Flipkart has broadened its supply-chain framework in anticipation of the festive period, increasing its warehousing capacity by 14 million cubic feet and extending its delivery network to over 750 new PIN codes, including Leh, Kargil, and various areas throughout the Northeast, the e-commerce firm announced on September 29.

The growth occurs before the flagship Big Billion Days sale of the Walmart-owned company, as ecommerce platforms ready for an increase in demand.

The extra warehouse space has boosted storage capacity by 50 percent, and enhancements in automation and technology have raised peak processing volumes by over 30 percent.

"Each year, The Big Billion Days elevates customer expectations: quicker deliveries and broader accessibility." “This year, a customer in Leh or Kargil will have the opportunity to experience Big Billion Days for the first time,” said Hemant Badri, senior vice president and head of supply chain at Flipkart Group.

The firm also increased its delivery hubs by over 900 to enhance last-mile accessibility and accommodate greater quantities of same-day and next-day deliveries. This expands Ekart's network to over 8,200 locations nationwide, comprising fulfilment centers, sorting hubs, and last-mile delivery services.

The growth also encompasses close to 1,200 Flipkart Minutes micro-fulfilment hubs in over 150 cities, as stated.

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Flipkart has included over 750 PIN codes in its network to extend Big Billion Days, starting on October 9, to areas that were previously beyond its festive scope.

Additional areas comprise Leh and Kargil in Ladakh, sections of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh.

Flipkart stated that over 2.5 crore units of products from MSMEs, small sellers, weavers, and artisans have been stocked at Ekart fulfilment centers for sellers.

Seventy more pickup stations have launched in vital seller locations to decrease fulfillment duration.

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Ekart's network of third-party logistics franchises has doubled to 600 just two months after its launch, as reported by the company. The network aims to enable sellers and MSMEs not within the Flipkart marketplace to access its logistics infrastructure.