Flipkart has been roundly criticized for forcing people to download its app. It tried everything in its power to get more users for its app – app-only offers, app-only products and even its biggest shopping fest, the Big Billion Day Sale was app-only this year. But the company has finally come out with a product that enables you enjoy their services without an app. Flipkart has launched a new version of its mobile site called Flipkart Lite.
Retail baron Kishore Biyani, head of the Future group, has been watching recent developments in the Indian hyperlocal sector with interest. He’s watched grocery delivery startups raise tremendous amounts of money and offer incredible discounts. He’s seen these companies attain some jaw-dropping valuations. But he isn’t impressed.
After months of drama, reversals, and court orders, it’s finally official – Maggi is making its way back to our stores. “The rollout has begun today. It has been a challenging period for the Nestle Organisation, and therefore, there is a feeling of satisfaction at bringing back Maggi noodles to the market,”
Bangalore-based hyperlocal delivery startup Pickingo will soon shut shop. In a series of setbacks, that first set foot when the funding deal with SAIF capital fell through, followed closely by cash-strapped Zomato pulling the plug on a potential investment, Pickingo is shutting operations according to a report by Livemint.
Visitors to the Localbanya website are greeted with this message: “Your banya is upgrading his technology and services. We will be back shortly with more exciting features and a far better delivery experience. We can’t wait for you to experience the new and improved Localbanya”.
Meanwhile the inside story might be very different.
Rahul Yadav, the erstwhile CEO of Housing.com, has come out in support of the beleaguered TinyOwl cofounders. The cofounding team of TinyOwl has been under fire over its recent layoffs, and one cofounder was held hostage in its Pune office for over 2 days by irate employees. However, Rahul Yadav, who’s no stranger to controversy himself, had words of encouragement for the TinyOwl team.
Sanjiv Bikhchandani, Chairman of Info Edge which owns 47% of Zomato, has justified Zomato’s layoffs saying that the funding environment for startups is changing.
India’s population is exploding, and its urban infrastructure is struggling to keep pace. While startups are solving problems ranging from food delivery to laundry, there’s not enough interest among the startup community towards building smarter cities. That’s where Microsoft, in collaboration with the Indian government, comes in.
In the latest of firing news, Bangalore based ad tech startup Vizury is laying off 50 off its employees. However, the real number of the layoffs is rumoured to be upwords of 100.