Homegrown ecommerce major Flipkart seems to be exploring newer verticals every day. After announcing a relaunch into the grocery segment, the company now wants to launch an app that could act as a one-stop app for a range of services.
Right from ordering food to booking a cab, booking tickets, or buying daily essentials, the idea is for the app to perform functions across categories.
Flipkart is looking to tap into an area no one has in India. There is no app that can do everything for a customer.
ET reports that the company is in preliminary talks to partner with food, cab and travel aggregators for its ‘app-of-apps’.
“The business is targeting a December launch and will follow a WeChat model, where the Flipkart app can be used to book a cab, order food or plan your travel. With the launch of loyalty points for all purchases on Flipkart, the Flipkart platform will act as a distribution channel for these services,” said Prakash Sikaria, Senior Director – monetization and new initiatives at Flipkart.
According to a Trak.In report, other services like paying fees, bills, booking doctor appointment, public transport, and supermarket bill payment will also be made available on Flipkart’s app. This will not only provide Flipkart has a head start in the market but also set an example to its competitors.
“The services will be fulfilled by the partners while the customer loyalty, transaction and revenues will increase through this app strategy. However, these are early days and the strategy needs to be refined with a six-eight month runway,” Sikaria added.
Flipkart’s can leverage its huge customer base to roll out this new app.
Cuurntly, Paytm’s app lets users do most of the above except messaging and booking cabs or guying essentials. Flipkart’s app will be a mix of WhatsApp, Skype, Truecaller, Paytm, UrbanClap and Zomato.
According to Inc42, This is not the first time an ecommerce portal has attempted to provide a host of services. In March 2016, food ordering app Zomato tied up with Snapdeal. Snapdeal also partnered with Redbus and Cleartrip, and UrbanClap to launch personal services category on its platform.