Uber now allows payments via debit cards
Online cab-hailing service Uber announced that it is now allowing payments via debit cards across all 18 cities in India the company is operating in. Earlier last month, Uber also resumed payments via credit cards in India after nine months. Uber had stopped payments via credit cards after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had raised concerns over two factor authentication and violation of foreign exchange laws in India.
Uber has partnered with MobiKwik for payments via cards. The card payment option is now available for both the Android and iOS platforms.
Uber also extended cash payments to four more cities in India. Users can now pay with hard money in the cities of Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Jaipur and Kochi. Uber earlier this year had begun testing cash payments in Hyderabad. Currently, India and Kenya are the only countries where the company accepts cash payments.
CricBuzz gets title sponsorship for India vs Sri Lanka test series
Times Internet-owned portal for cricket, CricBuzz, has secured sponsorship rights for Sri Lanka vs India 2015 Test Series. Multi Screen Media’s Sony SIX and Sony KIX secured the television broadcasting rights for the series. The 20-day tour includes three Test matches to be played in the cities of Galle and Colombo. BestMediaInfo reports that the series wasn’t part of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) tours and fixtures programme, but one organised between BCCI (Board Of Control For Cricket In India). As this series was organised outside the ICC’s tours and fixtures programme, the bid for the tour took place early this year, where Sony Six bagged the broadcast rights.
Earlier this year, Times Internet merged its cricket site GoCricket with Cricbuzz. Visitors to GoCricket’s website were redirected to Cricbuzz’s website. The company also merged the mobile apps of GoCricket & Cricbuzz. In November 2014, Times Internet bought a majority stake in CricBuzz and said that it will be using CricBuzz’s expertise in the cricket segment along with its editorial content across text, photos, and videos. Cricbuzz also has a services business, wherein it provides Cricket scores to multiple entities, including portals, mobile VAS companies and telecom operators.
Fashionara launches app for flash sales
Fashion e-tailer Fashionara has launched a mobile application for the Android operating system and the company says that app is geared keeping in mind the flash sale model. Consumers can shop from various ‘sale events’, which include deep discounts on domestic and international brands. Each event is formulated based on the availability of such products for a limited time.
Fashionara co-founder and CEO Arun Sirdeshmukh said that company is already receiving 45% of transaction through the app and expect it to reach 60% of its sales in the next 3 to 6 months. “We will not shut down our mobile or desktop website anytime soon as we believe it is important to give the flexibility and choice of medium to the customers instead of forcing them to shop a certain way”, he added.
In February, the e-tailer signed on six new international labels to debut exclusively through their e-store. The new labels include Hesperus, Zeldam, Ironi, 15 Love, Swirlgear and Banju. Earlier in September 2014, Fashionara introduced a marketplace section called ‘F.lea Bazaar’ that will offer curated collection of offbeat and eclectic products from select small sellers and boutiques from across the country.
