Flipkart's upcoming free loyalty program to compete with Amazon Prime
What's the story
In a bid to take on Amazon's Prime subscription service, Walmart-owned Flipkart has now announced the launch of a similar customer benefits program called 'Flipkart Plus' on August 15.
Notably, while Prime subscription costs Rs. 999 annually, Flipkart Plus will be rolled out to the company's customers for free, and will be a point-based program.
Here's what we know about it.
Changes
Flipkart is adopting a fresh approach this time
This isn't Flipkart's first attempt at a customer loyalty program - it had earlier experimented with the Flipkart First customer loyalty program, but that had failed to take off.
Unlike last time, however, Flipkart is taking a fresh approach and offering benefits not just in its core business, but also to an ecosystem of partners that customers can choose from.
Flipkart Plus
What Flipkart Plus is offering its customers
Akin to Amazon Prime, Flipkart Plus will offer a wide range of customer loyalty rewards, including early access to major sale events, and enhanced customer support services.
On top of that, Flipkart Plus will see participation from other companies wherein Flipkart will offer discounts, offers, free and faster deliveries (if applicable) etc. on platforms like Hotstar, Zomato, MakeMyTrip, and Cafe Coffee Day.
Quote
How Flipkart Plus will offer customers benefits
"Every time a customer completes a purchase...the customer earns a certain amount of Plus points. As you shop more, you earn more Plus points. And with more Plus points, you unlock key rewards and benefits," explained Flipkart Plus head Shoumyan Biswas.
Importance
Why Flipkart needs it to be successful
In Flipkart's battle against Amazon, a key differentiator has been Amazon's Prime subscription program, which accounts for almost 30% of all sales on Amazon India's platform.
Additionally, Prime is also rather popular among well-to-do Indians who account for the largest chunk of spending on e-commerce platforms in India.
Thus, if successful, Flipkart Plus will considerably help Walmart-owned platform in maintaining its lead over Amazon.