Earlier this year, Snapdeal announced partnership with Cleartrip, Redbus, Zomato, Urbanclap and Bookmyshow in a bid to diversify from just being a marketplace to being an aggregator of various offerings.
It looks like Snapdeal does not want to stop just yet. In a new development, users will be able to book an Uber ride from the Snapdeal app itself. The feature is available in the menu section of the app and can be located around other similar services like movie tickets, food ordering and bill payments etc.
Talking about this venture, Mahesh Bhalla, Head of Business, Uber India, said, “This partnership with Snapdeal is the first completely native Uber API integration in India. By opening our API to developers globally, we’ve seen the creative ideas that app developers have come up with in order to make it easier for people to move around in cities.”
This makes it easy for Uber users and Snapdeal users to use two service at the same time. Swipe through the electronics collections while waiting for your cab, or check out the latest range in fashion while sitting in the cab.
This is also the first time an online marketplace has tied-up with a ride-hailing company with API integration. The blog also states, “When a user books a flight or a hotel from within the Snapdeal app, they can now travel to the airport or the hotel using Uber, booked from right within the Snapdeal app* without having the Uber app installed on their devices.”
What’s next for Snapdeal?
The Alibaba-backed company raised $200 Million this year from Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, Brother Fortune Apparel & Bennett Coleman & Co (publishers of Times of India) which has increased their valuation to $7 Billion.
With so much at stake for the company, considering it is still not the leader in e-commerce, there are only a few things that the CEOs can manage. This has actually allowed Snapdeal to explore and do something its competitors are still not working towards. Now you can order food, book a cab, purchase a flight ticket, book movie tickets, request personal services, book hotels and make bill payments all from one app that does more than e-commerce.
The Uber integration is also very plain and simple, it tells you how far the closest Uber cab is and whether there is surge or not. For now, the payment has been restricted to just cash, but we hope Paytm integration comes soon. In any case, this looks like an awesome venture and is sure to convince people to use these services.
The company is not offering any first-time user discounts right now, which could have made the deal even sweeter for Snapdeal users. Now you can plan and book a holiday all from one app and not worry about reliability.
Source: Snapdeal
