Flipkart’s Smart Assistive Interface Saathi aims

Flipkart’s Smart Assistive Interface ‘Saathi’ aims to handhold first-time e-commerce users using audio-visual navigation

Aims to handhold new users, with a combination of text and audio-visual experience for product discovery

 Flipkart, India’s leading homegrown e-commerce marketplace, today announced the introduction of a ‘Smart Assistive Interface’ feature called ‘Flipkart Saathi’ to support first-time e-commerce users on the platform and enhance their overall shopping experience. This first-of-a-kind feature from Flipkart is available in Hindi and English to start with and is Flipkart’s attempt towards further humanising e-commerce. With this feature, Flipkart aims to empower consumers across tier II, III cities and beyond in rural India, as it seeks to bring the next 200 million consumers online.

The assistive interface feature (audio-guided navigation) aims at mimicking the typical real-life shopping experience for consumers who are comfortable being assisted by a salesperson. It uses a combination of text and audio-based instructions to guide new users in their e-commerce journey. This includes a list of key actions in the form of pop-up texts followed by audio for a better understanding. As audio is simple to follow and offers relatability, consumers can follow the instructions in a more immersive manner.  

The Voice of Convenience

Industry research suggests that 90% of new internet users in India are native language speakers, hence it becomes imperative to offer a native e-commerce experience to impart familiarity, comfort and aid in decision making. With this assistive interface, users will be able to see relevant information and search for their desired products in Hindi – a language whose internet user base is expected to outgrow English in India by the year 2021.

Flipkart undertook extensive research for nearly a year, speaking with consumers yet to transact on e-commerce, and occasional users in tier-II cities to understand how assistive interface as a concept, resonates with end users. In its study, the company realised that while new users are able to skim through some products on their own, filtering options and choosing brands or variants is where they required assistance and hence, audio visual guided navigation becomes essential. Through consecutive studies, Flipkart tested initial concepts and recorded how users react to onboarding, flow and what value they derive from assistive interfaces.

   

Solving for India

The smart assistive interface will play a significant role in eliminating obstructions to e-commerce and offers a sequential way of learning how to shop online. This will in turn reduce consumers’ reliance on others to experience e-commerce and empower them to experience e-commerce independently. Furthermore, it will help offline users transitioning to e-commerce to input in the correct language, offering them the ability to do tasks faster and enhance their  confidence. The feature will also be made available in other regional language interfaces in the coming months.

Kalyan Krishnamurthy, Group Chief Executive Officer, Flipkart, said, “ Flipkart is committed to bringing the next 200 million consumers online and solving for that in every possible manner. Our talented technology team has worked hard to make Hindi interface and Smart Assistive Interface available to consumers at a time when an increasing number of consumers from smaller cities are getting access to data. This personalisation of technology is a key element of our vision for Bharat and all our innovations are centred around this. As 80-90% of our resources are devoted towards building the ecosystem for Bharat, we are confident of such initiatives bringing about a massive change in our efforts to democratize e-commerce in India.” 

  

Jeyandran Venugopal, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Flipkart, said, “When solved well, language becomes more of a convenience than a barrier. Our efforts in this direction have been very satisfying, including the launch of Hindi interface and now the Smart Assistive Interface. This initiative will further make it easier for consumers especially in Tier-II cities & beyond  to access & enjoy an online shopping experience. Through the combination of cutting-edge tech with our robust understanding of the diverse consumer base in India, the Flipkart team has created an offering to simplify e-commerce. It will bring us closer to our goal of democratizing e-commerce, bringing inclusivity, and onboarding the next set of consumers.

Flipkart's new initiative to collect plastic packaging from customers’ doorstep

Consumer outreach initiative aimed at responsible disposal of used plastic packaging 

• Initiates pilot across select hubs in seven cities including Dehradun, Kolkata, Mumbai and Bengaluru to collect plastic packaging from doorsteps
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Flipkart, India’s leading e-commerce marketplace, today announced the roll out of a new initiative that focuses on creating awareness among consumers on the proper disposal of plastic packaging and make them active participants in its sustainability agenda. As part of this initiative, Flipkart is conducting a pilot project to collect plastic packaging back from consumers at select hubs across Mumbai, Bengaluru, Dehradun, Delhi, Kolkata, Pune, and Ahmedabad.

The pilot aims at ensuring existing plastic packaging in the system is recycled and reused. Under the program, Flipkart will send out an intimation to consumers asking them to voluntarily hand over plastic packaging to Flipkart wishmasters for its proper disposal, at the time of product delivery. The collected packets will then be sent to registered vendors to ensure it is disposed of responsibly to avoid ending up in landfills. Wishmasters have also been provided proper training in explaining the various facets of this initiative to consumers to ensure high participation. This industry-first initiative aims at inspiring people to actively contribute towards the proper disposal of plastic packaging and become Green Ambassadors. 

This program is in continuation of Flipkart’s sustainability agenda under which it has already reduced the utilization of single-use plastic by 33% and aims to move towards 100% recycled plastic consumption in its supply chain by March 2021.Towards this goal, Flipkart has filed for EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) and is targeting 30% collection back in the first year. The company is also committed to maximizing recycled content in single-use plastic to boost the recycling ecosystem and reduce virgin plastic consumption. 

Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group, said, “Flipkart is a committed corporate citizen who is mindful of its role towards environmental sustainability. We have taken bold steps towards reducing single-use plastic in the system by replacing it with various eco-friendly alternatives and are constantly innovating with our approaches. The recently initiated pilot program ensures that our biggest stakeholder - consumers, is one of the key enablers of this initiative and will help drive awareness. We are proud to be the first-ever e-commerce marketplace to channelize plastic packaging back into the system through door-to-door collection with the help of our wishmasters. We believe a collective approach of all stakeholders would help us in achieving the dream of a Swachh and Samridha Bharat, and the country's vision to phase out single-use plastic.”

Flipkart is working on various initiatives, including the introduction of eco-friendly paper shreds, replacing poly pouches with recycled paper bags, replacing bubble wraps and airbags with carton waste shredded material, and 2-ply roll, to name a few as part of its long-term sustainability initiatives. 

Earlier this year, the company announced the introduction of electric vehicles in its last-mile delivery network with the aim to replace nearly 40% of its existing last-mile fleet of delivery vans with EVs by March 2020. By leveraging technology in its workflow at fulfillment centers, Flipkart optimizes the type and volume of packaging to be used, instead of leaving it to human decision and was also recently certified ISO 14001 for its strategic facilities, a crucial benchmark for the preparedness to prevent environmental pollution in the workplace. 

Flipkart and Uttar Pradesh Khadi & Village Industries Board sign MoU

Flipkart and Uttar Pradesh Khadi & Village Industries Board sign MoU

• MoU signed in the presence of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Yogi Adityanath

• Initiative to help bring online thousands of Khadi weavers and craftsmen from U.P.

• Flipkart Samarth to help with 6 months incubation support to help them set up a thriving business on the Flipkart Marketplace

 Flipkart, India’s leading e-commerce marketplace, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Uttar Pradesh Khadi & Village Industries Board (UPKVIB) as part of the Flipkart ‘Samarth’ initiative. Flipkart Samarth is aimed at enabling artisans, weavers, and craftsmen from diverse backgrounds and rural parts of the country to set up their business on Flipkart.

As part of the Samarth program, eligible entities and artisans will receive incubation support in the form of onboarding, cataloguing, account management, business insights, dedicated seller support, reduced commission (where eligible), and warehousing. The Govt. of Uttar Pradesh is supporting the initiative by fast-tracking collaboration between Flipkart and UPKVIB registered affiliates that work in the arts, handicrafts and textile space. UPKVIB and Flipkart will work together to help weavers and artisans sell Khadi fabrics and village industries products across Flipkart’s pan-India customer base of over 160 million.

The MoU was signed in Lucknow between Dr. Navneet Sehgal, IAS, CEO of UPKVIB, and Shri. Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of the Flipkart Group. The MoU was signed in the presence of the hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Shri. Yogi Adityanath.

Commenting on the development, Dr. Navneet Sehgal of UPKVIB said, “The skills of our artisans, weavers and craftsmen are passed on over generations and, due to e-commerce, the current generation has great opportunities to market their products across India and make a better living. Equally, it’s an excellent way for our fellow Indians across the country to discover the beauty and variety of traditional Khadi apparel, handicrafts and village industries products. We are hopeful that our association with Flipkart will encourage more artisans and weavers of Uttar Pradesh to become a part of the e-commerce economy.”

Flipkart’s Rajneesh Kumar said, “E-commerce is a powerful driver for inclusive socio-economic growth, and we are glad to be able to demonstrate that through our Flipkart Samarth initiative. We are thankful to the Govt. of Uttar Pradesh for collaborating with us to bring online the community of Khadi and village industries artisans in U.P. We hope that it will help more communities to break social and demographic barriers and access our growing pan-India customer base to showcase their products.”

Flipkart’s The Big Billion Days clocks record sales

Flipkart’s The Big Billion Days clocks record sales powered by shoppers and sellers from Tier 2 and beyond

• Flipkart clocked 70 billion views in the 6 days of TBBDs
• There was almost 50% growth in the number of new customers as compared to TBBD'18
• September 30th 2019 was the single largest day for commerce in the country
• More than 50% of Flipkart Plus shoppers are from Tier 2 cities and beyond
• Units from Tier 3 cities grew by 100% YoY
• Delivery to remote areas such as Saitual, Khawzawl, Hnahthial and Dimapur to name a few

• Flipkart emerged as the destination for Large Appliances with 2X growth on Day 1
• The share of transactions via Flipkart’s credit options increased 70%

• Artisans and weaver partners through Flipkart Samarth program witnessed over 100% growth in sales during TBBD
• Over 40% of transacting sellers during TBBD, were from Tier 2 and beyond

Chennai, 4th October 2019: Flipkart, India’s leading e-commerce marketplace witnessed record sales in its flagship festive event - The Big Billion Days (TBBD) 2019. With a purpose to bring the next 200 million consumers to the e-commerce fold, this TBBD saw Bharat inch closer to India by showing confidence in categories and affordability offerings.

Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO of Flipkart Group said, “It has been a fantastic start to the festive season. We set out with an aim to bridge the gap between India and Bharat. TBBD 2019 has proven that Bharat has moved closer to India in more ways than one. Whether it is the uptake of the Hindi interface or the adoption of our affordability constructs, engagement constructs like gaming, consumers have engaged with brands they love like never before. We take immense pride in making e-commerce more inclusive through the introduction of some top categories which during this festive season, have been able to cater to the needs of Tier 2 markets and beyond. The Big Billion Days has also brought our entire ecosystem together from our seller partners to artisans, weavers and consumers; who were all able to spread festive cheers across categories.”

Key Highlights TBBD 2019

Marketplace

• By close of Day 2, ~25,000 sellers crossed their total sales of TBBD’18 (5 day sale)
• 50% of top sellers on Flipkart witnessed 3X growth
• Almost 50% growth in the number of new seller cities
• Over 40% of transacting sellers during TBBD were from Tier 2 and beyond towns
• 50% growth in the no. of sellers participating in TBBD’19 as compared to TBBD’18
• Among multi-platform e-commerce sellers, the wallet share seen on Flipkart by sellers  was 70%, while for Fashion & Home our Wallet share has hit as high as 80%
• Artisans and weaver partners through Flipkart Samarth program witnessed over 100% growth in sales from BAU during TBBD’19

Fashion

• Fashion witnessed a 70% growth in sales compared to TBBD’18
• 40% of all new customers to Flipkart this TBBD came through Fashion
• Women customers contributed 45% to overall Fashion sales (units sold)
• Tier 2 cities contributed 55% to the overall units
• 70% jump in customers compared to TBBD’18
• 15 apparels, 7 shoes, and 5 accessories were sold every second during TBBD’19 
• In the Flipkart Fashion portfolio, 20 brands sold more than 1 lakh units this TBBD
• The Flipkart Fashion Originals portfolio sales grew 100% over TBBD‘18

Mobiles

• This has been the biggest festive season for Mobiles till date, with brands achieving more than 2X growth over TBBD ‘18. More than 20 models sold over 100K units each during TBBD’19, which is a first for any event.
• At the start of early access in TBBD ‘19, there was a 1.5X spike in users, which reflects an eager anticipation for mobiles during TBBD‘19
• 2.5X increase in adoption of product exchange in mobile phone purchases 

Large Appliances

• 1 in 2 TVs, 1 in 3 washing machines, 1 in 5 refrigerators and 1 in 5 ACs  bought in India during these 6 days were bought on Flipkart
• 10 TVs were sold per second in the first hour of TBBD ‘19
• Close to 7 out of 10 customers opted for prepaid payment for TVs and other large appliances and 2X customers opted for exchange offers, indicating a desire to upgrade to high value appliances
• 1 in every 10 orders came from new delivery PIN codes -- including a delivery to a village called Tezu in Arunachal Pradesh, 100 kms from Myanmar China border, in just 3 days
• Large Appliances growth driven by Tier 2 & 3 cities with close to 50% sales from cities such as Nellore, Muzaffarpur, Salem, Dehradun, Mysore and more
• 1 in 4 customers in the Large Appliances category opted for the Complete Appliance Protection plan, trusting Flipkart to ensure their after-sales service for 3 years post purchase

Affordability

• The share of transactions via affordability constructs such as EMIs, Flipkart Pay Later and Cardless Credit has increased by 70% during TBBD’19 as compared to last year 
• 3 out of 5 people who used Flipkart credit instruments were from non-metros
• This TBBD saw 2X the number of customers using Flipkart Pay Later as compared to TBBD’18
• 1 in 3 customers who shopped in the Large Appliances category used an affordability option, such as EMIs

Private Brands

• The Private Brands portfolio sales grew an impressive 2.5X over TBBD’18. This year, over 2.5 lakh Indian homes were furnished by Private Brands across furniture, appliances and home furnishings
• 55% of customers for the Private Brands portfolio came from Tier 2 & below towns, with top non-metro markets including Lucknow, Ernakulam, Patna, Trivandrum and Vizag.
• One third of customers buying Private Brand products were women and over 12% of Private Brands shoppers were new to Flipkart and e-commerce
• Flipkart Perfect Homes continued to be India’s largest furniture brand during TBBD’19 delivering furniture to over 16,000 pin codes across the country
• A clear preference for premium specs in consumer durables was noticed -- over 50% of MarQ washing machines sold were Fully Automatics and almost 70% of air conditioners sold by MarQ by Flipkart were Inverter ACs. Premium Side By Side and Frost Free MarQ refrigerators accounted for 50% of the overall MarQ refrigerators sold
• Flipkart SmartBuy was the 3rd largest brand on the platform during TBBD'19, with 2+ products sold every second 

Electronics

• For TBBD 2019, the Electronics category has witnessed an overall growth of 50% in new customers
• Customers from Bharat (tier 2 cities and beyond) witnessed a growth of over 130% from TBBD 2018. Within Bharat customers, the number of Women Customers shopping has increased by over 100%
• 34 Electronic Accessories were sold every second during early access, for TBBD 19
• In categories like Laptops, Headphones, Smart wearables, Cameras, and Tablets -- 7 out of 10 products in India were bought on Flipkart during TBBD
• Apple SmartWatches earned over a month’s of their India business in the first 6 minutes of TBBD’19

Books, General Merchandise and Home

• BGMH was one of the fastest growing categories this TBBD, almost doubling sales growth and increasing units sold by 140% over last year’s TBBD
• The top categories clocking maximum no. of units were Personal Care, Household, House Furnishing, Baby Care & Toys and Books
• The category beat their five-day total TBBD’18 numbers within the first 24 hours of TBBD’19
• Personal Care, Sports, Toys, Home Decor and Home Furnishings were the most popular categories for consumers from Bharat, with top cities including Jaipur, Patna, Ghaziabad, Ludhiana, Ernakulam, Varanasi, Guwahati and Kanpur, among others  

Furniture

• Flipkart became the largest furniture marketplace in the country with a nearly 2X growth in sales over TBBD’18
• Beds, mattresses, sofas, wardrobes, TV units, dining sets, bean bags and shoe racks were among the top categories bought by customers
• One furniture item was sold every 2 seconds during TBBD’19
• There was an over 100% growth in new customers with nearly 63% belonging to  tier 2, 3 cities
• Customers from tier -2, 3 cities grew by over 100% this TBBD due to expansion of pincodes
• The number of crorepati sellers tripled since last TBBD on the back of strong consumer demand
• A fourth of consumers opted for affordability payment constructs to purchase furniture 

2GUD

• 2GUD’s new fashion and home categories saw 30X jump in orders. Refurbished televisions and laptops saw 10X jump in sales
• More than 50% of customers were from tier 3 and below; 80% orders from non-metro
• Over 65% orders in 2GUD lifestyle were from women categories
• 2GUD saw a 50% spike in units compared to TBBD’18
• 66% growth in refurbished electronics (laptops, speakers, headphones) in comparison to TBBD’18

Customer Experience and After Sales

• 1 million shipments sent out from Flipkart FCs on Day 1
• 2 in 3 customers received installation of Large Appliances on the same or next day of delivery
• For furniture and appliances under the Private Brands portfolio, 50% of installations were completed during the six-day TBBD period itself

Flipkart Plus

• 1.7X growth in Plus customers transacting in TBBD’19 compared to the first two days of TBBD’18
• Every 2 orders out of 5 orders this BBD are from Plus customers
• More than 50% of plus shoppers TBBD’19 are coming from tier 2 and tier 3 cities
• 1 out of every 2 Flipkart Plus customers purchased a mobile phone this TBBD 19
• Large Appliances has witnessed a 2X growth in sales from Plus Customers TBBD’19

Consumer Engagement (Games)

• Flipkart was the biggest Indian Gaming platform for consumers during TBBD 
• 5 million unique game players were engaged during TBBD‘19; with 2.4 million hours spent and 30 million game plays on Flipkart 
• Every minute, 10 players won a smartphone, ACs and Smartwatches across India; making Flipkart the most rewarding game platform in India

Best festive offers during Flipkart’s The Big Billion Days

Lakhs of sellers, artisans and brands to bring the best festive offers during Flipkart’s The Big Billion Days

Sellers, artisans and brands across the nation will come together to help Flipkart kick off the sixth edition of its The Big Billion Days this week. This year, sellers, artisans and brands from the length and breadth of the country have curated a unique range of products and offers only for Flipkart’s customers. Flipkart has also designed several affordability solutions for its customers, in partnership with leading financial institutions, to empower Indians shopping this festive season. Flipkart Plus customers will have exclusive early access starting at 8:00pm on September 28th and September 29th.

With 80 categories, over 150 million products, lakhs of brands, 1 lakh plus sellers from over 2000 cities and towns, and for the first time 1.35 lakh artisans, The Big Billion Days this year will be the biggest and best for the entire ecosystem.

Highlights: The Big Billion Days 2019

Top things to look out for this BBD Avail 10% instant discount with savings upto ₹10,000 on Axis Bank Credit and Debit Cards and on ICICI credit cards The first Edition of ‘Big Billion Days Specials’ will see a unique range of curated products from 40 key brands across categories Over ₹100 cr worth of rewards to be won through exciting new games A first-of-its-kind Mobiles Exchange Program, will help consumers get a reasonable price for their old mobile phones against the purchase of a new device in the same category Complete Mobile Protection plan with a BuyBack program is designed to enable customers to secure their phones and ensure a buy back value within 13 months Complete Appliance Protection plan with a 3-year coverage against damage and 30-day ‘Keep or Exchange’ plan on TVs and appliances Opportunity to earn 4x SuperCoins with Flipkart partners - on using Ola, Zomato, Oyo, 1MG and more and upto 20% back as SuperCoins on every partner transaction Through Flipkart Samarth, over 1.35 lakh artisans, craftsmen, and weavers will be participating in TBBD for the first time, bringing their handicrafts to millions of shoppers Big Billion Days Specials The Big Billion Days Specials program brings limited edition collectables, innovative products and the most exciting launches specially for Big Billion Days Top participating brand creations include: Nescafe’s Ultimate Coffee Kit; Marvel’s limited edition Avengers action figures; Raymond’s Khadi - The Story Respun series online for the first time; Google Home Mini in the Pantone shade of the Year; ASUS’ flagship ROG Phone 2; ONLY X Ananya Pandey line; and a designer vanity box by Gillette Venus, among others First Big Billion Days for Artisans 1.35 lakh artisans, craftsmen, and weavers will be participating in India’s biggest festive event this year for the first time Millions of pan-India consumers will be able to shop for ethnicwear, home decor, art, and handicrafts on Flipkart Top Callouts for Flipkart Plus customers Up to ₹5,000/- extra off on Mobiles, Electronics, Fashion, TVs and Appliances through exclusive SuperCoin deals Up to 99% off when you pay using SuperCoins: hundreds of products at Re. 1 (plus SuperCoins redemption) and extra up to 25% off on 5 lakh+ products Plus members who shop and spend big with SuperCoins will be rewarded with special experiences, such as the chance to meet Alia Bhatt, Jasprit Bumrah, free holidays and SunBurn Goa passes Mega rewards from Tinder, PubG, Zee5, Dominos, BookmyShow and More Top Affordability Levers Credit extension to 55 million customers through Flipkart's own innovations such as Flipkart Pay Later, Cardless Credit and Debit Card EMIs With Cardless Credit, facilitated by bank partners, customers can get credit up to ₹1 lakh to shop big during The Big Billion Days and Pay with No Cost EMI on select tenures 10% instant discount on Axis Bank Credit and Debit Cards and ICICI Bank Credit Cards. With Flipkart Pay Later, customers get to shop during the sale and pay later with an additional ₹50 off on first-ever transaction on Flipkart Pay Later Additionally, customers will get a never before offer of 10% instant discount + 5% cashback during The Big Billion Days on the Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card Other payment offers include No Cost EMIs on leading bank debit and credit cards and on Bajaj Finserv EMI Cards. Top Offers from Sellers and Brands across Categories Flipkart sellers have brought the best prices of the year on the biggest selection ○      Realme C2 starting at ₹5,999 for 32GB down from the MRP of ₹7,999 ○      Redmi Note 7 Pro at ₹11,999 with extra ₹1,000 off on exchange ○      Samsung Galaxy S9+ at an incredible price of ₹34,999 down from the MRP of ₹70,000 Upto 75% off on TVs and appliances, best affordable prices on 5,000 top Brands and 50,000+ products Upto 90% off on electronic gadgets and accessories such as laptops, headphones, cameras, tablets and more ○      Apple Watch Series 3 starting at ₹14,999 (MRP: ₹28,990) ○      Minimum ₹25,000 off on gaming laptops from Acer, Asus, MSI and more ○      JBL Flip3 Bluetooth Speakers at ₹3,999 Upto 90% off on 1,000+ fashion brands ○      Sports shoes from Nike, Adidas, Puma starting ₹999 ○      Watches from Titan, Fastrack, Casio at flat 25-50% off ○      T-shirts, shirts and denims from Lee, Wrangler, Jack and Jones, UCB at min 65% off Upto 90% off on furniture and mattresses, including beds, sofas, wardrobes, dining sets and more ○      1 lakh+ products and 1000+ brands ○      Cash On Delivery available first time on furniture, No Cost EMI starting as low as ₹600 per month (12 month EMI) ○      Wooden queen beds, 3-seater sofas, 3-door wardrobes starting at ₹6999 Upto 90% off on 10 lakh+ beauty and grooming products ○      Min 50% off on Lakme, Nivea, Himalaya and more ○      Upto 50% off on premium and international beauty brands such as Face Shop, Body Shop, Kaya, Kama and more ○      Upto 90% off on toys, books and more, starting from ₹49 ○      30-50% off on Barbie, Hotwheels, Nerf, Fisher Price, Lego and more ○      Diapers from top brands at 30-50% off  ○      Top books by Amish Tripathi, Sadhguru, Chetan Bhagat and more at 60% off Upto 90% off on home decor, furnishing and kitchen essentials ○      Complete home makeover under ₹999. ○      Bombay Dyeing bedsheets and curtains from ₹299 ○      3-burner gas stoves from top brands starting at ₹1599

Flipkart introduces Complete Protection plan

Flipkart introduces ‘Complete Protection’ plan for home appliances

~ Launches the most comprehensive and a first-of-its-kind plan for TVs and home appliances

~ Will cover products within and beyond the warranty period with a single-window redressal

~ Free doorstep pick-up and delivery

 Flipkart, India’s leading e-commerce marketplace, today announced a comprehensive and first-of-its-kind ‘Complete Protection’ service plan for home appliances including TVs, refrigerators, air conditioners and washing machines sold on its platform. To build stronger trust and value proposition for the customers, the Complete Protection plan will help address all possible types of customer issues through a single window, both within and beyond the warranty period of the product.

It is the most comprehensive and the first plan of its kind for the TVs and large appliances segment in India, and it comes with free doorstep repair, replacement and refund option. Free doorstep repair, replacement and refund services for TVs, refrigerators and washing machines under the Complete Protection plan will be provided by Jeeves, Flipkart’s customer service arm.

Here is a list of the key constructs under the Complete Protection plan:

• Covers manufacturing and functional defects, as well as product damage caused by accidents or power surges
• Promises a 30% exchange value guarantee on TVs in the third year, and a 20% exchange value guarantee on refrigerators and washing machines to help consumers upgrade
• Offers 3 years of brand-authorized repair, replacement or refund, with original parts for any type of complaint

In line with Flipkart’s customer-focused vision, the Complete Protection plan is an extension of the successful Mobile Protection plan launched earlier to offer a 365 day complete post-purchase solution with personalized door-to-door service for consumers. Going forward, this will be extended to other product categories as well to ensure optimum satisfaction for consumers.

Flipkart introduces furniture by House of Pataudi

Flipkart adds a royal touch to your home; introduces furniture by House of Pataudi 

• To introduce a range of heritage furniture from House of Pataudi across verticals this Big Billion Days 
• Millions of consumers across India will have access to a wide range of heritage furniture
  
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To enable consumers get the best of premium furniture ahead of the festive season, Flipkart, India’s largest e-commerce marketplace, today announced the foray of Saif Ali Khan-backed House of Pataudi in the online furniture space during this year’s Big Billion Days. This foray is reflective of growing importance of e-commerce with brands who aim to reach out to a wider base of consumers across India.

The House of Pataudi range of furniture, co-designed with Flipkart, will include a wide range of solid wood products across verticals including Study and Living room furniture and will allow the brand to serve consumers who desire premium royal furniture but lack selection and are usually underserved. The partnership will also help the brand make inroads into tier-II cities and beyond where there’s a lot of latent demand for quality premium furniture.

Commenting on the partnership, Adarsh Menon, Vice-President, Furniture, Electronics and Private label at Flipkart said, “As the leading furniture marketplace in the country, we constantly strive to bring the widest and most diverse choice of furniture to our consumers. This has enabled us to become a launchpad for several brands who want to serve customers across the country. Our partnership with House of Pataudi is a big step towards solving for consumers by offering the widest choice of heritage furniture, both in terms of design and price points along with seamless access to the product. It also adds to our growing range of premium furniture which is witnessing fast adoption in India and will help in making Flipkart the one-stop destination for all kinds of furniture in India.” 

Sharing his thoughts on this move, Afsar Zaidi - founder & enabler of Exceed said, “Our ambition with House of Pataudi is to build a multi-category fashion and lifestyle brand. We want to offer dimensions of the glorious Pataudi heritage and take it to newer audiences. Venturing into home furniture pieces is an important move for us in this journey. Inspired by the colonial interiors and exquisite pieces at the Patuadi Palace, the collection truly embodies the elegance, sensibility and ethos of the family heritage. We are really excited about our partnership with Flipkart, which offers wide access and presence in one of the fastest growing e-commerce categories in the country."

Furniture has been one of  the fastest growing categories for Flipkart offering the widest choice of durability certified products, affordable payment constructs such as Buy Now Pay Later, No-cost EMI, Debit Card EMI and a seamless delivery and installation across 80% pincodes in the country.