Flipkart is shutting down its service

Flipkart is shutting down its service in India for a few days.

Credit: Flipkart

Flipkart suspension are going to be temporary and therefore the e-retailer is hoping to restart operating “as soon as possible”.Flipkart has packed up all services on its e-commerce platform as India enters a subsequent phase of lockdowns to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.

The Walmart-owned e-commerce giant mentions on its website and app that it's suspending services temporarily. By services, the company means its core business of purchasing and selling goods online and delivering them at doorsteps. The rest of the services such as video streaming, bill payment, and online mobile games are still up and running, and can be accessed from the Flipkart app.

Flipkart's decision to suspend its core service comes into effect immediately after rival Amazon announced that it will accept orders only for essential products moving forward.

Also, See: New Update of Whatsapp Coming With New Features to Stop Fake News-Messages

While Flipkart assures that it will resume service as soon as it can, it is quite likely that the e-commerce platform won't accept or deliver orders until the fresh 21-day lockdown announced by the government on March 24 comes to an end. Meanwhile, rival Amazon will continue to offer its services but will prioritize only essential products that people need while in lockdown to minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection.

As of now, the status of all products on Flipkart is listed as "out of stock", but a few services are still active. Flipkart allows users to pay their phone, water, electricity, broadband, etc. bills using the smartphone app. The Flipkart Video streaming platform is also up and running, allowing users to watch movies and TV shows while they practice self-isolation and social distancing.

The Game Zone allows Peoples to play online games on their phone, while the “KreatorCentral” is where one can watch DIY art and craft videos. Flipkart has also partnered with GiveIndia to donate health kits and other essentials that will go towards helping fight the coronavirus situation.