E-commerce platform, Flipkart has set foot into AC services and other home services businesses.

Through Jeeves, an after sales services company that Flipkart acquired years back, is being used by the latter to provide the service. The service is up and running in cities namely Bangalore and Kolkata and is soon expected to spread across top Indian cities as well.

Thus far, Jeeves has been offering installation services to customers who buy large appliances such as AC, washing machine and furniture on Flipkart’s platform. Now customers can order for AC servicing irrespective of where it was bought, and this includes products bought from other platforms.

Similarly, the e-commerce platform is also opening its logistics arm, Ekart, to external e-commerce firms for delivering their shipments.

Jeeves has been an integral part of Flipkart since 2014, with the latter announcing that the former would also be opening up its services to external brands for their installation, demo and repair requirements.

The e-commerce’s home service business is said to offer services such as washing machine repairs and similar others through its journey. It will also cover its product categories which are sold on its platform.

This marks Flipkart’s entry into a new business area adding to the likes of travel and epharmacy. This also means the Urban company has a rival to compete with Flipkart, however, it may not be able to compete with the beauty business with the e-commerce firm, as it’s said that Flipkart won’t be entering that space.

On the other hand, Flipkart is observed to have been bullish on building its social commerce platform Shopsy and doubling down on its grocery business.

Home appliances services has been seen as a challenging spac and was widely led by early movers like JustDial and Sulekha. By 2015 companies such as Urban company and Housejoy stepped in controlling experiences as well. At the same time, startups such as TaskBob and Doormint emerged, but they were either said to have shut down or moved to other businesses.

It is said that, Flipkart has been building these capabilities for years now and is opening up to consumers directly now. Directionall, it is expected to get expanded to the main categories such as services which are required periodically.