Flipkart website
E-commerce platform Flipkart on Tuesday announced the launch of its hyperlocal service here, more than four years after shutting down a similar experiment conducted in the grocery space.
The new service, called "Flipkart Quick", will provide consumers with an assortment of more than 2,000 products in categories varying from grocery, fresh, dairy, meat, mobiles, electronics accessories, stationery items and home accessories in the first phase. Consumers can choose to order in the next 90 minutes or book a two-hour slot as per their convenience, said Flipkart.
Beginning in select locations of Bengaluru, including Whitefield, Panathur, HSR Layout, BTM Layout, Banashankari, KR Puram and Indiranagar, "Flipkart Quick" will expand to six other cities in next few months, the Walmart-controlled company said.
"Hyperlocal capabilities can be described simply as building connections between locally available products and consumers in a particular area," Sandeep Karwa, Vice-President, Flipkart, said in a statement.
"While we start with our dark store (no-walk-in) model, wherein we enable sellers to store inventory close to the consumer; this model has the potential of encouraging local entrepreneurship and enabling new business strategies and partnerships," Karwa said.
"Flipkart Quick" has the potential to bring together the whole network of neighbourhood Kirana stores onto its platform with just a click, he added.
The e-commerce platform said that the new hyperlocal service builds on its technology capabilities, including a new location mapping framework, and supply chain infrastructure.
The hyperlocal delivery model aims to tap new consumers by widening the accessibility of products and enabling consumers to order products from Flipkart hubs in their location, ensuring quick delivery.
Customers can place orders any time of the day, and get their orders delivered between 6 am to midnight; starting with a minimum delivery fee Rs 29, Flipkart said.
