e-commerce
Urban Ladder bags ‘Best Digital Start-Up Award’ at 4th India Digital Awards
MUMBAI: What better than to be lauded for your good work and so it was that Urban Ladder walked away with ‘Best Digital Start-Up’ at the recently concluded fourth India Digital Awards organised by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).
The awards honoured companies across five categories and 22 sub-categories of the internet and mobile value added services industry.
‘Viral Marketing Campaign of the Year’ went to BCCI’s #ThankYouSachin while Just Dial founder and CEO VSS Mani won the coveted ‘Best Digital Person of the Year’ title.
Pepsi India created by the 120 Media Collective bagged ‘Best Display Campaign’ while both Jubilant Foodworks by Blazar and Big Tree Entertainment by Interactive Avenues Marketing Solutions took home ‘Best Search Marketing Campaign’.
ICICI Lombard was awarded ‘Best Email Marketing Campaign’ while Grey Digital’s Cadbury India picked up ‘Best Digital Integrated Campaign’.
Meanwhile, Tata Docomo won ‘Best Execution of Performance Campaign’; www.caratlane.com bagged ‘Best eCommerce Website’; www.navbharatimes.com took home ‘Best Local Language Website’; www.ndtv.com picked up ‘Best News Content Website’; www.travelkhana.com walked away with ‘Best Travel Website’; www.policybazaar.com was awarded ‘Best Financial Website’ andwww.gana.com bagged ‘Best Entertainment Website’.
Whereas ‘Best Digital Agency of the Year’ went to Interactive Marketing Solutions and BookMyShow by Big Tree Entertainment and Adaptxt by Keypoint Technologies jointly won ‘Best Innovative Mobile App’.
Among others, Platinum Guild India created by GroupM Media picked up ‘Best Advertising or Marketing on Mobile’; Gamechanger & PHD India took home ‘Best Consumer Mobile Service’; ‘Best Mobile Money Product or Service’ was awarded to One97 Communications and ‘Best Mobile Enterprise Product or Service’ to SPRIN Technosys.
www.ssangyongrexton.in which picked up ‘Best Brand/Product Website’ and www.meritnation.com and www.simplolearn.com which jointly won ‘Best Educational Website’ were also part of the long list of awardees.
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.
