Flipkart is now expected to foray into hyperlocal delivery business as people aware of the matter describe. The firm is said to be all set to launch a separate business vertical to serve 90-minute delivery of goods from local stores and Flipkart-owned small fulfillment centers.
According to sources, the company will begin with grocery delivery as it is the most popular segment and will help in an easy transition though the hyperlocal grocery delivery business is currently witnessing extreme competition with the entry of JioMart in the ecosystem and global ecommerce giant Amazon moving into offline retail space.
Flipkart will be utilizing the last-mile abilities of Shadowfox, a logistics startup it invested $60 million in last year in order to perform the deliveries and make a presence in this segment. “The launch is a month away, but the long-term plan is to deliver everything in 90 minutes,” said a person directly aware of the matter.
As stated by the sources, the delivery will begin with Flipkart’s dark stores, local warehouses or select shops which will over time be expanded to corner stores and modern retailers within a select neighborhood.
As the Covid-19 crisis began, the need for collaboration between online and offline spaces has increased many folds. Traditional businesses have started collaborating with online marketplaces for a long-term business. Presently, the company is expected to start its services in Bengaluru on a pilot mode and then move to other cities during its Big Billion sale which is an annual occurrence for the month of October.