As it looks to take on the Amazon Prime juggernaut, Indian retail giant Flipkart is all set to launch an all-new loyalty program after its first attempt, ‘Flipkart First’, was discontinued following lukewarm reception.
Called ‘Flipkart Plus’, Flipkart has made a big effort to set the loyalty program apart from Amazon Prime. Obviously, unlike Amazon Prime, there are no direct benefits here such as access to Prime Video, Music and more. Instead Flipkart has tied up with a whole host of partners to bring Flipkart Plus benefits outside the retailer’s domain.
Flipkart Plus will be launched on August 15, and will be a free points-based incentive program. Let’s take a look at what it brings to the table.
What is Flipkart Plus?
As part of the plan, Flipkart Plus will offer loyalty rewards or ‘PlusCoins’ to its customers on every purchase. Coins can then be used to avail early shipping or free delivery or even exclusive/priority access to new and/or exclusive products launched by the retailer.
According to Shoumyan Biswas, head of advertising, marketing and Plus at Flipkart, “Every time a customer completes a purchase on our platform, the customer earns a certain amount of Plus points. As you shop more, you earn more Plus points. And with more Plus points, you unlock key rewards and benefits”.
What is the yearly subscription cost of Flipkart Plus?
Unlike Amazon Prime, Flipkart Plus does not need you to sign up for an yearly subscription package. In fact Flipkart Plus is purely about shopping on Flipkart. The customer benefits such as Plus Coins are bonuses you earn for shopping often on Flipkart. The company says, “As you keep shopping on Flipkart, you unlock a host of benefits and rewards, among them fast and free shipping, early access to offers, and priority customer support.”
What Are the Benefits Of Flipkart Plus?
Customers will also be given priority access to events like Big Billion Day or Freedom Sale, which are promotional sales events the company hosts every year. The loyalty points will be awarded in the form of ‘PlusCoins’, that can be exchanged on Flipkart for incentives and other deals on products.
How To Subscribe to Flipkart Plus?
There’s no subscription fee for joining Flipkart Plus, and users can be a part of the program by collecting 50 ‘Plus Coins’ and clicking the ‘Join’ button. The coins can be earned by purchasing goods on the platform, with Flipkart offering one PlusCoin on every 250 spent. Buyers will only be entitled to a maximum of 10 coins per order, and the coins benefit won’t be extended to Flipkart’s sub-brands Myntra, Jabong and PhonePe.
Essentially, to start getting the Flipkart Plus benefits, you would have to spend at least Rs 12,500 over 5 separate orders.
What Are Plus Zone and Plus Coupons?
The Plus Zone is a section where third-party coupons can be purchased through earned PlusCoins. Plus Zone will be home to the free and paid Plus Coupons which bring benefits to those buying using such coupons They are provided as bonus coupons and can be claimed without spending any PlusCoins.
Other coupons would require you to spend a certain number of PlusCoins as per offer details available in the Plus Zone. Once a Plus Coupon is cancelled, it cannot be used again. However, you can always purchase it again if it’s available in the Plus Zone.
How to Earn PlusCoins?
According to Flipkart, users get to earn 1 PlusCoin for every eligible order. The rules also stipulate that a maximum of 10 PlusCoins can be earned in a single order that qualifies for Plus benefits. “For example, for an order value of Rs 2500 you earn 10 PlusCoins and order value of Rs 7999 you earn 10 PlusCoin,” the company says.
Additionally, the value of the following product purchases will not be added towards any order that qualifies for Plus benefits.
- Flipkart Gift Cards
- Gold Coins/ Gold Bars
- Gift Voucher (E.g. Malabar Gift Vouchers sold on Flipkart)
- FK branded Carton & Packaging Boxes (Bought by sellers for Market Place)
- FK branded Packaging Security Bags (Bought by seller for Market Place)
- FK printed Cello Tapes & Tape Dispensers (Bought by seller for Market Place)
- PlusCoins cannot be earned on any purchases made on (seller.flipkart.com).
Which Brands Are Flipkart Plus Partners?
Interestingly, the new program will offer benefits on a number of other platforms in addition to all the incentives on Flipkart. The retailer has tied up with a number of companies, such as Hotstar, Zomato, Ixigo, Chai Point, Makemytrip and Café Coffee Day, to offer discounts and other rewards to its customers. Flipkart is also expected to partner with other online service providers for the program.
What Offers Can I Avail?
As part of what the company calls its ‘Free Welcome Offer’ for members, Flipkart is offering a Rs 400 discount on flight tickets on Ixigo under Flipkart Plus. In addition you can get a BOGO (buy-one-get-one) deal at Chai Point, Rs 100 discount on movie tickets on BookMyShow, and more.
With 50 Plus Coins, members can also claim a Flipkart voucher worth Rs 1,000, a BookMyShow voucher worth Rs 1,200, a Zomato Gold annual subscription worth Rs 1,900 and more. The company says more and more brands will be added to the platform as more users get into the program.
You can find out more about Flipkart Plus and see the terms and conditions for Plus and PlusCoins on the official website. And of course, you can start earning PlusCoins if you have already joined Flipkart Plus.
