Flipkart's IPO may be 1-2years away

Flipkart.com was at one point of time represented the boom in online shopping. One of the first who used financial muscle to spend heavily on advertising and marketing. Price warrior on most fronts.

But it seems of late that they no longer want to be the cheapest. It seems they happy just letting the image they have created to let people come and buy stuff from them.

Evidence of this can be found on price comparison sites like 91mobilles.com, mysmartprice.com and pricedealsindia.com. You can search for any category of goods and you'll find it cheaper on some other website.

The other problem is that the website is no long a seller but a marketplace where all kinds of seller come to sell similar to amazon. Since Amazon launched its Indian site, it is becoming more and more unlikely that it will acquire an existing platform, forcing the e-retailer to be profitable rather than guzzle cash given to it by its VC firms.

The recent round of funding might actually be funding to help it sustain operations for a year or two and finally come with Ipo-able numbers, also increasing VC stake before valuations rise (after turning profitable).

One firm lesson: - buyers should compare prices before buying anything on flipkart.

Second: Flipkart isn't what it used to be. The marketplace makes the website a vulnerable place for buyers who would trust flipkart blindly because of all the marketing hype. Its more important than ever to read the fine-print. On every website. Or simply go out and enjoy buying from your favourite Croma/Mobile Store.
Sent from my BlackBerry®

Multi Cast for any Blackberry with BB7.1

Blackberry launched the 9720 with an app called the Multicast which allows you to post to multiple social networks. But this app is currently available only on 9720 and not as an app or update on the other OS 7.1 phones.

Well actually there is a feature that lets you do a "multicast" right from the day the OS 7.1 was released and its called "social feeds". Social feeds is where you can consolidate your social network feeds from Facebook BBM and Twitter. It can also be used to a multicast. Simply click on "New Post" the BB Menu. It will allow you do select the network you want to post to and get done with it.

Only one limitation exists in social feeds app that multicast solved and that is the ability to attach pictures. I think there will be eventually an update for the older devices which will provide "Multicast" app.