The sale season is upon us and to ensure uninterrupted supply, Walmart-owned Flipkart has asked consumers to book in advance their orders for products like electronics and beauty care while New Delhi-based Snapdeal has done a survey to get a measure of shoppers’ demand.
This is the first festival season sale that ecommerce companies are holding after the country went into lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Though most restrictions have since been rolled back, the internet continues to be the favoured shopping destination for daily staples to electronics.
Also read : Flipkart Big Billion Days and Amazon Great Indian Festival: Here are some of the best tech deals so far
Ahead of its annual Big Billion Days sale that kicks off on October 16, Flipkart is encouraging buyers to book and build their shopping cart by spending Re1 on each product. It will not only allow the company to block products for users but also offer the Bengaluru-based firm insights into what consumers want.
The balance amount can be paid on October 16 to make the purchase. If consumers change their minds, products will go back to the listings page.
The option is available for home, lifestyle, beauty, baby care and electronic accessories. Large appliances or high-ticket goods are not available for booking.
Snapdeal, on the other hand, has done a survey to know the products consumers are looking to purchase this year.
"Based on user inputs, we have worked closely with our sellers to facilitate an enhanced assortment and varied price points in the most-sought-after categories. Users' preferences will also translate into higher visibility for these products," said a Snapdeal spokesperson.
Such initiatives help sellers efficiently plan their stocks and delivery.
When Flipkart launched Big Billion Day in 2014, it was a one-day event and servers crashed multiple times as the consumer demand rose unexpectedly.
Also read: Big Billion Days to start on October 16: Flipkart partners with Paytm to offer cashback
It has had a smooth going since but with most of its staff working remotely due to the pandemic, the company doesn’t want to be caught unawares. Typically, Big Billion Days see a multi-fold increase in demand compared to a regular day. In normal times, a large hall would be converted into a war-room for better coordination but such a luxury is not available this time.
According to industry executives, though employees have been working from home for almost six months and the agility of the system has been tested, the rush during the festival season can be unexpected.
Flipkart and Snapdeal sales start on October 16. Flipkart will run it for six days and Snapdeal five. Amazon’s Great Indian Festival will run for a month starting October 17.
