Madhu Karuthedath

In less than a decade, VU Technologies established itself as one of the leading brands in the country — a distinction it shares with India’s largest online marketplace, Flipkart. But aside from the 10-year journey, the two companies share another thing in common — a deep-rooted partnership intertwined by a culture of innovation and customer focus. We unbox the story of this unique alliance that has built one of the leading television brands in our country.

Ten years might seem like an eternity at Flipkart. Yet, as we look back and marvel at this inspiring decade in the history of e-commerce in India, we are humbled by how much we have discovered about the lives we touch every day. In July 2017, as we set out to acquire a deeper perspective of our customers’ experiences, we chanced upon a story that moved us deeply. This story emerged from a community of customers whose existence has been ingrained in our nation’s conscience for millennia, and whose struggle for equality, to assert their fundamental rights and find acceptance in society, remains a hard-fought one to this day. Yet, it was heartening to discover that online shopping has been the silver lining in their everyday battle for equality and acceptance. Through online shopping and artistic expression, Flipkart’s spirited and savvy customers from the transgender community are breaking the barriers of gender bias and asserting their right to be part of a more equal society.

‘Hack: The act of improvising on a problem, effectively and unconventionally, to derive a temporary or permanent solution.’ While most contemporary definitions of the word might redirect you to similar phrases, for Flipkart the connotation weighs something much more than a prescribed meaning. Something that is especially evident during the Flipkart Hackday events. In this story we hack into history to decode the DNA of this unique culture of innovation in India’s largest e-commerce marketplace, and dive into the pool of codes and ideas that paved the way for Flipkart.

Jeeves is no new name to most of us. For decades the knowledgeable and profound butler from the adventurous tales of P G Wodehouse has hooked the imagination of readers by the funny bone. But for Flipkart, Jeeves is no laughing matter. It is perhaps one of the greatest customer innovations that India’s largest online marketplace had pioneered during its game-changing course over the last decade. To be more precise, Jeeves Consumer Services Pvt Ltd is Flipkart’s very own product repair and after-sales service capability, designed to deliver customer smiles beyond the point of delivery. How? We unveil the story.

Progressive organizations usually have one thing in common — they create a flexible and inclusive workplace that reflects its culture and values. Not only are happy employees more productive, they are more likely to be committed to helping a business succeed and go the extra mile — something that Flipsters pride themselves on. We went behind the scenes and spoke to a few Flipsters about their experience with Flipkart’s employee benefits program. Here’s what we found.

The unsettling murder of a field executive is today paving the way for innovations that are reinforcing the safety of Ekart Wishmasters in the line of duty. The Ekart field executive's app is now equipped with a red SOS button named Nanjunda, in memory of Wishmaster Nanjunda Swamy

What has been the most enduring memory of a promotion in your career? Is it of a closed-room discussion on why you deserved the promotion? Is it of carrying a piece of paper that acknowledged your months of toil? Or did it last beyond that moment of glory and touch the lives of your loved ones? In September 2016, hundreds of Flipsters cherished their much-awaited moment of elation — a promotion that lasted beyond just them, and then. Read their story.

Some give into an endless smile and some fall into deep tears. There are no real words to express the emotion of becoming a mother. In June, 2015 Flipkart launched a refreshed maternity policy to support their women employees and new moms, take better care of themselves in their journey to motherhood. A year later, the Flipkart Stories team brings back some precious moments and memories shared by the Mothers at Flipkart.

Is your long-awaited summer trip just around the corner? Are you already on a frantic shopping spree for the trip? Then don’t forget to add these electronic accessories to your checklist.

In the face of great turmoil, time and again humans have found the spirit to survive the odds and rise up from the rubble. In a world full of chaos, these stories always inspire us and restore our faith in humanity. We journey back to this day in 2015 when parts of Nepal and Bihar were shaken by a massive earthquake and see how the heartwarming support of the nation, the unyielding determination of people, and a small contribution by Flipkart and its partners have helped rebuild hope for the survivors of the quake.