Information - SoffiaGarg/flipkart GitHub Wiki
Welcome to the flipkart wiki!
Flipkart is the online Shopping website.
#History[edit] Flipkart logo used from 2007 to 2015 Flipkart was founded in 2007 by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, both alumni of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. They worked for Amazon.com, and left to create their new company incorporated in October 2007 as Flipkart Online Services Pvt. Ltd.[12] The first product they sold was the book Leaving Microsoft To Change The World to a customer from Hyderabad.[13][14][15] Flipkart now employs more than 33,000 people.[16] Flipkart allows payment methods such as cash on delivery, credit or debit card transactions, net banking, e-gift voucher and card swipe on delivery.[17]
After failure of its 2014 Big Billion Sale, Flipkart recently completed the second edition of Big Billion Sale held between 13 and 17 October.[18] where it is reported that they saw a business turnover of $300 million in gross merchandise volume.[19]
2010: WeRead, a social book discovery tool.[21] 2011: Mime360, a digital content platform company.[22] 2011: Chakpak.com, a Bollywood news site that offers updates, news, photos and videos. Flipkart acquired the rights to Chakpak's digital catalogue which includes 40,000 filmographies, 10,000 movies and close to 50,000 ratings. Flipkart has categorically said that it will not be involved with the original site and will not use the brand name.[23] 2012: Letsbuy.com, an Indian e-retailer in electronics. Flipkart has bought the company for an estimated US$25 million.[24][25] Letsbuy.com was closed down and all traffic to Letsbuy has been diverted to Flipkart.[26] 2014: Acquired Myntra.com in an estimated ₹20 billion (US$300 million) deal.[27] 2015: Flipkart acquired a mobile marketing start-up Appiterate as to strengthen its mobile platform.[28] 2016: Flipkart’s Myntra acquires rival fashion shopping site Jabong for $70 million.[29] 2016: In April, Flipkart acquired payment start-up PhonePe.[1]
#Criticism[edit] On 13 September 2014, a Flipkart delivery boy allegedly molested a house maid in Hyderabad.[91] The house maid's employer has been fighting against Flipkart for justice on this issue, and also for making offline delivery services safe.[92]
On 6 October 2014 Flipkart launched a promotion called 'Big Billion Day' with the intention to increase the popularity of their website by targeting a billion sales in 1 day. This, even though Flipkart achieved the target, led to public outcry and widespread criticism among consumers, competitors and partners, heavily damaging its reputation. Many users could not place orders because of high server load and errors which led to frustration among customers.[93] Many users who placed orders received emails stating that their orders were cancelled.[94] Most of the products were sold for less than cost price, and Flipkart was accused of killing competition. Major competitors filed complaints against Flipkart to the commerce ministry, claiming that selling products lesser than cost prices is against the commerce policy of the country.[95] The Ministry said that they would formulate new trade rules for electronic retail after this incident.[96][97]
Flipkart received mass criticism on the subject of net neutrality after their announced partnership with Airtel to use the Airtel Zero platform which would have made the Flipkart app free for Airtel Users. On 14 April 2015 Flipkart retracted its decision to use Airtel Zero platform.[98]