Flipkart CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy has said the company respects the Indian government‘s decision on excluding non-essentials from the delivery list of items that e-commerce companies can carry during the lockdown period.
The government had made a flip-flop on the idea of allowing e-commerce companies to deliver while maintaining all social distancing norms, having first given its approval and thereafter going back on it within the next couple of days.
"We respect the decision because the government has many complex scenarios to manage while protecting more than a billion people in the country," Krishnamurthy said in a prepared statement released to the media.
Elaborating on Flipkart’s stand, he said that the company has directed employees to explore innovative ways to drive value for the ecosystem including sellers, brands, mom-and-pop stores (known locally as kirana stores) and customers.
Supports the government decision
Owned by the e-commerce giant Walmart, Flipkart had already commenced shipping smartphones and other electronic goods to its fulfillment centers. This followed the government decision to allow e-commerce deliveries on April 4, which was then overturned a week later.
On Sunday April 19, the government reversed its previous ruling which had allowed eCommerce companies to deliver electronic goods and ready-made garments, which fall under the category of non-essential items. Under the first phase of the nationwide lockdown between March 24-April 14, the government had initially only allowed delivery of essential goods through e-commerce platforms.
According to the ruling, all ‘non-essential’ goods will continue to be prohibited till the May 3 lockdown duration.
Flipkart has expressed complete support to the government’s decision and is strategizing with the firm’s entire leadership and management to develop the next steps forward, said Krishnamurthy.
