Flipkart vs Amazon: A Product Management case study.
Amazon had deeper pockets, global expertise, and a 20-year head start in e-commerce.
Yet Flipkart owns 48% of India's e-commerce market while Amazon struggles at 24%.
How did a Bangalore startup beat the world's most successful e-commerce company?
A former Amazon India PM said once, "We kept building American products for Indian customers. Flipkart built Indian products for Indian problems."
5 Product Decisions Where Amazon Failed in India:
5️. Focused on credit cards and digital wallets when 70% of Indians preferred Cash on Delivery. Flipkart made COD seamless while Amazon treated it as an afterthought.
4️. Optimised for a desktop experience when 80% of Indian users shopped on mobile. Flipkart rebuilt its entire platform for mobile, while Amazon just shrank their desktop site.
3️. Competed on the absolute lowest prices instead of perceived value. Indians wanted affordable quality, not cheap products. Flipkart's "billion-dollar phone" strategy won hearts.
2️. Tried to replicate the US delivery model in the Indian infrastructure. Flipkart built hyperlocal networks, partnered with local vendors, and created Ekart for last-mile delivery.
1️. Imported American product managers who didn't understand Indian shopping behavior. Flipkart's founders lived the customer experience daily.
Amazon brought world-class product management practices to India. Flipkart brought India-specific product solutions to world-class standards.
Amazon is optimised for scale and efficiency. Flipkart optimised for trust and cultural fit.
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿, 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗲. 𝗜’𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆.