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  • April 2016
  • Teaching Note
  • HBS Case Collection

Flipkart: Transitioning to a Marketplace Model

By: Sunil Gupta and Das Narayandas
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:14
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Abstract

In 2015, Sachin and Binny Bansal, co-founders of India's largest e-tailer, Flipkart, announced that the company would switch to a marketplace model and move its logistics arm into a separate company. At the time of the announcement, Snapdeal already claimed to be India's largest marketplace, and Amazon and other deep-pocket traditional retail giants like Reliance, Future Group, and Tata left no stone unturned to capture market share. Was Flipkart too late in switching to a marketplace model? Was such a move even desirable? Would it threaten Flipkart's competitive advantage of superior customer service?

Keywords

India; Marketplaces; Digital Platforms; Internet and the Web; Market Entry and Exit; E-commerce; Retail Industry; India

Citation

Gupta, Sunil, and Das Narayandas. "Flipkart: Transitioning to a Marketplace Model." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 516-095, April 2016.
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About The Authors

Sunil Gupta

Marketing
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Das Narayandas

Marketing
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