Flipkart Wholesale, the B2B unit of the Walmart-owned e-commerce firm has launched operations beginning with a fashion segment that focuses on apparel and footwear, two months after taking over Walmart’s Indian business. 

Flipkart Wholesale acquired Walmart India’s dropping cash-and-carry business in July that owns the Best Price brand, combining Walmart’s complete retail portfolio under the Flipkart Group. It is reported that in the first phase, the company aims to onboard 50 brands in its fashion business and more than 250 local manufacturers across Bengaluru, Gurugram, and Delhi.

Flipkart Wholesale will compete with other major players including JioMart, Metro Cash and Carry, Udaan, and Amazon’s B2B division. Distinguishing Flipkart from its competitors, the company’s wholesale unit is planning to use insights from its parent’s B2C segment.

The Senior VP and Head of Flipkart Wholesale, Adarsh Menon confirmed that with the consumer data that the company has on Flipkart and Myntra, the company has drawn insights that the customers are buying explicit to the catchment in which the kirana (corner store) is situated. With some examples, he explained that if a kirana is located in a specific area, Flipkart Wholesale will serve it an organized collection based on what customers in that area are shopping and browsing for.

Menon further added that in the past distributors and manufacturers used to push the collection that these stores were offered and was not based on data-driven insights. He confirmed that smart selection is a major proposal from Flipkart’s end. 

Flipkart Wholesale also plans to extend its services to 20 more cities by the year-end across categories like home and kitchen and groceries, Menon confirmed. The online retailer’s customer will also have access to order returns, credit facilities, and speedy delivery with tracking conveniences. Logistics will be taken care of by Ekart, Flipkart’s unit.

Due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, small businesses are moving towards technology to increase operations which are giving scope to a market that in past looked at technology companies as competitors.

Source: https://tech.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/corporate/flipkart-wholesale-launches-service-in-3-cities/77888801