Flipkart logistics arm unveils courier service

Leading e-tailer Flipkart’s logistics arm Ekart launched courier service to deliver parcels to its customers and streamline the fragmented courier market across the country. As the largest logistics firm since inception in 2009, Ekart delivers goods through its courier service across 3,800 pin codes, with pick-ups in eight cities slated by June. “The service will allow users to drop a pin for pick-up and delivery addresses on our mapping platform, which will soon have RFID (radio frequency identification and global positioning system (GPS) for real-time tracking of the courier’s journey,” Ekart said in a statement here. The service also offers consumers benefit of 24x7 online booking on mobile and website, slotted door-step pick-up, free packaging, pricing and delivery time. “Consumers have experience of our service through our e-commerce deliveries and value reliability, convenience and speed that we bring in. Ekart courier is an extension of this re-assurance,” said Flipkart vice-president Amitesh Jha. The estimated growth of the domestic courier industry across segments is pegged at Rs.22,000 crore by 2016-17 of which about 50 percent is structured, with global brands accounting for 12 percent of the overall market share. IANS