Bansals strike a personal chord with Flipkart users

In an email to customers they say 'Big Billion Day' sale today to eclipse all other multi-day festive sales

Online retail major Flipkart is leaving no stone unturned to make its 'Big Billion Day' sale on Monday a success.

Following massive print and television advertising campaigns, registered users of the website during the weekend received 'A special message from Sachin and Binny', its co-founders, telling them about the event.

Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal (not related) struck a personal chord in the email, summarising their journey since the inception of Flipkart, one of the most successful home-grown e-commerce companies in India.

"We started Flipkart way back in 2007 when there were a lot of questions around the state of e-commerce in India. We have come a long way since then. And, we owe it all to your unwavering support and encouragement," the email said. "To celebrate Flipkart's journey, we are going to have a sale to end all sales."

In a first of its kind event in India, on the 'Big Billion Day', Flipkart will run deep discounts across 70 categories. Items on the website will be available at "unprecedented discounts". Among other things, Flipkart is planning flash sales and deals of the hour, and lucky draws every hour. The company claims the event will be different from any other sale that Indian e-commerce consumers have earlier seen.

The date, October 6, marks the apartment number, 6-10, where the co-founders started from. "Holding India's biggest ever sale on that day is our tribute to dreams and dreamers. It's also our way of making sure all our customers' dreams come true," the email said.

The two also took on their competitors, all of which are running several multi-day festive discounts, and especially Amazon's campaign that asked 'why have a "one-day dhamaka'' (sensation) when sales can happen everyday' by saying "Flipkart is out to eclipse all other festive multi-day sales over just one single day!"

"We want you to be a part of this event, when, come October 6th, Flipkart forever changes the way India shops," the two Bansals said.