Flipkart Plus loyalty program to take on Amazon Prime from 15 August: Report

Flipkart is reportedly launching a new loyalty programme called Flipkart Plus, which will be basically like a premium account, that will win users additional benefits of free and early deliveries, early access to products, among other things.Sounds a lot like Amazon Prime, right? It is. But Flipkart reportedly told ETTech that this program will not entail a membership fee, as opposed to how Prime is offered on a monthly or annual subscription.Per the report, Flipkart Plus is scheduled to be launched on 15 August. Some of the benefits on the platform will apparently be based on loyalty points, also called ‘Plus Coins’. These Plus Coins are essentially digital currency, which the Flipkart Plus customers can increase with each order they place.[caption id="attachment_4454463" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Flipkart logo. Image: Reuters[/caption]These digital coins will reportedly be redeemable on Flipkart, as well as some partner platforms like Hotstar, BookMyShow, Zomato, MakeMyTrip and Cafe Coffee Day.“This is a customer-benefit programme rather than a loyalty programme. Potentially, any one of our 100 million customers can earn the coins and start unlocking benefits and rewards,” said Shaumyan Biswas, head of Flipkart Plus, marketing and ads.Back in 2014, Flipkart had once before also attempted at a loyalty programme, which was called ‘Flipkart First’. Within a year of its announcement, the programme died, and it is not even listed on the website any more.