Day 1 of Flipkart's BBD sale sees higher online transactions from Tier-III cities

Day one of The Big Billion Days (BBD) sale of Flipkart, India’s leading ecommerce marketplace, witnessed increased participation from online buyers in the Tier-III locations, and now hold the promise that the country's Bharat population has joined the consumer internet bandwagon.

The BBD sale of Flipkart, which started on October 16 and continues till October 21, is the flagship event of the ecommerce marketplace which coincides with the festive season.

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In an update on the first day’s momentum, a statement from Flipkart said, “Along with the momentum witnessed from metros and Tier II cities, 50 percent of new customers have been from Tier III cities and beyond, across categories.”

Flipkart has been making efforts to drive ecommerce industry beyond the metros and into semi-urban and smaller towns. The initiative to bring these next set of online consumers include the option of transacting in their own mother tongue, voice interactions, etc.

According to Flipkart, the Home category saw 53 percent surge in new customers, and Large Appliances plus BGM (Beauty & General Merchandise) — each witnessed a near 50 percent increase in new customers from Tier III cities.

This year’s BBD has also started off on a positive note for the medium and small enterprises, given COVID-19's impact. According to Flipkart, the local MSMEs from over 2,550 pin codes saw demand coming in from across the country. Sellers from 167 new cities have joined the BBD sale this year.

The top-performing Tier II seller cities include Jaipur, Surat, and Panipat.

According to Flipkart, there has been a perceptible shift towards Digital India, with a 75 percent increase in prepaid transactions, which showcased a strong endorsement for digital payments. Also, the EMI options saw increased usage with one out of every five purchases in high-ticket segments like mobiles, furniture, large appliances, and electronics were driven through this channel.