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‘Flipkart First’ Relaunched To Battle Amazon Prime

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Flipkart First Relaunched To Battle Amazon Prime,Startup Stories,Latest Business News 2017,Flipkart Prime Amount,Amazon ReLaunch Prime In India,Flipkart Plan to Relaunch Loyalty Programme,Flipkart Prime Serviece,Flipkart Prime Account,Flipkart Latest News

India’s leading ecommerce firm, Flipkart has relaunched its loyalty programme ‘Flipkart First’ in an attempt to compete with Amazon Prime. In order to build India’s ecommerce ecosystem, Flipkart has held talks with multiple online booking portals like MakeMyTrip, BookMyShow and cab aggregator Ola for potential partnerships.

According to a news daily, Flipkart is looking to provide consumers with more value added services through Flipkart First including free fast delivery, discounted same day delivery and priority customer services. The homegrown ecommerce firm does not want to miss any potential area to expand its customer base. Flipkart’s payments arm PhonePe will also be leveraged for this programme.

The Flipkart First programme was first launched in June 2014, as a premium subscription based service. However, the loyalty programme failed to deliver due to a lack of focus. But, Amazon Prime, which was launched last year, became hugely popular and currently accounts for the largest chunk of spending on ecommerce platforms. Prime was launched in more than 100 cities and offered one day and two day delivery on hundreds of products. The service was further expanded in December with Amazon Prime Video, their online streaming platform.

Flipkart has raised over $ 3 billion from Microsoft and SoftBank since 2014. Nevertheless, the Chief Executive Officer of Flipkart, Kalyan Krishnamurthy also wants to ensure that Flipkart keeps the cash burn under control. Livemint reported one of the sources saying, “What Flipkart wants to ensure is that they do not miss out in an area where there is potential to grow a huge base of loyal customers and now is a good time to cash in, given the recent funding and also a successful festive season battle against Amazon.”

Both the ecommerce companies are leaving no stone unturned in the war to capture the lucrative Internet market of India. Last month, Amazon invested Rs. 179.25 crores in Shoppers Stop to buy 5% equity stake to expand its reach to smaller towns. Reportedly, Flipkart is also in talks with Kishore Biyani led Future Lifestyle Fashions to buy an 8 to 10% stake.

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Zoho Pay Debuts as India’s New UPI Challenger, Taking on PhonePe, Paytm, and Google Pay

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Zoho Payment

Zoho Corporation has expanded its fintech portfolio with the launch of Zoho Pay, a UPI-based payments app built to challenge India’s top digital payment giants such as PhonePe, Paytm, and Google Pay. The new app supports peer-to-peer transfers, bill payments, QR-based transactions, and merchant settlements in a streamlined interface. Available as both a standalone app and an integrated feature inside Zoho’s privacy-driven messenger Arattai, Zoho Pay enables users to handle chats and payments in one platform, emphasizing data privacy and Made-in-India innovation.​

Through seamless integration with Arattai, Zoho Pay allows users to send or request payments, split expenses, and conduct UPI-based transactions directly in their chat windows. Users can link bank accounts, scan dynamic QR codes, and receive audio confirmations of payments, ensuring speed and security. This design mirrors the simplicity of India’s leading UPI apps but is powered by Zoho’s non-advertising, privacy-first model. The integration aligns with Zoho’s mission to build a self-reliant digital ecosystem, where messaging and money management coexist securely.​

In the competitive digital payments market, Zoho Pay differentiates itself through its tight business software integration with apps like Zoho Books, Zoho Payroll, and Zoho Commerce, offering small businesses unified access to payments, billing, and accounting. The company is also expanding its reach with POS devices for merchants featuring UPI QR, card payments, and instant reconciliation tools. With founder Sridhar Vembu’s vision of a ‘Chat + Pay’ ecosystem, Zoho Pay reflects a bold step toward redefining India’s fintech scene with a secure, ad-free, and locally developed alternative to global payment platforms.

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Meta Expands AI-Powered Reels Translation to Hindi and Portuguese, Enhancing Global Creator Reach

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Meta has expanded its AI-powered translation feature for Reels to include Hindi and Portuguese, joining English and Spanish in empowering creators to reach a broader global audience on Instagram and Facebook. Originally launched in August 2025 with support for English and Spanish, this update now allows creators to seamlessly translate and dub their short videos, breaking language barriers across some of the largest Reels markets worldwide. The AI technology mimics the creator’s voice tone and even offers lip-syncing to ensure the translated videos feel natural and engaging for viewers.​

This enhancement is especially significant for India, the largest market for Facebook and Instagram, where over 600 million people speak Hindi. Content creators who are not fluent in Hindi can now easily access this vast audience, increasing their reach and engagement across diverse linguistic groups. To maintain transparency, all translated Reels are clearly labeled with “Translated with Meta AI,” and viewers can choose to switch translations on or off based on their preference.​

In addition to voice dubbing, Meta is developing features to translate captions and text stickers on Reels, making content more accessible even without sound. These AI translation tools are available free for eligible public Instagram accounts and Facebook creator profiles with over 1,000 followers. This innovation reinforces Meta’s commitment to fostering cross-cultural content sharing and enhancing creators’ ability to connect with audiences around the world through short-form videos.

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Dunzo’s Collapse: Reliance’s ₹1,645 Crore Loss Signals Challenges in India’s Hyperlocal Delivery Market

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Startup Stories

Reliance Industries has officially written off its $200 million investment in Dunzo, a once promising quick-commerce startup in India. Despite high-profile backing and the potential to disrupt the hyperlocal delivery sector, Dunzo faced insurmountable challenges including high operational costs, unsustainable cash burn, and stiff competition from larger players like Zepto and Blinkit. Reliance’s decision follows Dunzo’s operational suspension, leadership exits, and failed attempts at securing additional funding or acquisition partners, ultimately resulting in the company’s digital platforms going offline in early 2025.​

The downfall of Dunzo was accelerated by its inability to maintain a healthy balance between rapid expansion and revenue growth, with losses in FY23 reaching an alarming ₹1,800 crore. With monthly expenses crossing ₹100 crore and mounting pressure to scale, Dunzo resorted to layoffs and delayed payments before shutting down most services outside Bengaluru. Reliance’s significant stake, initially seen as a strategic advantage, ended up limiting the startup’s flexibility in making independent decisions during its final months.​

Reliance’s write-off sends a strong message to India’s startup ecosystem about the risks inherent in quick-commerce and hyperlocal delivery models. Investors are increasingly focused on sustainable growth, disciplined scaling, and profitability. For Reliance, lessons from Dunzo’s collapse are shaping future e-commerce strategies, driving greater emphasis on operational efficiency and prudent financial planning in an intensely competitive market.

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