality standards.
The mobiles segment, even the premium category, has become the new essential. How has this partnership addressed the growing and changing demand?
There’s no doubt that 2020 was challenging, and we spent 14 months finding ways to ensure customers have access to the technology they need, while staying safe all through the process. We had multiple initiatives to ensure that this connection with our audience wasn’t severed and Flipkart is now helping maintain it for the foreseeable future. To make things better for our consumers, Flipkart also has the Smart Upgrade offer. This is a truly inspired affordability scheme that minimizes the upfront cost, requiring a payment of 70%, with the remaining 30% being payable after a year. It is truly incredible how easy this much-needed feature makes the purchase decision and helps OPPO get technology to where it needs to be.
In these difficult times, smart, powerful technology is a necessity. OPPO and Flipkart aim to deliver on this need together, making sure everyone has access to the technology they need to learn, educate, contribute to their livelihood, inspire, be inspired, and most importantly, stay connected.
As a young boy growing up in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district, Bobba Balaji spent much of his holidays in rapt attention, observing his family members work the handlooms with rhythmic precision as they turned simple dyed cotton yarn into exquisite Mangalgiri sarees.
“I never wasted my holidays,” he recalls now. At 30, Mr. Balaji has been practicing the art of weaving for 15 years and counting. “It’s in my blood,” he says, adding, “My ancestors were also weavers. I’m passionate about this craft and, as I grew up, I turned this passion into a profession.”
From the fine warps and wefts of the Mangalgiri cotton from Guntur district to the intricately woven Jamdani sarees of Uppada, the coastal state has a rich handloom history, preserved by numerous and resilient weavers like Mr. Balaji. His is among the many families in the state who, for centuries, have kept the art of handloom weaving alive by passing it down the generations and painstakingly upholding the ancient Indian tradition.
In 1976, the Andhra Pradesh State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society Ltd. (APCO) was founded to provide marketing support to such weaver communities. Today, APCO supports over 950 weavers’ co-operative societies affiliated with it across 159 branches, covering even the remotest villages in the state.
In late 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, APCO joined hands with the Flipkart Samarth Program. “We partnered with Flipkart Samarth and took the handloom crafts of our weavers online to gain insight into market-driven designs and varieties, thereby increasing the earnings and assuring employment to the weaver community,” explains L Ramesh Babu, General Manager, Marketing at APCO.
Launched in July 2019, Flipkart Samarth aims to embrace underserved sections of the society — weavers, artisans, MSMEs, rural entrepreneurs and more — into the e-commerce fold, enabling them access to a pan-India customer base, multiple benefits and a regularized source of income.
“The subsidies provided by the government, along with the support of APCO and the marketing and visibility on Flipkart can together help uplift and enable weavers to earn better incomes,” says Chillapalli Mohan Rao, Chairman, APCO.
Since their enrollment, APCO has brought a rich collection of handloom products for Flipkart customers to choose from. The heritage-rich and authentic selection of cotton sarees, including Venkatagiri, Mangalagiri, Madhavaram, Chirala, Dharmavaram, Uppada and Rajahmundry, among others, have seen good traction with customers. These saree are world-renowned, with some even earning a Geographical Indication tag.
“Flipkart is a great platform that enables products made by our handloom weavers to reach all over India, and not just in surrounding areas. By partnering with Flipkart Samarth, we were able to multiply the income of our weavers four-fold,” reveals Mr. Rao.
Among other benefits extended to Flipkart Samarth partners, cataloging support, training sessions, 6-month 0% commision, and advertising credits enable smoother transition for first-time e-commerce users. The program empowers underserved communities by helping them earn a sustainable income while also giving Flipkart customers access to authentic, local, handmade and heritage-rich products from traditional markets. The program supports 750,000 livelihoods and counting across the country.
Weaving a success story
The weaving process for the minimalist and light Mangalgiri saree is an elaborate one. From the pre-loom process to the final product, it requires the unique expertise of multiple weavers and artisans to come together to craft the elegant garment.
“It takes a couple of days to complete one saree,” explains Mr. Balaji. “We weave the cotton silk Mangalgiri sarees with Kanchi borders. Our artisans add different designs like elephants and peacocks on the borders by hand, and finish the saree with jacquard work on the pallu.”
“Earlier, we had very few select customers and the sales of our products were restricted to few nearby locations,” he adds, talking also of the collective challenges faced by weaver communities in the country.
“Our products were sold exclusively in our offline stores, which restricted our sales,” echoes Mr. Babu.
Now, e-commerce has opened up a pan-India customer base, enabling the weaver community to preserve a century old tradition while incorporating modern market-driven designs to cater to such an audience.
“With e-commerce, not only do our customers come from across India, we also get new ideas to design our products depending on our customers’ expectations. Our original designs and handloom products reach people across the country,” observes Mr. Balaji, adding, “Especially during the pandemic situation, e-commerce helped us sell our products online and earn our livelihood.”
For now, the weavers are excitedly preparing for the National Handloom Day celebrations on August 7, 2021 — a day instituted by the Government of India to celebrate the rich cultural history of the sector and to promote handmade and handwoven products.
“On National Handloom Day, let’s support India’s weaver communities by committing to using handloom products at least twice a month,” stresses Mr. Rao, looking towards the increased awareness that this day will bring to the state’s weavers.
For Mr. Balaji, the day is all about shining the much-deserved spotlight on the works of his community. “I wish for all my weaver brothers and sisters to keep working hard, spread our wings, and bring out the rich history and tradition of India,” he says.
Click here to shop for handloom products crafted by weavers from APCO.
In this story: How a Flipkart Customer Support executive helped a Chennai customer bring cheer and safety to his son’s birthday celebrations!
With restrictions and lockdowns in place to maintain safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Flipkart customer Nimish Madan wanted a special birthday gift for his son that would help him stay indoors yet bring in some much-needed cheer. With this in mind, the Chennai resident placed an order for a birthday gift he knew his son would enjoy — a PlayStation 4, the perfect entertainment for indoor fun.
Though Nimish gave himself plenty of time to place the order, restrictions in his home state of Tamil Nadu were tightening and he hoped his son’s birthday gift would arrive on time. Concerned, he called Flipkart Customer Care and that’s when customer support executive Bibi Ayesha sprang into action.
No ordinary order
For Nimish, ordering through Flipkart is a familiar experience, one he trusts without question. But this time, there was more at stake; after all, it was his son’s birthday. “Amid the pandemic, I couldn’t buy the PlayStation 4 from a shop. So, I turned to Flipkart,” he says. As he’d done in the past, he placed the order on Flipkart, knowing full well that he would get it in time. The order was successfully processed and on track to be at his doorstep as planned, much before his son’s special day.
Nimish eagerly geared up for delivery, tracking the package on Flipkart as it arrived in Chennai. But with concerns mounting over restrictions, Nimish took to Flipkart helplines and social media to hasten the process.
Flipkart customer support executive Ayesha saw his post on Twitter. Taking on the initiative, she stepped in with both empathy and drive.
Customer first, always
In no time, Nimish received a call from Ayesha. Sensing his worry and urgency, she assured Nimish that she was on the case. As is procedure for any Flipkart customer support executive, she identified the root cause of the problem. As she got in touch with various warehouse points of contact and hub in-charges, Ayesha kept Nimish in the loop constantly.
“I requested Ayesha that my order was a birthday gift for my son and if she could help get it delivered somehow. My only request was to see if there was any possibility at all,” he recalls.
Ayesha took Nimish’s request to heart. Her solution-seeking attitude enabled her to align other Flipkart customer support team members, Rakesh and Monish, to help look for a speedy resolution.
“She ensured that somebody called me back, which doesn’t typically happen these days. I would know, as I’ve worked in the service industry!” Nimish recalls fondly. With their help, within a matter of days, Nimish’s order was delivered. “I even have a picture of my son playing on the console,” he says.
What stood out to Nimish was the Flipkart customer support team’s willingness to do their best and make a birthday special, even during the pandemic. “At no point did I feel like all hope was lost. I always felt like somebody at Flipkart was listening and trying to resolve the issue. Everybody was trying and that was very comforting.”
For Bharti, Elango, and Sundar, all of whom work at our warehouse in Bengaluru, Flipkart is more than just a workplace. It’s a place that, they say, empowers them to be who they are, grow confident, and feel secure.
Watch the video:
“During the lockdown, it was a very difficult time for us. One day, I heard about the job opening at Flipkart and came here,” says Bharti, whose work supports her and her husband, a driver. “I feel secure. Our workplace provides us support and security,” she says.
“Finding a job after completing class 10 was tough. But I found this opportunity at Flipkart,” says Elango, who works as a transporter at a Flipkart Returns Center. “Flipkart made me confident and I learnt how to work in a team,” he adds.
Flipkart introduced the eDAB program (Ekartians with Disabilities) in 2017 to provide equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Starting as a pilot with just a few eDAB employees, Flipkart now employs over 1,000 people with disabilities across its supply chain. Numerous workshops help sensitize the entire workforce in the supply chain, and the specially curated Sign Language program called Sign-Up helps enable seamless communication.
“We believe every individual must have access to equal opportunity, and our goal is to support that vision in every way possible,” says Krishna Raghavan, Chief People Officer – Flipkart.
For Sundar, who joined Flipkart back in September 2020, working at Flipkart is a matter of Pride “I feel proud to do my work. Flipkart provides equal opportunity and I feel empowered,” he says.
India’s millions of artisans, weavers, and micro-entrepreneurs form a big part of the country’s economy. Flipkart’s Samarth program, launched in 2019 with the vision of uplifting the underserved communities that make up this group, is now two years into its momentous journey. Along the way, Flipkart has signed MoUs with multiple state governments and livelihood missions to bring these entrepreneurs into the e-commerce world. Today, the program supports over 700,00 livelihoods across the country.
A diverse group, their ambitions reflect their unique socio-economic backgrounds. For some of them, being a Samarth partner is all about carrying on family traditions that are hundreds of years old. For many, it’s about providing a livelihood for themselves, their families and those who are part of their communities. But no matter how you look at it, their indomitable entrepreneurial spirit is fuelled by a will to succeed in the era of e-commerce!
Weaving prosperity in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh
If there’s anything that can rival the natural beauty of Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, it is the intricacy of the traditional woollen handicrafts that the region is famous for. Nestled away in the rolling hills of this beautiful town, three incredible women artisans welcomed us into their workspace and told us about how the Flipkart Samarth program, in collaboration with the National Urban Livelihoods Mission, has opened windows of opportunity, boosted their craft and income, and given them access to a customer base they never imagined they’d reach.
How Sadik Hussain found his comfort zone with Flipkart Samarth
A differently abled seller and a veteran of the mattress industry, Sadik Hussain watched his peers move forward and build their businesses and couldn’t wait to do the same. Having amassed over 18 years of experience, Sadik was looking for the right outlet to channel his know-how and craftsmanship when his son introduced him to Flipkart Samarth. The rest, as they say, is history!
Empowering women through Flipkart Samarth: The Dhaval Patel story
Before Dhaval Patel became a Flipkart seller, he used to sell his items in the local market. His life changed when he found Flipkart’s videos on YouTube and learned that selling online was an option! Through his business, he is able to empower the women artisans in the villages around him, most of whom work from home.
These Bengaluru eco-warriors are doing sustainability right!
Appalled by the lack of infrastructure for waste management in their neighborhood, Smita Kulkarni and Malini Parmar, two typical middle class working women from India’s IT capital decided to turn entrepreneurs to provide easy sustainability solutions to ordinary people. Five years later, their company, StoneSoup, manufactures everything from compost kits to menstrual cups, working in collaboration with over 20 women’s self help groups!
This airline pilot is helping women & children find their wings
Captain Indraani Singh is a maverick and changemaker. The first-ever woman in Asia to fly the Airbus 320 and the world’s first woman commander on the wide-bodied AIRBUS 300, she is already a highly successful aviator. In addition, she is also a social entrepreneur and Flipkart Samarth partner who is committed to uplifting underserved communities. Read more about her company — Indha Crafts — and the work it does.
Komal Prasad Paul’s story is a testament to the healing power of art
In December 2017, while he was working as a medical representative in Barasat near Kolkata, Komal Prasad Paul, then a medical representative, met with a road accident that left him without his right arm. While in the hospital, drawing and painting helped him rebuild his confidence and strengthened his spirit. After he was discharged, Komal set off on a highly successful career as a Flipkart Samarth partner!
A small family business with a huge heart — Meghdoot Herbal’s success story
Founded 35 years ago in a village near Lucknow, Meghdoot Herbal’s aim was to create jobs for those living nearby. In the initial days of the pandemic, it didn’t seem like this small family-owned Ayurveda business would make it through without a scratch. But they adapted to changing times, adopting e-commerce and becoming a Flipkart Samarth partner to weather the storm.
This 22-year-old textile entrepreneur has the world at his feet!
Cuttack-based Flipkart seller Chitrangan Pal may only be 22 years old, but he has achieved more than your average college-age youngster. With a maturity that belies his years, he has led an entire community of weavers boldly into the era of e-commerce by embracing online selling. In the process, he has kept alive his family’s tradition of crafting exquisite Sambalpuri cotton sarees.
India’s traditional artisans welcome a brighter future with Flipkart Samarth
After agriculture, the handicrafts sector forms the second-largest source of employment in India. For a sector that is the main source of livelihood for non-agrarian rural communities, the lack of a pan-India market and the ubiquity of middlemen has proved to be a drain on income. However, with the introduction of Flipkart Samarth, many of India’s traditional artisans are taking charge of their destiny!
How the Flipkart Samarth program is helping create a self-sufficient India
In 2020, on the first anniversary of the launch of Flipkart’s Samarth program, we talked to Rajneesh Kumar, Senior Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at the Flipkart Group, about the impact the program has had so far. He also reiterated the vision behind Flipkart Samarth and how it ties in with the idea of an atmanirbhar India.
Travel across India, guided by our diverse group of sellers
Samarth supports over 700,000 livelihoods across the country. Our community of artisans, weavers and small scale entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of India’s economy. From Kashmir to Karnataka, our sellers are all united by their passion for business, a will to succeed and dedication to their craft. Explore our seller map to get a sense of the true length and breadth of the Samarth story.
Over most of the past decade, Flipkart has been an active investor in the ecosystem and has a current portfolio of minority investments in more than 12 companies, which include startups such as Ninjacart, Shadowfax and Blackbuck, as well as established corporate entities such as ABFRL and Arvind. Flipkart has also undertaken several marquee M&A transactions such as Myntra, Walmart India, PhonePe, and Cleartrip, as well as cutting-edge technology companies such as Upstream, Liv.ai and Scapic. Over the last 12 months, despite the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Flipkart has continued its rapid pace of investment partnerships with over 9 investments / acquisitions/ partnerships..
Flipkart Ventures, the investment arm of Flipkart which was first announced in 2019, is a $100 million fund founded on a vision to back early-stage startups in India and thereby help support the ecosystem to build innovative solutions for the next wave of internet users. The intent behind Flipkart Ventures is to accelerate the innovation curve of these startups, especially those that show potential to solve real-world issues through disruptive technologies.
With its first investment in G.O.A.T Brand Labs, led by former Flipkart Fashion Group Head Rishi Vasudev, Flipkart Ventures is focused on identifying opportunities and building new partnerships that benefit the ecosystem at large with the vision of backing next-generation innovations, and building and strengthening an ecosystem with world-class founders and ideas.
Ravi Iyer, Senior Vice President and Head, Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships at Flipkart, retraces the journey that has culminated in Flipkart Ventures’ first investment, while explaining how his team is uniquely positioned to leverage the deep understanding and expertise of building and scaling digital business in India to help entrepreneurs in their journey.
Excerpts from a Q&A:
Can you share the philosophy of corporate development at Flipkart?
Our evolution as a homegrown startup has been accelerated by our ability to be agile in partnering with the ecosystem. Over the years, we have sharpened our focus to ensure alignment with Flipkart’s long-term strategic vision.
We approach partnerships based on 3 key vectors:
(i) Categories: How the partnership enables scaling up our key categories (Fashion, Grocery, Beauty, Wholesale); (ii) Capability: How the partnership complements and strengthen our technology and supply chain capabilities; (iii) New Areas: How the partnership can widen our offerings to continue to delight our consumers.
We have continued to execute actively on this mandate with a razor-sharp focus on alignment with the vectors outlined.
Can you share the vision behind corporate development at Flipkart and how Flipkart Ventures came about?
Over the last seven years or so, Flipkart has invested in some of the most innovative startups in India. Our Investment team, which has a deep understanding of the digital business landscape in the country, manages multiple initiatives focused on partnering with startups end-to-end throughout their lifecycle — right from Seed, Series A to providing a nurturing ecosystem for growth.
These initiatives include investments and acquisitions in key businesses that present opportunities to help the growth of Flipkart’s business, as well as strategic partnerships that are beneficial to partners. Our Brand Accelerator is focused on accelerating the growth of D2C brands by equipping them with the necessary tools.
Flipkart has been a partner of choice across our inorganic initiatives. Flipkart’s own journey from a homegrown startup and entrepreneurial culture offers an exciting platform for founders to continue scaling up their growth journey.
Flipkart Ventures is the crystallization of our corporate development journey. This is a $100M early stage fund established with the aim of investing in innovative startups that are disrupting the digital ecosystem. The founding philosophy of Flipkart Ventures is to help digital startups that are committed to building scalable solutions.
Owing to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, operations were put on hold. As we navigate through the pandemic crisis, Flipkart Ventures has resumed operations with renewed focus and commitment.
Please tell us more about the role played by the Investments team at Flipkart.
The Investments team within Flipkart comprises professionals with decades of experience in the investments ecosystem and is passionate about nurturing partnerships and helping startups in their growth journey. The team actively drives end-to-end execution of the investment strategy, and engages deeply with business and technology functions to understand areas where inorganic initiatives would accelerate the charter. It also drives the entire process, from landscaping for the right opportunity fit, capability evaluation, negotiation and structuring to execution. In addition, this team drives periodic monitoring of investments to ensure adherence to the investment thesis.
What is the long-term objective of Flipkart Ventures?
Flipkart Ventures is founded with a vision to back early-stage startups in India and thereby help support the ecosystem to build innovative solutions for the next wave of internet users. Our investments target budding companies working in the diverse digital innovation space, and the objective is to build and strengthen an ecosystem with world-class founders and ideas. Flipkart Ventures aims to invest in startups that have the potential to address emerging business and consumer requirements leveraging the power of technology.
What are some of the capital challenges in the startup ecosystem that Flipkart Ventures aims to address?
Most Indian startups begin their journey by bootstrapping. Bank loans, angel investments, venture capital and crowdfunding are some of the fundamental challenges in the startup ecosystem. Flipkart Ventures aims to foster a conducive financial environment where innovation can flourish and new-age companies with prospects can grow to heightened scale.
How different is Flipkart Ventures from established organisations that have an investment fund to engage with early-stage startups?
We are uniquely positioned to leverage the deep understanding and expertise gained from our own rich experience in building and scaling digital business in India to help entrepreneurs in their journey. The close association offers startups mentorship access to leaders who have scaled billion-dollar businesses, consultations from domain experts, and workshops to achieve superlative growth. Flipkart Ventures will be managed by a separate dedicated team of experienced investment professionals to ensure a tailor-made approach suitable for early-stage investments.
What sets Flipkart Ventures apart from accelerator programs such as Flipkart LEAP?
While Flipkart LEAP offers a playbook on how to grow, scale, and navigate challenges, Flipkart Ventures financially enables the digital startups to bring their brilliant ideas to fruition. Both the initiatives complement each other and add impetus to the shared purpose of boosting innovative technologies.
What will be your average investment size and what stage of startups are you particularly focusing on?
The investment will be dependent on the requirement and potential of the startup. Our sweet spot would be between $1 million – $3 million, which can go up depending on the requirement and potential of the startup. We will provide Series A and B funding to startups, in addition to expert advice and mentorship.
Protection and preservation of the global forest ecosystem is the undisputed need of the hour with unprecedented climate change impacts being seen across the world.
Through a Sustainable Forest-Derived Materials (FDM) Sourcing partnership with Canopy, the award-winning environmental not-for-profit organization, Flipkart is answering a resounding cry for change by becoming a proactive force for the better. Sustainable FDM Sourcing is a step in that direction and involves finding alternative solutions to products made from wood pulp and ensuring sourcing of raw materials only from certified responsibly managed forests.
By signing on for Canopy’s flagship initiatives, Pack4Good and CanopyStyle, we are striving to take the next step on creating a responsible value chain for the Flipkart Group. As we continue to find opportunities to reduce our environmental impact across the supply chain, including a 100% single-use plastic elimination in our own supply chain and a commitment to transition towards 100% electric mobility by 2030, we know our work is far from done. With this partnership we hope to fulfil one simple goal – to conserve and protect endangered and ancient forests in India, and the world.
The Canopy Benefit
Canopy’s expertise and guidance provides a deep-rooted understanding of evolving forestry sourcing practices. This collaboration enables us to work with our sourcing partners and sellers to guide them on sustainable choices for packaging and Man-Made Cellulosic Fibers (MMCF) such as rayon/viscose, lyocell, and modal.
Aligning Objectives with sustainable FDM Sourcing
With the overarching objective of becoming more responsible in our sourcing practices, we are hoping to continue to practice our 5R Circularity policy of Reduce|Reuse|Recycle|Refurbish|Regenerate. Outlined below is a 3-year roadmap highlighting the focus areas of our collaboration with Canopy.
Develop an approach wherein sourcing of all paper, packaging, and man-made cellulosic fibers will not harm ancient and endangered forests.
Work on collaborative and visionary solutions that protect remaining ancient and endangered forests in India and Canopy’s global Landscapes of Hope.
Support procurement and processing practices that benefit both society and the environment, as a whole.
Innovate next-gen solutions with Canopy to explore alternative fiber sources to reduce environmental impact.
Institute circular solutions for packaging to reduce the footprint of the paper and packaging used.
Reduce the GHG footprint by actively supporting conservation of high carbon stock forest areas and encourage suppliers to avoid harvesting in those areas.
Drive conversations requesting suppliers to acknowledge and support the rights of indigenous and rural communities legal to their territories, land, and resources. Necessary efforts will also be made to obtain their consent before new logging rights are allocated or plantations are developed.
Targeted Change, For the Better
As of 2021, we delivered on our public commitment to shift over to a plastic-free packaging in our own supply chain. We achieved the milestone of 100% elimination of single-use plastic in packaging used across all our fulfilment centers in India. Building on the momentum of this victory, we have doubled down with revised targets to include sustainable FDM sourcing within the packaging and MMCF sectors.
Overhauled packaging objectives
Over the next 3 years, along with existing efforts on phasing out Single-use Plastics (SUPs), Flipkart will focus on using recycled materials in packaging. We will explore solutions to reduce the use of corrugated paper and paperboard, reduce and reuse packaging materials, and implement circular solutions.
Flipkart will work with Canopy on next-gen solutions from Indian providers and give preference to packaging with high recycled content targeting an average of 80% of overall recycled content in papers and packaging within 3 years.
We will source packaging and paper from alternative materials such as wheat straw or other agricultural residues. We will also support commercial scale production of paper, pulp, and packaging from alternative fiber sources.
Fabric sourcing targets
Flipkart’s in-house brands will strive to utilize fabric sources that reduce environmental and social impacts, with a focus on agricultural residues and recycled fibers.
In 2022, we will institute a preference for purchasing man-made cellulosic products that include a minimum of 50% of these innovative fiber sources. Further, the goal is to develop a 2025 procurement target for these closed-loop solutions based on viscose fiber innovation.
Flipkart’s Eco-first milestones
Plastic-free packaging is now a reality in over 70 Flipkart facilities, and an intelligent shift to sustainable, affordable and scalable alternatives is what made this possible. These include paper shreds, replacing bubble wraps with the far-friendlier carton waste shredded material and 2 ply rolls, replacing poly pouches with recycled paper bags, and more. In instances where SUPs simply can’t be avoided, we have ensured that an equivalent quantity of SUPs are fully recycled through the trusted network of recyclers.
Through all these efforts, Flipkart is in full compliance with EPR regulations, driving innovation toward conservation. With the implementation of ‘Ecommerce ready packaging’, we were able to ship around 15% of products without the secondary layer of packaging. The core objective here is to reduce its very demand by working with brands to ship products in the original packaging. Naturally, all suppliers are encouraged to adopt sustainable measures with recycled and alternative materials.
Sustainable Brands
Flipkart’s latest fashion line is another step toward sustainable fashion. It utilizes GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified fabrics and with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified tags. The polybags used also contain 50% RCS (Recycled claim substance) material.
Myntra is also a part of the change, joining hands with LENZING™ ECOVERO™. This brand derives fiber from certified renewable wood sources using an eco-responsible production process. It meets high environmental standards and offers a special variety of viscose-fiber, which has been awarded the EU Ecolabel. This invaluable certification is given only to products and services that meet extremely stringent requirements of sustainability. Myntra has also introduced ‘FSC MIX brand paper hang tags’ and saves 288 fully grown trees per year.
Sustainable FDM sourcing is a critical step toward sustainability and this policy will successfully aid the Flipkart mission. With Canopy’s backing, we will continue to transform supply chains to life-affirming value chains and stand tall as a protector of the planet’s forests.
Read more – FlipkartxCanopy Responsible Forestry Sourced Products Policy
It started on a warm and humid day, typical of summers in Noida. Chatting with his colleagues and remarking about the weather, Ashok Kumar, an employee at the Jeeves-F1 Repair and Refurbishment Factory glanced at the sun, and was struck by an idea.
With such an abundance of sunshine, why couldn’t the facility harness the benefits of solar energy? He took the idea to his manager.
The five-story building spread over 1.4 lakh square feet in Sector 63 of the industrial city in the Delhi-NCR region houses this state-of-the-art Jeeves-F1 Repair and Refurbishment Factory. Here, skilled technicians oversee repairs of various gadgets and home appliances, refurbishment of pre-loved electronics, as well as refinishing operations.
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Maintaining worker comfort while optimizing energy consumption was the focus for the Jeeves-F1 team. The ethos of Jeeves-F1 — while based on the tenets of customer satisfaction, access and affordability — is to contribute to a planet geared towards the principles of repair, refurbish, reuse, while reducing wastage. The core team ideated on how to enable the factory to utilize and harvest solar power to further solidify Jeeves-F1’s commitment to work both for the customer and the planet.
“All of what we do at Jeeves-F1 contributes to a circular economy, which reinforces the power of repair, refurbish, reuse and reduce wastage,” says Nipun Sharma, Head, Jeeves-F1. “We are always consciously seeking to ensure that there is less pressure on the environment.”
Now, two months since the initial discussion, approximately 40% of the facility’s energy needs are met by the solar panel set-up.
“We set ourselves an ambitious goal of completing this work within a month. The permissions followed by the execution phase began in March 2021,” says Nepal Singh, who heads operations for the factory and has played a pivotal role in bringing various teams together to work through tight deadlines and external challenges. “Then the lockdown was announced in the NCR region and we had to stop work. Despite that, and keeping the safety of our workforce in mind, we were able to complete the project within two months,” he adds.
While a commendable feat in itself, the push towards solar energy is not the factory’s first brush with successful sustainable endeavors.
Every year, the Jeeves-F1 factory in Noida repairs and refurbishes about 500,000 electronic devices to the highest quality, saving as many units from turning into e-waste in landfills and enabling both access and affordability for millions across India.
A 40-KLD sewage treatment plant (STP) treats 21 kiloliters of used water every day to be reused for various purposes. Every year, over 2,000 kg of e-waste generated at the facility is recycled through government-authorized e-waste partners, while annually, more than 100 liters of hazardous waste (such as waste oil from diesel generators) are sent to be recycled. Bio-waste from the factory’s wellness center is disposed of safely through bio-waste partners.
“This is a world-class facility,” stresses Nepal. “We solve every problem in line with the law and compliance, and remain a 100% compliant factory as per government laws.”
“This is a great example of how sustainability can be embedded in the different levels and components of business,” Mahesh Pratap Singh, Head, Sustainability at Flipkart, points out. “Especially since this is a facility that drives recommerce and recyclability. We are fully committed to making renewable energy even more mainstream in the days to come,” he adds.
“We’re a pull-based, rather than a push-based organization,” says Nipun, adding, “A good idea can come from anywhere.”
The idea for the solar panels, too, was suggested by an admin team member, Ashok Kumar, during an employee town hall.
“We’re always asking ourselves: How can we be more environmentally friendly? How can we reduce our carbon footprint? This facility is a testament to this commitment,” observes Nipun. “What we want to do is create facilities that contribute to a sustainable value chain.”
In this story: How a volunteer team, intent on helping fight the second wave, enabled a check-out giving feature on the Flipkart app in record time.
Nothing can quite beat the spirit of a country that bands together to help each other in times of need. The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic unleashed its worst, affecting millions across India. Amid the widespread and irrevocable devastation it caused, everyday Indians came together — online and on ground — to lend each other a helping hand.
At Flipkart, too, SOS groups and COVID-19 helplines popped up overnight, colleagues reached out to help teammates and strangers alike, and the focus turned to navigating the debilitating second wave.
“We all saw when the second wave started happening and the country was going through a critical phase. Our own employee base was going through severe cases, their families were affected and our capacities were down, ” recalls Jeyandran Venugopal, Chief Product and Technology Officer.
In the midst of this, an email called on Flipsters to volunteer to build a feature that would leverage our culture of giving, the strength of our platform and our ecosystem to help communities around us at this critical time.
The mail saw a flurry of replies, with Flipsters, many of whom were fighting their own personal crises as the pandemic affected them and their families, raising their hands to help. Soon, Flipsters from teams across Tech, Program, Product, Design, Customer Support, Last Mile, Legal, Tax, Finance, Marketing, and more, had come together to roll out a check-out giving feature on the Flipkart app.
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Micro giving, macro impact
According to Shweta Chandra, Director at Flipkart, who leads COVID Solves, a pandemic-specific program, check-out giving had been a part of the team’s annual plan, but the second wave meant it had to be expedited to execution.
“This meant, we had to bring all the teams together to prioritize, problem solve, build a program plan and also mitigate risks due to change in priorities,” she says.
The check-out giving feature, now live on Flipkart, enables customers to make a nominal donation with ease when they shop on the Flipkart platform. The customer contributions of Rs. 10 each go towards COVID-19 care efforts through our on-ground NGO partner GiveIndia.
“While Flipkart had at least three different active donation drives at that point of time, we realized that there was value in cash donations that would directly reach people in need,” explains Sumit Grover, Senior Director at Flipkart.
The feature would run alongside drives that would arrange for life-saving supplies like vaccinations, oxygen cylinders and other essentials.
“When you look at India’s sustainable development context, our needs as a country are huge,” observes Mahesh Pratap Singh, Head, Social Responsibility at Flipkart. “We need to look at ways to use our unique characteristics to an advantage and within that, micro-giving – which includes check-out giving – plays a very important part.”
‘With scale comes complexity’
The feature may look miniscule at first glance, but there were multiple aspects that needed to be addressed in order to build it in a very short span of time and in a constrained environment.
“We had very little time as we were almost at the peak of the second wave and far too many people were getting impacted,” adds Sumit, who himself had just returned to work after recovering from the virus.
Fueled by a sense of urgency and the inherent need to help, teams of volunteers from across Flipkart came together. The problem statements for the teams were manifold — alterations to a sturdy checkout process, accounting changes, payment reconciliations, among others. As the core team continued to uncover nuances, more teams and volunteers got involved, from login services to customer support, app engineering, city logistics, and more.
Apart from tech and product considerations, there was also the massive task of enabling this for customers who opt-in during a Cash on Delivery (COD) checkout. This also meant training Flipkart’s Wishmasters on collection protocols. Customer support teams too were informed and ready with Q&As and FAQs for customers.
“I don’t think there was anyone who was not impacted – directly or indirectly – during the second wave. This made it that much more imperative for all of us to roll it out as soon as possible,” says Anusha Jayanti, Group Product Manager at Flipkart. Anusha began leading the giving charter for the product team just after returning from her maternity leave over a year ago.
Despite the challenges, what would have taken months during regular business times, took two-to-three weeks from conception to launch, with the design and product solution coming through in just one working day.
Customer First
“While helping those in need was the key focus, we also needed to ensure that it was a seamless flow for a customer each and every step of the way,” stresses Anusha.
Ram Sevak, Group Product Manager at Flipkart, echoes the thought. “This feature provides people a very simple way to contribute,” he explains. “We wanted to enable our customers to donate a nominal amount of Rs. 10 in cash as well, equipping them to help people from the comfort of their homes through a trusted platform and NGO partner.”
Ram, who leads Checkout and User Identity products for Flipkart, worked with the volunteer teams to open the feature on all live orders, both prepaid and COD. For a feature like this to work, he insists, trust, choice and transparency are of utmost importance.
“Transparency forms the core of this effort. If customers change their minds, we have made the cancellation process very simple. The donation is entirely voluntary, and the amount is nominal so our customers are comfortable to contribute.”
A higher sense of purpose
“Working through tireless days, contributing time and skill outside of their day-to-day jobs towards a cause – that itself is a great example of giving,” says Mahesh, explaining a key tenet to the Flipkart culture – that of giving.
“Our country has a large population and not everyone can afford to write large cheques to contribute. But if those who are able, can donate Rs. 10, it amounts to a huge change,” he observes, demonstrating the power of using a platform for greater good.
“With Flipkart’s scale, check-out giving can help make a broader impact. The initiative reflects Flipsters’ community-conscious DNA,” adds Shweta.
For many in the volunteer team, it was a higher sense of purpose that enabled them to work at a lightning-quick pace during a particularly difficult time. “People were inherently motivated,” says Ram, who has been in the product field for over a decade. “The glue factor was the need to help.”
“I myself was impacted by COVID-19 during the time this discussion started,” adds Sumit. For the 7-year Flipkart veteran, a sense of responsibility — both from being a flipster and having faced the crisis first-hand — drove him to lead the teams in the right direction.
“We know that flipsters spirit is to rise up to challenges,” says Jeyandran. “The agility with which cross-functional teams have come together to volunteer their time while navigating their own personal crises is truly commendable. It is indeed a moment of pride to be able to leverage our collective strengths and capabilities for the greater good.”
While it’s very early days, the team has been enthused by the encouraging response from our customers, who have been ever-ready to extend their support to those in need. The check-out giving success, however, is among many examples of the power of volunteering and culture of giving at Flipkart.
“In the last couple of years, giving has become more broad based, helping us make a bigger impact,” explains Mahesh. “We still have a way to go. But when you drive and enable a culture of giving — as we have done at Flipkart – it stays with people wherever they go in life, hopefully continuing the habit in their personal and professional journeys.”
On July 7, 2021, Flipkart announced that it had attained the milestone of 100% single-use plastic elimination packaging throughout its own supply chain. Having initiated the drive to reduce plastic in 2018, Flipkart in 2019 announced the ambitious commitment to eliminate single-use plastic by 2021. In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic introduced new variables into the business, Flipkart ensured that the drive towards sustainable packaging did not slow down. The milestone was achieved while navigating a tough year impacted by COVID-19.
Flipkart’s sustainability journey has been marked by an orchestrated effort to create a positive environmental and social impact. This milestone was achieved by introducing the most scalable sustainable alternatives such as eco-friendly paper shreds, replacing poly pouches with recycled paper bags, replacing bubble wraps with carton waste shredded material and 2 Ply roll, to name a few. Throughout this process, Flipkart has also ensured that it is fully compliant with all EPR regulations and through its network of recyclers, the equivalent quantity of single-use plastic going to consumers is fully recycled.
Some of the other key initiatives by Flipkart include ‘E-commerce ready packaging’, where Flipkart has been able to ship close to 15% of products without adding a secondary layer of packaging. Flipkart’s ambition is to reduce the need for an outer layer by working with brands across apparel, electronics and home furnishings to ship their products in the original manufacturer/ brand packaging. Flipkart also is working towards making sure that the packaging used does not cause any deforestation by scaling packaging from recycled and alternative materials.
Flipkart is now focused on enabling our seller ecosystem to adopt sustainable packaging alternatives as well, and to create positive environmental and social impact across the entire supply chain. In the near future, some of the other measures that Flipkart is working to realize include responsible forestry and sourcing, plastic-free returns in the supply chain, and plastic-free returns for sellers.
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