Flipkart Signs Strategic Partnership Deal With Decathlon To Tap Sports And Fitness Industry

Ecommerce giant Flipkart has inked a strategic partnership deal with Decathlon, a sporting goods company that specialises in sports equipment, fitness products, clothing, footwear and accessories for Indian shoppers.

As part of the partnership, Decathlon products will now be available on Flipkart at the same prices as in physical stores. The alliance will also offer the sports goods company access to the ecommerce giant’s 100 Mn+ customer base in tier II cities and towns across the country.

Commenting on the strategic partnership, Rishi Vasudev, Head of Flipkart Fashion, said, “This is a milestone partnership where a sports retail giant like Decathlon has chosen Flipkart as its preferred partner to expand its reach to online Indian shoppers. We are confident that with this association will further cement Flipkart’s dominance as the most-preferred online destination for every sports and fitness enthusiast.”

According to Vasudev, products in more than 120 categories such as clothing, accessories, fitness equipment, sports goods, sports accessories and outdoor gear from brands including Quechua, Domyos, Kipsta, Btwin and Kalenji will be sold on the online marketplace. These products will be available to customers in over 10,000 PIN codes in India.

Furthermore, another 30 sports lines are expected to go live on Flipkart by December.

Headquartered in France, Decathlon is a sporting goods retailer that focusses on manufacturing sports products as well as distributing online and in stores. Based on an integrated model, the company controls all the stages of its products life: from research and development to sales through design, production, and logistics.

At a time when Amazon is foraying into new segments with the launch of Amazon Echo and filing of patents for drone delivery, ecommerce platform Flipkart is looking to expedite growth by partnering with and investing in promising companies.

As claimed by Rishi, the sports and fitness industry in India is estimated to be worth $1.8 Bn. Online penetration in this category is very low, currently standing at a mere 7%. It is, however, growing at a 100% Y-o-Y rate. Through this partnership with Decathlon, Flipkart is gearing up to become an industry leader in the sporting goods category.

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