Flipkart closes global sourcing platform for Indian sellers

As part of its plans of focusing on core business, ecommerce marketplace Flipkart on Monday decided to shut down global sourcing platform for sellers called Flipkart Global.

The move comes at a time when CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy decided to focus more on core business after getting more powers in the day-to-day running of the business.

According to sources familiar with the development, the move comes two months after Flipkart’s acquisition of eBay India business unit.

When contacted by DH, Flipkart authorities said Flipkart Global was a sourcing platform launched as a pilot programme in early 2016 to help sellers source quality products from select international and domestic suppliers.

“The pilot ended in mid-2016 after a very successful run. We had good learnings from the pilot and now through our partnership with eBay, we are looking at implementing those learnings to provide great cross-border trade opportunities to our sellers,” an official spokesperson said.

Online platform eBay’s global sourcing platform helps Flipkart merchants with a worldwide pool of wholesale suppliers to buy from.  Even though started as in invitation based model for merchants, Flipkart will handle the delivery and customs clearance of the product.

To further help sellers, the company has partnered with Lendingkart and Capital Float to give sellers access to loans between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 1 crore.

Flipkart’s ‘spotlist’ initiative trains sellers in better cataloguing.