SUMMARY
Tata Digital’s 400 Mn userbase across its digital verticals will be able to use the one-stop portal in early 2022
The super app was put on hold as the company sought clarity over the new ecommerce rules but now decided to go ahead with the launch irrespective of revised ecommerce guidelines
Tata Digital's super app had been test-launched within a closed user group in Bengaluru where now 700K Tata employees will be testing the app
Tata Digital Super App is set to see the light of the day soon. The one-stop portal, which will offer hotel bookings, electronics and grocery shopping and e-pharmacy, among others, is set to launch in early 2022.
Previously, the super app had been test-launched within a closed user group in Bengaluru and now, ahead of the launch, 700K Tata employees will be testing the app. According to an ET report, it will be accessed by all employees in phases over the next few months.
The report added that users will be able to earn loyalty points through the use of Tata Digital’s super app, where one point would equal one rupee, redeemable on purchases from any of Tata’s brands. Among Tata Brands, Tata Cliq is yet to onboard itself on the app, as its business model may need to be altered for compatibility.
Further, Tata is also reportedly venturing into the beauty and cosmetics marketplace, being hosted on the super application, which will include business verticals such as grocery, pharmaceuticals, education, finance, and hotel bookings.
Tata Digital, which claims to have over 400 Mn users across its digital verticals, was slated to roll out the super app in late September. It was then put on hold as the company sought clarity over the new ecommerce rules as well as the possibility of revised consumer protection rules. The group has now decided to go ahead with the launch irrespective of revised ecommerce guidelines and consumer protection rules.
Announced in August 2020, Tata Group’s super-app ambition represents the salt-to-steel conglomerate’s way of joining 21st-century businesses. For this, Tata has acquired companies — Grameen eStore, Urja, AccessBell, 1mg, BigBasket, CureFit — invested millions of dollars and made changes to its leadership to build one single portal to fit its existing businesses, including education, fashion and lifestyle, wealth management, ecommerce, DTH, retail payments, grocery, consumer durables, among others.
While Amazon, Flipkart and Reliance are in the lead of the Super App race, Paytm also announced its entry into the segment with its product WealthBasket on the Paytm Money app. In addition, conglomerate Adani’s Adani Digital Labs also has an application underway to compete with Reliance Jio’s super application.
