E-commerce platform Flipkart on Wednesday launched operations of its digital business-to-business marketplace, Flipkart Wholesale, with an aim to connect local manufacturers with retailers and bring the entire wholesale marketplace at their fingertips.
The platform is currently available for fashion retailers, especially footwear and apparel, in Gurugram, Delhi and Bengaluru, with plans to expand to Mumbai as well, the company said in a statement.
Flipkart Wholesale also plans to expand to 20 more cities and in categories such as home and kitchen and grocery by the end of this year.
"With the strong capability within the group in B2B, we will focus on meeting the needs of kiranas and MSMEs by providing these small businesses a wide selection at significant value, powered by technology to make their lives easier," said Adarsh Menon, Senior Vice President and Head, Flipkart Wholesale.
"Whether in grocery, general merchandise or fashion, these businesses will have one-stop access to an extensive selection of products with attractive schemes and incentives."
Accessible to retailers via the app on Google Play Store, the B2B digital platform aims to rope in over 300 strategic partners and have over two lakh listings in two months. Additionally, the platform will enable the onboarding of 50 brands and over 250 local manufacturers in the coming days, Flipkart said.
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Flipkart Wholesale customers will also be able to leverage micro-market level B2B and B2C insights from the Flipkart ecosystem to better understand customer demands specific to their area so that they can buy and sell the right products. Flipkart Wholesale will draw on the strong merchandising experience of the Best Price team, its strong relationships with brands, deep DNA of servicing kiranas and 12+ years of experience in operating Best Price stores. This will provide invaluable insights and on-ground expertise to further develop and nurture a model that puts the needs of kiranas and MSMEs at the centre of Flipkart Wholesale’s business.
Kiranas, resellers and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises will have access to easy credit facility, wide range of assured quality products, micro-market level B2B and B2C insights from the Flipkart ecosystem and an easy order tracking facility, the company said.