Flipkart, Amazon & Meesho To Kick Off Festive Season Sales Next Week

Under investigation by the Competition Commission of India (CCI), ecommerce giants Amazon and Flipkart will kick off their annual festival season sales from September 26. 

The two platforms said that their respective sales events will be accessible for paid subscribers on September 26 and will be rolled out for all shoppers on the next day. 

For Flipkart, the early access to The Big Billion Day (TBBD) sale will be via “VIP” and “Flipkart Plus” subscription tiers. Meanwhile, Amazon’s “Prime” members will get 24-hour early access to its Great Indian Festival sale. 

Meanwhile, Meesho will commence its festive sale event on September 27. 

The two events will see Amazon, Flipkart and Meesho compete neck to neck to offer discounts and offer products across categories such as smartphones, fashion and beauty, consumer electronics, grocery, among others.

In a statement, Flipkart said that the 11th edition of its sale will see the participation of 14 Lakh sellers, adding that the company also launched 11 new fulfilment centres spanning nine cities and 1.3 Mn sq. ft. ahead of the festive season sales. 

Flipkart also said that it will list more than 2 Lakh stock keeping units (SKUs) across 20+ cities to cater to the growing demand for same-day deliveries ahead of TBBD 2024. 

With an eye on spurring engagement, the Walmart-backed ecommerce major plans to launch a slew of new video commerce features ahead of the sale. It has also lined up offerings such as GenAI chatbot (called Flippi 2.0), AI-powered 3D product explainer videos and metaverse (FireDrops) to woo users. 

“… This year’s ‘The Big Billion Days’ will once again redefine the possibilities of e-commerce by driving inclusivity, innovation and sustainable growth across the board. Our vision remains steadfast in playing a pivotal role to shape the future of India’s digital economy,” said Flipkart Group CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy.

Meanwhile, Amazon too has pulled all stops to attract user eyeballs and shore up sales during the festive sale. The ecommerce major said that more than 14 Lakh sellers on the platform will list “crores of products”. 

In a statement, Amazon India also reiterated that it will slash “selling fees” between 3% to 12% across various product categories. 

“… We are excited to enhance the festive spirit with our sellers, brand partners, delivery associates, and together we will spread the excitement of festive preparation for millions of households across India,” said Amazon India vice-president Saurabh Srivastava.

On similar lines, Meesho will see 20 Lakh sellers list more than 12 Cr products listings across 30 categories during the sale. 

“Beginning on September 27, the Meesho Mega Blockbuster Sale aims to fulfil the festive shopping aspirations of millions of Indians… We… remain committed to ongoing innovation, ensuring a seamless shopping experience this festive season and beyond,” said general manager of business at Meesho Megha Agarwal.

Meanwhile, Flipkart’s fashion and lifestyle ecommerce platform Myntra will kick start its annual festive season sale from September 25. While members of its loyalty programme will get access to the sale 24 hours in advance, the event will open for the general public on September 26. 

The annual event is expected to spur consumer spending and shore up sales across the board. For context, 2023’s festive sales season saw ecommerce platform clocking INR 90,000 Cr in gross merchandise value (GMV). As per a report, the GMV is projected to potentially grow at 20% YoY during the 2024 festive seasons against 13% last year.