SUMMARY
Amazon acqui-hired Tapzo in August 2018
Amazon India is beta testing flight bookings with Cleartrip
PhonePe and Ola have been experimenting with multiple-API-based super app
Global ecommerce giant Amazon is reportedly looking to change its direction in India by becoming a super app, which enables end-to-end fulfillment for customers ranging from ticketing services to food delivery.
A media report citing people aware of the development said that Amazon India is in the middle of beta testing flight bookings in collaboration with travel portal Cleartrip. With this, the company is looking to let consumers order food, book cabs and hotel stays over time.
These integrations are reportedly done via third-party application integrations with vertical market leaders. These third-party API integrations enable internet companies to interact and exchange information with each other seamlessly.
The super app Amazon may be facilitated via Amazon’s app Tapzo. In August 2018, the company acquihired Tapzo, an “all-in-one” app that aggregates 35+ different apps in one place, across categories such as cabs, food, recharge, bill payment, news, cricket, horoscopes, and more.
At the time, Inc42 sources had said that Tapzo team has joined Amazon Pay office. Interestingly, Amazon has enabled various partnerships with third-party apps through Amazon Pay enabling discounts and cashbacks for the payments made through platform on several other apps such as Uber, Ola, Swiggy etc.
These partnerships may encourage Amazon’s super app dreams as the company aims to become a one-stop destination for all-consumer needs. The company has a cumulative base of around 150 Mn customers, but maintains nearly 20-25 Mn monthly unique customers. As a super app, Amazon may be looking to increase the number of daily as well as monthly active customers.
Being Super: PhonePe, Ola And Now Amazon
Flipkart’s payment unit PhonePe has been one of the leading super app with several APIs such as bill payments, Ola, RedBus etc. PhonePe claims to have over 150 Mn users and provides them with its “super-app”, which integrates 25 large digital apps including Goibibo and OYO.
At the same time, Inc42 had earlier reported that Ola chief Bhavish Aggarwal is looking to make the cab aggregator a more holistic company that provides 360-degree services, which is evident from Ola’s past acquisitions. Aggarwal is reportedly considering ways to invest in independent assets that can together increase Ola’s valuation.
For this the company has acquired apps such as Vogo, Ridlr, Foodpanda etc and may further expand its product portfolio.
Amazon joins the club of these companies which are targeting the super-app culture of China. We-Chat, a Chinese messaging app has multiple categories including payments, shopping, food delivery, among others nestled within the app. WeChat hit 1 billion daily active users in 2018.
Globally, Southeast Asian apps Grab and Go-Jek have also evolved into apps offering other services centered around payments. While the super-app trend has proved to be popular in other Asian countries, the lukewarm response to home grown all-in-one apps such as JustDial means that Amazon will have plenty of hard work ahead before its super app catches on.
[The development was reported by ET.]
