# Flipkart,Myntra Plans Shutting Down Website & Migrate to App: Foolishness or Parsimonious?



## swatkats (Mar 22, 2015)

> Flipkart was considering shutting its mobile site as well as its  desktop-based website to move sales entirely to the mobile app.  Spokespersons for Flipkart and Myntra confirmed that the companies had  shut their mobile websites. The desktop-based sites are still functional  though both companies are considering shutting them over time, two  people familiar with the matter said.





> “Over the past year we  have come to believe that we can serve our users much better through our  apps simply due to the flexibility it offers. With the app, customers  can stay logged in to Flipkart at all times. This helps them save time  and get smoother and faster checkouts. Our app is designed to work  relatively well even in low bandwidth conditions compared to the  m-site,” the Flipkart spokesperson said by email.





Source: Flipkart moves towards becoming app-only platform - Livemint


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## SaiyanGoku (Mar 22, 2015)

I get the point for shutting down the mobile site, but why are they shutting down the normal site? 
As for remaining logged in, I can leave one blank tab open after closing all others and I'll still be logged in. It all depends on cookies. I can do this with the mobile site too.


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## theserpent (Mar 22, 2015)

Stupid Move.


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## Flash (Mar 22, 2015)

Most of us are connected to Internet, but not all have Smartphones.


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## singleindian (Mar 22, 2015)

Monopolistic attitude! Forcing people to install their app like Facebook did


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## swatkats (Mar 22, 2015)

*Here's the thing*: 





> *articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/images/pixel.gif
> Accepting  that desktops weren't giving the same returns on investments anymore  compared to a few years ago, Bansal said Flipkart will keep an eye out  for more acquisitions in the mobile space and look to fill the gaps on  tech and talent front.
> 
> 
> ...




Flipkart eyes more buys to boost mobile advertising business - timesofindia-economictimes


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## amit.tiger12 (Mar 22, 2015)

So most people will install this app like facebook...
People need to go by their own convenient way not the way company wants us to follow them... they need to follow us... 
like "consumer centric"...


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## maheshn (Mar 22, 2015)

singleindian said:


> Monopolistic attitude! Forcing people to install their app like Facebook did



Hmmm... most of the time I browse or buy from PC only as the mobile internet speed even at so-called '3G' speeds is abysmal. Half the time their app fails to load. If they want to go mobile only they better fine tune their app's performance first or risk losing customers to other shopping sites.

 Who got the harebrained idea that Indians prefer browsing on the mobile rather than the PC?


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## Flash (Mar 23, 2015)

*s30.postimg.org/rb9x0fev5/screenshot_www_flipkart_com_2015_03_23_00_50_02.png


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## adityak469 (Mar 23, 2015)

so this was the reason why I was being redirected to the app download page from Opea Mini 

If they remove the normal site, they lose me as a customer atleast.


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## a_k_s_h_a_y (Mar 23, 2015)

Myntra was saying it gets 85% of sales form mobile only.
Can't really tell how this move will affect them. They have to shutdown the website for 3 months and test out.

Its a good thing, new start ups can replace the websites.


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## kartikoli (Mar 23, 2015)

adityak469 said:


> so this was the reason why I was being redirected to the app download page from Opea Mini
> 
> If they remove the normal site, they lose me as a customer atleast.


count me in as well, I am not comfortable entering my card details on these apps.


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## bssunilreddy (Mar 23, 2015)

kartikoli said:


> count me in as well, I am not comfortable entering my card details on these apps.



me too man. Just foolishness on flipkart going App centered for its business. See its sales will plunge...


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## kkn13 (Mar 23, 2015)

Amazon time!! I hate using apps to browse stuff like this
a website is always the first preference for everyone

what if someone doesnt have a smartphone(lost,broken or simply living under a rock)
very poor marketing strategy
expected better stuff


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## Mr.Kickass (Mar 23, 2015)

Even Snapdeal never had to this


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## $hadow (Mar 23, 2015)

Their loss. Amazon has the app for the longest of time but never thought of killing the web version.


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## kkn13 (Mar 23, 2015)

Mr.Kickass said:


> Even Snapdeal never had to this



I never thought I would actually agree to that one day!!


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## beingGamer (Mar 23, 2015)

maheshn said:


> Hmmm... most of the time I browse or buy from PC only as the mobile internet speed even at so-called '3G' speeds is abysmal. Half the time their app fails to load. *If they want to go mobile only they better fine tune their app's performance first* or risk losing customers to other shopping sites.
> 
> Who got the harebrained idea that Indians prefer browsing on the mobile rather than the PC?



The recent discount offerings on placing order via their app is the way they are doing this probably. Using customers as testers.


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## Desmond (Mar 23, 2015)

Time to move to Amazon.in


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## Mr.Kickass (Mar 23, 2015)

Been using Amazon, never missed Flipkart since then.


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## mohit9206 (Mar 23, 2015)

In India most people still use non smartphones for Internet access which do have app support nor are they able to handle desktop version. In that case mobile site is the preferred method. So closing mobile site is not a good idea. I mean the more the choice a customer has the better right?


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## swatkats (Mar 24, 2015)

My Average purchases are maximum on Amazon given their better pricing. Say last year, 24 orders were from Amazon, 9 From Snapdeal, 4 from Flipkart.

Their App pricing isn't any better than Desktop sites of Amazon or Snapdeal. They will realise that soon, Its a blunder.


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## kartikoli (Mar 24, 2015)

Amazon is crap as they dont ship anything above 6k to U.P., I couldn't purchase yureka where as I was paying upfront (prepaid) also I wanted to buy a laptop ~50k which I will have to purchase from other sites 

They make exclusive contracts with companies and then dont ship to major part of the country. I live in heart of the city (Lucknow) and every one ships to my pincode. (Please check if you anyone can buy to these pin codes 226001, 226003, 226004)


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## swatkats (Mar 24, 2015)

I can understand your pain and the logicless policy not to ship products >6K to Lucknow. 
But people from rest of UP have taken these ECommerce Companies for a ride.
*timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/t...-above-Rs-5000-in-UP/articleshow/43269889.cms

and also these Terrible Tax rules:


> UP has atrocious sales tax regulation. Each of the goods for sale to UP  has to have a Form -38 issued for it by a very corrupt sales department.  Each Form – 38 costs money. I guess the physical sellers just bear this  cost but to an e-commerce company the margins get hit drastically on  each shipment and even more when the goods can’t be delivered.
> 
> Capital Mind ? Flipkart Won?t Deliver Orders More than 10K to Uttar Pradesh


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## $hadow (Mar 24, 2015)

But there is thing called customer rating. If a person is constantly buying from a seller the  seller can make a difference. But they neglecting UP is bad decision.


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## Vyom (Mar 24, 2015)

The in the face ad from Flipkart "Sorry, We have shut down... just kidding".. is plain stupid.

No owner of any shop in the right mind says that, even when its time to actually close the shop in night. They say, "badhana", which means "to Grow". So, "Shop badha diya" means "growing the shop" which actual means "closing the shop for today". But no one says that. -_-


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## Flash (Mar 24, 2015)

Are they throwing this as a prank for "April 1"??


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## sling-shot (Mar 24, 2015)

The idea for app only way might have come from some brilliant thinker/management guru hired with all the billions raised. Money probably is making them forget what made them the success they are - customer service and price. I will not install a mobile app just to buy something hence will leave Flipkart / Myntra for good if they force it.


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## kartikoli (Mar 25, 2015)

I can understand high taxes but same is the case with other other companies as well. I am against the fact that these companies make exclusive deals and then we can't buy those, I see lot of adds for yureka phones selling at 2~3k more on olx.
If people's are taking them for a ride then restrict to prepaid orders only but stopping all deliveries is not justified in any way.

I think they should simply stop all deliveries to UP. Amazon dont exist for us


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## bssunilreddy (Mar 25, 2015)

Flipkart is giving 10% discount if bought via their APP...


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## Flash (Mar 25, 2015)

bssunil said:


> Flipkart is giving 10% discount if bought via their APP...


**Only on selected products**


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## $hadow (Mar 25, 2015)

Haven't found any great deal even after using the app.


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## vidhubhushan (Mar 25, 2015)

kkn13 said:


> Amazon time!! I hate using apps to browse stuff like this
> a website is always the first preference for everyone
> 
> *what if someone doesnt have a smartphone*(lost,broken or simply living under a rock)
> ...



+1 i don't have one. will get one soon though but am still comfortable on a desktop system


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## Vyom (Mar 25, 2015)

It's not about being comfortable. It's about.. Choice.

I can't quickly middle click and open the products in different tabs and then compare the products side by side, add the first product in wishlist and buy the other product, while also reading reviews of another product opened in another tab, and deciding if its worth buying since the price seems to be comparatively more than other shopping site.

Having said that, I think FK is trolling big time, in preparation for the April fool.


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## Faun (Mar 25, 2015)

Vyom said:


> Having said that, I think FK is trolling big time, in preparation for the April fool.



Yeah, no **** sherlock.


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## cbs_infosys (Mar 26, 2015)

*Website Vs Mobile App*


No of Mobiles Phones are higher than PCs

64% of Internet Traffic is now done using a mobile

People use a Mobile App 6 times more than a Website

79% Smartphone users use Mobile Phones for purchasing decisions

50% of users make purchase on mobile within 1 hour

73% of Business Owners use Mobile Apps daily


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## Flash (Mar 26, 2015)

*Re: Website Vs Mobile App*



cbs_infosys said:


> No of Mobiles Phones are higher than PCs
> 64% of Internet Traffic is now done using a mobile
> People use a Mobile App 6 times more than a Website
> 79% Smartphone users use Mobile Phones for purchasing decisions
> ...



Majority of the people who are using mobiles are not using internet, and limit their mobile use to watching videos/hearing music/SMS.
Not all the people use 3G in India to aid the worry-free money transaction in mobiles.
Shopping via PC > Shopping via mobile.


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## $hadow (Mar 26, 2015)

We are still using 2g and 3g is still a dream for majority. And shopping via mobile is still something not everyone is comfortable with.


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## cute.bandar (Mar 27, 2015)

This shutting down of website idea is as I see it is sheer incompetence/laziness . They are like a billion $ company and they can't manage to run a website ?  wtf !


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## AshurainX (Mar 28, 2015)

Damn...i hate touchscreens.


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## Flash (Mar 28, 2015)

Why India’s Flipkart abandoned its mobile website | Mobile Website


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## $hadow (Mar 28, 2015)

^^Their loss. These figures never meant the amount of purchases being done. It is only traffic percentage.


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