BENGALURU : Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, officially kicked off the 12th edition of The Big Billion Days (TBBD) at its Bengaluru campus today, 21 September 2025. The event marked the beginning of India’s most-awaited festive shopping event, with thousands of Flipsters gathering to celebrate the midnight countdown to early access.

During the kickoff celebrations, Flipkart Group CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy set an ambitious tone for The Big Billion Days 2025, positioning it as a festival of scale and optimism. The company aims to serve a billion people this season, expecting 250–300 million unique visitors during the event and more than 350 million across the festive period — nearly double the IPL final’s viewership. Backed by 400,000 people across warehouses, fulfilment centres, and delivery networks, Flipkart will service 19,500 pin codes from 4,500 locations nationwide. With customer growth at a four-year high for Flipkart, he underscored that the success of this season will be defined by the collective momentum of its teams.

Pratik Shetty, Vice President, Growth & Marketing, Flipkart, shared his views at the much-awaited Flipkart TBBD ’25 kick-off event, “The Big Billion Days 2025 is shaping up to be our strongest yet. Early momentum is unmistakable – demand for high-value categories such as electronics and large appliances is up, with the recent GST slab rationalisation acting as a strong trigger for upgrades. What excites us equally is the surge in demand from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. This wave is driven by vernacular content, regional creators, and immersive formats that are breaking barriers of access and discovery – allowing consumers to confidently explore both value-driven and premium products.

Gen Z is fast becoming the pulse of festive shopping. A large percentage of our shoppers this season are under 25, and their engagement with live commerce, influencer-led showcases, and short-form video is shaping demand across categories. Gen Z is also leading the charts when it comes to on-app customer visits today, with September witnessing ~55% YoY growth in organic visits. Beauty, fashion, and home are emerging as breakout categories ahead of BBDTBBD this year, with premiumisation driving double-digit growth. The combination of regulatory tailwinds, digital-first discovery, and an increasingly young, aspirational shopper base is creating a festive season unlike any other – one that blends access, aspiration, and acceleration.”

The on-campus festivities set the tone for what may be Flipkart’s best The Big Billion Days to date, featuring leadership interactions, cultural showcases, and employee-led celebrations, reflecting Flipkart’s commitment to building momentum ahead of the event. A key highlight was the simultaneous flag-off of a Flipkart Wishmaster (delivery agents) rally across the country.

Flagged off by Hemant Badri, Senior VP & Head of Minutes, Supply Chain, Customer Experience & Re-Commerce, Flipkart Group, the Wishmaster rally encapsulates the company’s operational readiness and nationwide scale. “Every Big Billion Days steps up expectations – not just in customer sales, but in delivery of delight. This festive season, speed, precision, and reach are non-negotiable for us. For this very reason, we have built over 100 fulfillment centres and nearly 400 micro-fulfillment centres & Minutes delivery hubs across 19 cities. Our scale enables us to meet lakhs of orders with agility and deeper coverage. More importantly, we’re building all this inclusively – 20% of our supply chain workforce in our larger facilities (warehouses, fulfilment centers, etc.) this year are women. With infrastructure, intent, and inclusive teams, we are ready for what is set to be our best TBBD yet.”

Flipsters gather in large numbers in a range of ‘War Rooms’ which are witness to teams working round-the-clock to ensure seamless business continuity, performance monitoring, and customer support. This year, employee engagement focused on Flipkart’s TBBD being “timeless through the ages”, bringing together classic and new experiences.

To keep employees energised and connected, Flipkart has created a supportive ecosystem that includes classic and fresh to Flipkart food options – from the much-loved midnight snacking series to 24×7 food access, tuck shops, and 24×7 medical support with on-site doctors and ambulances.. Wellness remains a key focus for Flipkart, and TBBD Wellness  this year is a perfect blend of classic wellness rituals like mandala art, sound and pranic healing. Fresh new experiences include flow zones, zentangle art, creative meditation and more. On-campus and online engagements such as quizzes, music and entertainment evenings, inter team challenges, and social contests will keep the buzz alive throughout the course of TBBD. This year, celebrations will also see new additions with epic milestones marked through real-time “OG moments” on the floor, and heartfelt wishes flowing in from Flipsters’ families.

In the run-up to and during TBBD, organisation-wide town halls and focused sessions ensured alignment and motivation. During these meetings, leaders remain visible and connected, amplifying wins, addressing challenges, and inspiring teams through daily huddles. From frontline delivery executives to supply chain teams, every Flipster is celebrated as part of the shared success journey.

In the spirit of festivities, Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group, reflected on the buoyant consumer climate at the BBDTBBD 2025 kick-off event. “We are witnessing a strong revival in consumer sentiment, backed by policy reforms that simplify compliance and enhance transparency. The recent Next-Gen GST changes are already putting more disposable income in the hands of Indian households, fuelling optimism for consumption-led growth. As we step into the biggest festive week of the year, the mood is one of confidence and celebrations.

At Flipkart, we see this as more than just a business opportunity. For us, it is a moment of responsibility. Our supply chain now touches 21,000+ pin codes, supporting local manufacturing ecosystems & economies; our festive hiring has created over 2.2 lakh additional jobs; and our commitment to GST compliance and digital-first practices reflects our belief in building a sustainable and transparent marketplace. For us, The Big Billion Days is not just India’s largest shopping festival; it is a platform that amplifies opportunities for lakhs of sellers, MSMEs,  artisans/weavers, small holder farmers, and local businesses, while showcasing the vibrancy and resilience of India’s digital economy.”

Early indicators point to one of the strongest TBBD editions in recent years. Categories such as fashion, beauty, mobiles, and wearables have already seen strong growth in the run up to the festive season, while appliances are also witnessing strong search intent. The refreshed Flipkart app interface is also driving discovery and engagement. Gen Z audiences are emerging as trendsetters, actively engaging with short-form video and live commerce, particularly in lifestyle and beauty. Tier 2 and 3 cities continue to show robust growth, with rising demand across premium and value segments. With its dual supply chain strategy, which includes traditional delivery and express service through Flipkart Minutes, Flipkart is well-positioned to meet the diverse needs of consumers this festive season.

This year’s The Big Billion Days is a testament to Flipkart’s ethos – precision in execution, celebration of people, creativity in engagement, and care at every step. Every Flipster, across functions and geographies, is recognised as an integral part of this journey, as the company comes together to deliver one of India’s biggest festive shopping experiences.