Ecommerce
Amazon sets Great Indian Festival for 8 October with 1.6 lakh jobs
Network adds 20 fulfilment centres and 150 last-mile stations just as shoppers start stocking lists.
Ananya Rao, Editor··4 min read
Amazon confirmed the 8 October start date along with 10 percent instant discount on SBI cards and expanded Prime benefits. Seller base has crossed 20 lakh, with over 3 lakh new sellers in the past year. Categories span smartphones, electronics, fashion, beauty, home and groceries.
For the dark store or last-mile rider the extra stations mean denser routes and higher festive volume without the usual pin-code gaps. A kirana that supplies Amazon Now inventory now faces tighter turnaround windows as the platform stocks broader assortment including apparel and small appliances.
Amazon is undertaking its biggest-ever operations network expansion ahead of the festive season.
Flipkart’s Big Billion Days follows a day later on 9 October, locking both platforms into the same festive window and squeezing pure-play quick commerce on non-grocery baskets. Blinkit and Instamart hold the line on profitability while Amazon and Flipkart lean on cashbacks and freebies.
Watch the first 48-hour GMV prints after 8 October and the Diwali week run-rate for Amazon Now in the new 100-city footprint. Any shortfall in seasonal hiring fill rates will show up in delivery SLAs by mid-October.