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Tag: Flipkart

  • The epic journey of online-only mobile brands: A game changer

    The epic journey of online-only mobile brands: A game changer

    In the last 12 months or so, a number of mobile brands have adopted the online-only sales strategy and results indicate that consumers have taken a liking to this new approach.

     

    In India, the online-only strategy was first embraced by Motorola with their then flagship product Moto G in partnership with India’s largest e-commerce marketplace, Flipkart. When Motorola first announced this approach, few market analysts would have expected the Moto G to sell out within 15 minutes of its first opening. While this event has been eclipsed by rival brands such as Xiaomi and OnePlus, in hindsight, it will forever be remembered as the beginning of a consumer trend that nobody had previously anticipated.

     

    Now that this model has stood the test of time and has been adopted by a number of brands, reasons for its success are slowly coming to the fore.

     

    Reaching target market in smaller cities

     

    One very plausible reason why mobile brands such as Xiaomi and OnePlus have successfully entered the market through their online-only strategy is the reach that an online platform like Flipkart offers their product. By adopting an online-only strategy, these brands are able to reach consumers in smaller cities where the retail sector isn’t organised as well as it is in bigger cities. An online-only strategy actually allows these brands to give their products unprecedented visibility in tier 1 and tier 2 cities right from day one.

     

    Another important factor why the online-only approach has worked is that with time, consumers have grown more comfortable with online buying. Consumer awareness of products has increased manifold compared to what it was a few years ago.

     

    Offline buying is overrated

     

    Consumer awareness and improved online buying experiences have also led mobile brands into believing that offline buying is overrated. These days, when consumers want to buy a new phone; they often resort to comparing the prices and specifications on offer from various brands before arriving at a decision. This process can be best executed online with a wide variety of brands for them to choose from when compared to the limited variety they might find at a retail store.

     

    Also, the process of price and spec comparison has been made all the more simpler online thanks to leading price comparison websites like iSpyPrice.com, mysmartprice, smartprix etc and consumers don’t have to visit multiple physical retail outlets before they can finally zero in on their choice.

     

    The ability to control prices

     

    Perhaps the most important reason why brands like Xiaomi, OnePlus, and even new entrants like InFocus are using an online-only strategy is that this allows them to control the pricing strategy of their products.

     

    Just like other consumer electronics goods, mobile brands have always had to go through the cumbersome distributor-retailer cycle to make their product accessible to the consumer. In the traditional offline model, mobile brands either build their own distribution network or strike a deal with one or more established distributors. And if you are a foreign brand looking to make inroads into a local market, this cycle gets further complicated.

     

    In a market that changes every few months and has an incredible number of competitors, building one’s own distribution network is a hassle most foreign brands would ideally want to avoid. This is mainly because this is a time consuming process.

     

    The other option for these brands is to opt for a national distributor. These national distributors will end up making a margin on the sale of each device, pushing the price of the device up. Then come the regional distributors, they also need to make a margin on the sale of each device, pushing the device’s price further up. Finally, it’s the turn of the retailers to make a margin on the sale of each device. By this time, the price of the device goes up by a fair notch.

     

    If you think Xiaomi’s current flagship the Mi4s 16 GB version is a steal deal at Rs 19,999 consider adding another Rs 3,000-5,000, or maybe more, to that price and it doesn’t sound like a steal deal anymore, does it? That’s what the distributor-retailer cycle can do to the price of a device. Xiaomi and the likes can afford to give the consumer a favorable price because the online-only strategy allows them to do so.

     

    This is also why you get to see different prices for the same devices on various e-commerce marketplaces. Mobile brands are able to pass the benefit of price saving to the consumer. The e-commerce brands also don’t need to save a margin from a sub-retailer. It’s a win-win situation for all parties involved.

     

    A high success ratio

     

    Motorola’s online-only strategy for the various versions of the Moto G and later the Moto E was such an incredible success that they ended up selling more than a million of these devices. Xiaomi followed suit and has done well with the sale of its Mi3, Mi4, and Redmi 1s devices. This strategy has paid rich dividends for Xiaomi as they are now among the top three smartphone brands in the world, third only to Apple and Samsung.

     

    Earlier this year, the Micromax-owned Yu Televentures brand launched its first flagship product- the Yureka. They entered into a deal with e-commerce giants Amazon for the online sale of this device.

     

    Brands such as Lenovo and Xolo have also decided to adopt this strategy. Lenovo has already announced its plans to take on the likes of Xiaomi with its online-only brand Shenqi. Brands like vivo are making a foray into the market taking advantage of this method.

     

    Lava International’s smartphone brand Xolo has been in the news for building its own e-commerce platform which it intends to use for the purpose of reaching a wider consumer base for an online-only sub-brand it is building.

     

    This still isn’t the right choice for everybody

     

    While the online-only strategy may have many ups, it also offers no immediate reasons for bigger players to join the bandwagon. Huge brands like Apple Inc. aren’t likely to switch to this sales channel full-time anytime in the near future. They have no reason to do so. Apple’s sales are built upon brand value and standing in queue to buy an Apple iPhone is still very much a fan thing. Apple’s marketing makes the brand and its products desirable and that is why switching to an online-only model seems highly unlikely.

     

    Then there is the South Korean behemoth Samsung. Samsung currently sells a large majority of its smartphones through the traditional model. It does offer select e-tailers exclusive deals where they can sell a particular Samsung mobile through their online marketplace, but by and large Samsung is a supporter of the traditional method and believes in this sales channel.

     

    Some would argue that’s only two brands to take into consideration but the fact is these two are the current flag-bearers of the mobile industry, the top two smartphone makers in the world. And as long as they, and others like them, are convinced, the offline distributor-retailer cycle is likely to remain healthy in the foreseeable future.

     

    The growth of e-commerce, Internet penetration and future prospects for the online-only strategy

     

    While a number of these brands have taken to this approach, it is undeniable that there are other factors that have led to the success of this sales channel. The first is the growing Internet penetration. India’s Internet penetration has grown to 300 million+ and is on the rise all the time. Although e-commerce is said to account for only about 1 per cent of total retail sales, this 1 per cent accounted for sales worth $5.3 billion. It is a given that as this online-only strategy by smartphone brands takes shape, these figures will see a surge in sales.

     

    The growing penetration of Internet is allowing e-commerce brands to reach a critical mass of potential customers and there is no doubt that in time, as more and more mobile brands opt for an online-only strategy, e-tailing would begin to rival traditional sales channels. Perhaps not immediately, but definitely!

     

    (These are purely personal views of iSpyPrice.com founder and director Suresh Sharma and Indiantelevision.com does not necessarily subscribe to these views.)

     

     

  • After Flipkart, Airtel responds to Net Neutrality controversy

    After Flipkart, Airtel responds to Net Neutrality controversy

    MUMBAI: Net neutrality activists and the Indian netizen’s valiant effort marked its first goal as after e-commerce giant Filpkart backed out from its deal with Airtel for Airtel Zero, the telecom tycoon has now issued an explanation on various controversies.

     

    Airtel, in its statement, said that it fully supports the concept of net neutrality. “There have been some misconceptions about our toll free data platform – Airtel Zero. It is a not a tariff proposition but is an open marketing platform that:

     

    * Allows any application or content provider to offer their service on a toll free basis to their customers who are on our network.

     

    * Such customers whether on a data pack or not will therefore be able to access these toll free services free of charge.

     

    * No site whether on the toll free platform or not under any circumstances is blocked, throttled or provided any form of preferential access.

     

    * The toll free platform is open to all content providers on a completely non discriminatory basis and operates on the same principle as 1-800 toll free voice services.”

     

    Airtel further said, “The statement made by Flipkart regarding its decision to not offer toll free data service to its customers is consistent with our stand that Airtel Zero is not a tariff proposition. It is merely an open platform for content providers to provide toll free data services. The platform remains open to all companies who want to offer these toll free data services to their customers on a completely non discriminatory basis.”

     

    As was reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, Flipkart issued a statement saying that the company has always strongly believed in the concept of net neutrality. While it backed off from Airtel Zero, the company also said that it was committed to the larger cause of net neutrality in India.

  • Net neutrality: Flipkart pulls out of Airtel Zero after social media backlash

    Net neutrality: Flipkart pulls out of Airtel Zero after social media backlash

    MUMBAI: Over the last few days, the hot topic of debate on social media has been net neutrality. Even as Indians sent more than 300,000 emails to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in support of net neutrality to ensure equal internet access for all, e-commerce giant Flipkart, has pulled out of its deal with Airtel for its platform Airtel Zero, which allows users to access partner apps sans any data charges.

     

    Flipkart faced a lot of flak on social media platforms on its partnership with Airtel Zero. As a result of this, the company backed out of its deal and has also now committed itself to the larger cause of net neutrality in India. 

     

    In an official statement, Flipkart said, “We at Flipkart have always strongly believed in the concept of net neutrality, for we exist because of the Internet. Over the past few days, there has been a great amount of debate, both internally and externally, on the topic of zero rating, and we have a deeper understanding of the implications.”

     

    Based on this, the company took the following decisions:

     

    (1) Flipkart ended ongoing discussions with Airtel for their platform Airtel Zero.

     

    (2) The company committed itself to the larger cause of Net Neutrality in India and will be discussing internally the details of actions it would take to support the cause.

     

    (3) Flipkart will also work towards ensuring that the spirit of net neutrality is upheld and applied equally to all companies in India irrespective of the size or the service being offered and there is absolutely no discrimination whatsoever.

     

    As was reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, stand-up comedy group All India Bakchod (AIB) released a video explaining the concept of net neutrality and its impact if it was denied to users. AIB’s video, which went viral, conveyed the message that Internet was a utility and not a luxury.

     

    To review the concept of net neutrality, the government has created a committee of six members. Indian Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the team’s report on net neutrality will be presented in mid-May.

  • AIB turns activist; ignites movement on net neutrality

    AIB turns activist; ignites movement on net neutrality

    MUMBAI: Not long ago stand-up comedy group All India Bakchod (AIB) was directly or indirectly labeled as ‘anti-socials’ because of the controversial roast they uploaded on social media platform, which was eventually pulled down. The same group has now made a sincere attempt to explain the complicated concept of “Net Neutrality” to the common man. And their attempt has been successful with the video going viral and how.

     

    Net neutrality is something that every taxpayer deserves but no one cares for. It’s often regarded as technical jargon. However, AIB’s “Save The Internet” video has changed the perception and now a lot of people are aware of the impending catastrophe.

     

    What is Net Neutrality?

     

    Net Neutrality means every user will have the right to access whichever website she or he wants to. There will be no infringement from anybody and certain websites won’t be given more bandwidth than others. Amazon or The Times Of India, Flipkart or Indiantelevision.com, every website will load at the same speed and that is exactly what Net Neutrality means. And that’s the problem telecom operators have.

     

    Where it started from:

     

    Indian telecom operators lobbied to The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to change certain rules as per their convenience, which would have a direct impact on the consumer’s pocket. TRAI, in response to the telecos on 27 March, released a 118-page long consultation bulletin, which concluded by asking 20 questions. The last date to respond to that bulletin electronically is 24 April, 2015 while all the counter responses can be sent till 8 May, 2015.

     

    What all can change?

     

    No, telecom companies are not restricting any particular website so you can be rest assured that another ban is not coming into play. The demand is to access certain genres that users have to pay separately for. The question then arises: What are the users paying the initial fee for?

     

    The scenario that can emerge from the change is; to access Flipkart, Whatsapp, Facebook or any other established OTT service, one has to separately subscribe for it. The freedom to access any website independently will be infringed upon and the internet, which is probably the only free platform where one can express their opinion, will become a claustrophobic cozy club dominated by big names.

     

    Who all will face the impact?

     

    Not only users but the change will also vigorously affect all aspiring entrepreneurs and start-ups. It is easy for established ventures like Flipkart, which is supporting telecom operators, to pay the service providers and ask them to make their app freely available. However, that will leave an impact on the start-ups who don’t have the luxury of cracking a deal with telecom operators. The irony is that when the Prime Minister is delivering speeches in France and Germany about how easy it is to do business in India and sharing aspirations of making the country a global destination for investment, Indian e-commerce startups are on the verge of demolition.

     

    What did AIB do?

     

    The stand up comedians came up with a video (Save the Internet) explaining the entire concept of net neutrality. What was lost and diluted in TRAI’s 118 page long complicated bulletin was garnished in AIB’s nine-minute video. The important points were highlighted and the refreshing yet simple explanation that AIB members’ offered in the video added to the appeal and was lapped up by young and old alike. The Net Neutrality jargon thus became a national movement.

     

    What did AIB’s video do?

     

    AIB’s video conveys this message – “Internet is not a luxury but a utility.” The video ends with a link, which directs people to the net neutrality home page where all of TRAI’s 20 have been answered in detail. One can simply click to send an email with the pre-written answers or can edit as per their wish. At the time of filing this report, AIB’s video had received 1,132,453 views and more than 100,000 emails had been sent to TRAI through the http://www.netneutrality.in/ website.

     

    How to join the movement?

     

    One can be a part of the movement by logging on savetheinternet.in and forwarding the email to the regulatory authority. One can also sign this petition at:https://www.change.org/p/rsprasad-trai-don-t-allow-differential-pricing-… and share it with your friends or write directly to TRAI at advqos@trai.gov.in about their thoughts before 24 April, 2015.

     

    Conclusion:

     

    The AIB video witnessed unabated praise across all social media platforms from the common man and celebrities alike. It brought about the necessary awareness in India and made Net Neutrality a national issue. The Internet is a very important part of the civilized world and a major source of information, entertainment and social networking. Net Neutrality is a right of every Internet subscriber and cannot be infringed at any cost. While the issue has managed to become a major talking point, one only hopes that political parties don’t politicize the issue and turn it into vote bank propaganda because Internet without Net Neutrality is like bones without flesh.

     

  • Flipkart eyes one lakh sellers; aims to up seller base in Bengal

    Flipkart eyes one lakh sellers; aims to up seller base in Bengal

    KOLKATA: E-commerce marketplace Flipkart has set a target to have one lakh sellers hawking their products on its portal as the company is eyeing to ramp up the number of categories of items for sale and connect with more vendors from different parts of the country.

     

    Moreover, when it comes to the eastern region, West Bengal has the largest seller base in the east for Flipkart. With around 10 – 15 per cent M-o-M growth in the seller base, the state is poised to become one of the key seller hubs for product categories like home décor and furnishing, jewellery and leather accessories in the region going forward, said Flipkart senior vice-president (market place) Ankit Nagori.

     

    The company, which ships around 80 lakh items per month, has 30,000 active sellers of which 10 per cent are from Bengal. Flipkart is also planning to have more vendors from Siliguri and Durgapur in West Bengal.

     

    The platform had recently ventured into home décor and furnishing. “There are a couple of factors that will contribute to the growth in vendors. We are expanding our product categories and we are also expanding to new geographies in the country,” informed Nagori.

     

    When queried on the company’s expansion strategy, Nagori said that Flipkart was looking to make a headway into small towns such as Kundli, Tirupur, Panipat, and Pondicherry to source sellers.

     

    Flipkart offers support to sellers in the form of training programmes and working capital.

    “This year, handloom, home and local artifacts will emerge as prominent categories from this region. We are confident that we will see more sellers from these categories to join us and reach out to a wider range of customers nationally,” Nagori said.

     

    The company has also tied up with government bodies such as the Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises, Directorate General of Employment & Training and Development Commissioner for Handlooms to enable more artisans to explore the online platform and boost their topline and bottomline.

     

    Talking about West Bengal, Nagori said that the company plans to have several focused seller engagement initiatives in the state. Among the products sold by sellers within eastern region, apparels, jewellery and leather products see a majority of demand – almost 60 per cent – by Indian customers. While the market demand for other categories like home décor, furnishing and handicraft products is estimated to grow by 30 – 40 per cent in 2015.

     

    “West Bengal is well-known for its unique range of home décor, handloom, and clothing and handicraft products. With thousands of local artisans/entrepreneurs in this region, Flipkart’s primary focus will be to educate and empower these sellers, and help them understand the benefits of selling to the customer directly via the online platform. We see huge potential for sellers from this region and as this is one of our key markets, it is important that we support and nurture them. With a current seller base of over 3000 sellers from this region, we expect this number to double in the year 2015,” he said.

     

    “This year handloom, home and local artifacts will emerge as prominent categories from this region. We are confident that we will see more sellers from these categories join us to reach out to a wider range of customers nationally,” he concluded.

  • Media, marketing & technology experts to gather for ad:tech

    Media, marketing & technology experts to gather for ad:tech

    MUMBAI: Ad:tech global digital marketing & advertising conference and exhibition, having 14 shows worldwide, will host its fifth edition of the New Delhi Show on 19 – 20 March, 2015. The event will be held at the Leela Ambience Hotel and Residences, Gurgaon where more than 4000 thousand marketing, technology and media communications professionals are expected to attend.

     

    dmg :: events EMEA & India digital marketing head James Drake-Brockman said, “The fifth edition of the ad:tech promises to be a testament to this ever expanding digital market in India. This year the show will have 110 plus speakers and more than 70 exhibitors and sponsors for the event. We have witnessed overwhelming success since ad:tech’s inception and we are confident that this year, the legacy will be continued. At ad:tech New Delhi 2015, you can experience two action-packed days with keynotes, education led by digital marketing’s best and brightest, hundreds of leading-edge suppliers – from established players to the newest startups – nonstop networking and much, much more.”

     

    This year the keynote speakers include: Unilever Asia, Africa, Middle East, Turkey and Russia vice president Rahul Welde, GroupM chief digital officer Rob Norman, Myntra CEO and Flipkart head of fashion Mukesh Bansal and BBC news and current affairs director of digital development James Montogomery. 

     

    Among the big themes this year will be: M-Commerce, the future of E-Commerce, data fuelled marketing, analytics, fresh insights on programmatic advertising, digital content, media measurement in the digital era and multi-screen world, evolution of native advertising, digital’s impact on entertainment, music & news, experiential e-commerce, performance marketing, the role of data and automation in future media planning, 

     

    This year’s event will be attended by some of the biggest brand from India and the world like Airtel, Oberoi Group, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Thomas Cook, Yes Bank, Olx, HDFC Life, American Express, Indus Ind Bank, Max Life Insurance, Tata Capital, Tata AIG, Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, ITC, Star India Pvt Ltd, ITC, FlipKart, GSK, HDFC Life, Mahindra & Mahindra, Wipro, HCL, Madison Communications, GroupM, Lintas and Cheil Worldwide amongst others.

  • Flipkart partners Dentsu Webchutney for new campaign

    Flipkart partners Dentsu Webchutney for new campaign

    MUMBAI: Indian E-Commerce venture Flipkart launched a social media campaign Flipkart thanks you to connect with consumers. The four film web campaign has been conceptualised and executed by Flipkart’s digital engagement partner Dentsu Webchutney Innovation Labs and produced by Native Films.

     

    Speaking about the campaign Flipkart senior director, marketing Shoumyan Biswas said, “As individuals, while growing up, each one of us, have learnt some of our “life’s valuable lessons” from our closest relationships. These relations have come to define who we are and what choices we learn to make in life. And what better way to celebrate “the Flipkart Brand,” than with a campaign that pays a tribute and a heartfelt thank you to all such relations! But it just doesn’t stop there, it blends them perfectly into the various aspects of our business that make Flipkart the great brand that it is today.”

     

    Speaking about the conceptualisation of the campaign, Dentsu Webchutney AVP, South, Innovation Labs Gautam Reghunath said, “We’re very proud of our effort on this project. There are simple everyday truths in these films which Omkar along with his team, Albin, and Native Films have been able to capture so wonderfully well. I remember a bunch of us sitting across a table throwing family stories at each other and we ended up with a series of heart-warming scripts in no time. Digital video content is an area we have been spending a lot of energy on recently and there is a lot more where this came from.”

     

    “It was a simple insight – as all insights are – one that turned into stories about relationships and its’ value in our lives. It’s personal but at the same time universal – how I like my ads. Hopefully, everyone else shall too,” added Dentsu Webchutneycreative director Omkar Sane.

  • Vu Tech launches TVs via Flipkart; eyes Rs 300 crore sale

    Vu Tech launches TVs via Flipkart; eyes Rs 300 crore sale

    MUMBAI: Vu Tech has joined hands with Flipkart to launch 15 new smart TVs in India. These will be exclusively available via the e-commerce website.

     

    The TVs are priced from Rs 9,000 to Rs 9,00,000. All the products will be available from March 2015, which incidentally will also see the knockout stage of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, which is currently being played in Australia and New Zealand.

     

    Covering almost all sizes, Vu’s range of TVs come between 19-inches and 85-inches. Televisions up to 55-inches will be sold exclusively via Flipkart, whereas larger panels will be sold directly through traditional retail outlets.

     

    Vu’s personal TV segment has five models- 19-inches, 24-inches, 28-inches 32-inches and 40-inches in the price range of Rs 9,000 to Rs 29,000. The 24-inches and 40-inches variants offer Full HD resolution while the rest offer 720p HD.

     

    The affordable luxury TV range has four size options – 42-inches, 50-inches, 55-inches and 65-inches and offer Full HD resolutions. These are in price bracket of Rs 32,000 to Rs 1,60,000. 

     

    Vu is also 4K technology at affordable prices. According to the company, it is providing a blend of curved, 4K, 3D and large screen panels at prices, which are 40 per cent less than competitors. The Hi-Fi 4K UHD TVs come in six sizes- 42-inches, 48-inches, 50-inches, 55-inches, 65-inches and 85-inches and are priced from Rs 42,000 to Rs 9 lakhs. The 42-inches and 48-inches version offer 4K resolution while the rest offer 4K 3D. The 65-inches version is curved TV.

     

    “Years ago, Vu entered the television market with a limited range of products available in stores. Today, Vu is launching vast range of television sizes and configurations to compete with the likes of Sony, Samsung and LG, and these new TVs are available to the public for purchase online,” said Vu Technologies CEO and design head Devita Saraf.

     

    “Electronics good today are playing a major role in driving the e-commerce industry. Consumers online are not just looking for high-tech features, they are also going by brand repute and innovation in technology. They want all these features at a good price point along with effective after sales service,” said Flipkart vice president – retail Amitesh Jha.

     

    The entire Hi-Fi 4K range is Android powered. The company expects to reach a revenue of Rs 300 crores by the next fiscal.

  • ‘Young Turks’ to inspire next-gen entrepreneurs

    ‘Young Turks’ to inspire next-gen entrepreneurs

    MUMBAI: Young Turks is not only one of the most popular shows but also has been one of the longest running shows on Indian business news channel CNBC-TV18. It is hosted by the channel’s managing editor Shereen Bhan who recently launched a book commemorating 13 years of the show by the same name- Young Turks: Inspiring Stories of Tech Entrepreneurs.

    Talking about the long running stint of the show Bhan says, “For 13 years we have interviewed close to 2000 people who have displayed new ideas through their entrepreneurship, received legitimate funding from different sources and are showing positive signs of sizeable revenues.”

    She informs that as she did not have a compelling story to tell, she decided to narrate the encouraging tales of 13 tech entrepreneurs like Red Bus’ Phanindra Sama and Charan Padmaraju and shopping portal Flipkart’s Binny Bansal and Sachin Bansal among others. The book has been co-authored by Syna Dehnugara. “Through our long conversations we tried compiling up the stories on the entrepreneurs. We wanted to narrate their story from their eyes rather than just our opinions,” she adds.

    Published by Random House, Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy launched the book in New Delhi. As to the book’s focus on just tech entrepreneurs, Bhan says, “We wanted the book to have a diverse range of stories but decided to focus on tech entrepreneurs as these companies have shown a certain amount of scale and feedback in terms of business growth and revenues. We also reached out to investors and industry experts to find out how well these companies were performing and then zeroed down on the final tally.”

    Bhan’s compelling reasons for someone to pick the book are: “Firstly this is for those who are mostly interested in business.  Secondly there will be many people who want to start one on their own but would not have a clear sense of idea how to go about. This book showcases how first gen entrepreneurs who without a very large bank balance and in the absence of a business background started their companies. Thirdly, the book contains exciting stories of how the founders of these start ups were prisoners of circumstances but managed to outgrow themselves due to their optimism and the fact that they wanted to live their dream.”

    According to her, reading books exposes an individual to opportunities and insights as it broadens one’s thinking horizon. She also feels that today it is far easier to publish a book and an exciting time for the industry as young students are reading books of diverse genres.

    On her favourite books, she says, “I enjoy reading books by Rohinton Mistry. My personal favourite is his book A Fine Balance. I also enjoy reading autobiographies such as that of Vinod Mehta and Warren Buffet.”

    The choice to put Bhan as the face of the book was that of the publishers who also provided the option of publishing the title as a series but for now decided to stick to just one edition of the 304 page book. The marketing for the book is being done by the publishers while the news presenter and her team are promoting it on the show and on social media.

    The kindle edition of the book has been priced at Rs 380 on Amazon. On Flipkart, the hardcover edition is priced at Rs. 447 while the e-book is priced at Rs 380.

     

  • Yahoo homepage now offers access to Flipkart marketplace

    Yahoo homepage now offers access to Flipkart marketplace

    MUMBAI: Yahoo and Flipkart have announced a partnership to host a gateway to the Flipkart.com marketplace directly on the Yahoo India homepage. Users can now get easy access to the Flipkart shopping site while simultaneously consuming news and content of their choice on the Yahoo network.

     

    Commenting on the partnership, Yahoo India managing director Gurmit Singh said, “Online shopping is seeing increasing adoption with users in India. People are spending a significant time on the Internet searching for products and deals. Flipkart is a market leader in Indian e-commerce, with a huge marketplace and an exciting range of products.  With easy access to Flipkart directly from the Yahoo homepage, we believe that the millions of users who visit the Yahoo network daily will now enjoy not only premium content, but also an exciting shopping experience.”

     

    Added online marketing senior director Mausam Bhatt, “At Flipkart we are always looking for innovative ways of engaging the customer. Flipkart and Yahoo are both market leaders in their own space – and in a market where people are increasingly consuming content on digital platforms, a partnership like this helps bridge content and commerce to enhance the product discovery and purchase cycle for online shoppers.”