e-commerce
Instamart expands the Home & Lifestyle category with the debut launch of Home Stop by Shoppers Stop
MUMBAI: Strengthening its growing household and lifestyle portfolio, Instamart, India’s pioneering quick commerce platform, has partnered with Home Stop by Shoppers Stop, offering premium crockery, serveware, home décor, and furnishings. With this collaboration, Instamart becomes the first quick commerce platform to offer over 100 curated Home Stop products for discerning online shoppers. The platform will enable 10-minute delivery of a wide range of products across stores in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Gurgaon.
The launch features a curated range of products spanning linen and furnishings, home décor, dinnerware, serveware, and kitchen storage. Offerings include artisanal candle holders, modern serveware, Buddha figurines, jharokha t-light holders, and other items designed to enhance everyday living.
Sharing insights on quick commerce’s expanding role beyond groceries and essentials, Instamart AVP & category head, Manender Kaushik shared, “Since the launch of the Home & Lifestyle category on Instamart, we’ve witnessed robust growth in the segment. This signals that quick commerce has evolved from a simple grocery delivery service into a more sophisticated marketplace encompassing larger and diverse categories. Traditionally, home and furnishings were planned purchases; however, today, the needs of Indian online shoppers are rapidly evolving. By closely understanding consumer preferences, we have prioritized expanding our assortment of lifestyle products. Our partnership with Home Stop marks a significant step towards making curated home décor and furnishings accessible to shoppers within minutes.”
Speaking on the collaboration, Shoppers Stop MD & CEO Kavindra Mishra said, “Home Stop offers a curated selection of contemporary, classic, and innovative home solutions that blend quality, style, and value. It’s a one-stop destination for everything from bed and bath to living, dining, and kitchen, thoughtfully curated to help our customers build homes that truly reflect their personality. This partnership with Instamart marks a significant step in making the Home Stop experience instantly accessible through the power of quick commerce, allowing us to meet our customers at their doorstep, quickly and effortlessly. Together, we’re reimagining how modern India discovers and shops for premium home living.”
e-commerce
Flipkart rolls out 105 per cent bonus for 20,000 employees
Strong FY25 performance drives payouts even as layoffs and shifts unfold.
MUMBAI: In a year where belts were tightened and rewards loosened, Flipkart seems to be playing both offence and defence trimming roles on one hand while handing out a generous 105 per cent bonus on the other. The Walmart owned e commerce major has rolled out a 105 per cent bonus payout for 2025, covering nearly 20,000 employees, signalling a year of steady operational momentum even as the company navigates restructuring pressures. The payout, communicated internally by chief human resources officer Seema Nair, is tied to performance across key metrics including growth, operational efficiency, financial outcomes and people indicators, a combination that suggests the company is inching closer to its long stated goal of sustainable profitability.
Employees at SD level and below are set to receive their bonuses in March, while payouts for senior leadership, including vice presidents and senior vice presidents, will follow after the close of the performance cycle. The elevated 105 per cent multiplier stands out in a sector where cautious payouts have increasingly become the norm, pointing to what appears to be a relatively strong internal scorecard for FY25.
Yet, the announcement arrives with a noticeable contrast. Earlier this year, Flipkart reduced its workforce by around 300 roles as part of its annual performance review process. While officially framed as performance driven, the juxtaposition of layoffs alongside above target bonuses reflects a more nuanced balancing act, one that prioritises cost discipline while continuing to reward and retain high performing talent.
This dual approach is becoming increasingly common across the technology and e commerce landscape, where companies are navigating an uneven hiring environment while under pressure to deliver profitability. Rewarding top contributors, even amid selective workforce reductions, allows firms to maintain morale and retain critical talent without losing sight of financial prudence.
At the same time, Flipkart is also undergoing leadership shifts that hint at a broader strategic recalibration. Nishant Verman has been appointed senior vice president for corporate development and partnerships, while group chief financial officer Sriram Venkataraman is set to step down. Ravi Iyer will take on expanded responsibilities within the finance function, marking a reshuffle at the top as the company gears up for its next phase.
These changes come amid reports that Flipkart is planning to shift its holding structure back to India, a move widely interpreted as groundwork for a potential public listing. While timelines remain fluid, the combination of stronger financial discipline, leadership restructuring and employee incentivisation suggests a company preparing itself for greater scrutiny and scale.
For employees, the 105 per cent payout offers a welcome boost in what has otherwise been a period of adjustment. For Flipkart, it is a signal that even as it cuts where necessary, it is willing to spend where it counts. In the high stakes game of growth versus profitability, the company appears to be hedging its bets carefully, rewarding performance while reshaping itself for what could be its most defining chapter yet.
