Walmart-owned Flipkart is planning to launch free video streaming services, ‘Flipkart Videos’ before Diwali this year, Moneycontrol reported. With this, Flipkart will be able to compete with its rival Amazon in the OTT division as well. In response to MediaNama’s query, Flipkart confirmed the development but had no official statement to share on this matter. Citing sources, the Moneycontrol report also said that Flipkart is betting on Bollywood. It will provide content to its Flipkart Plus users for free. Flipkart Plus, unlike Amazon Prime, is not a subscription service, but a loyalty programme whereby users earn "Super Coins" on every purchase, and are made Flipkart Plus users when they spend a minimum amount in a year. The report also said that the streaming services would be integrated within the shopping app/website to create "stickiness". The sources also explained that unlike Amazon Prime, Flipkart will not have original content but will aggregate content from producers. The success of the video streaming service, according to Moneycontrol, will depend on Flipkart’s ability to get as many exclusive rights as possible. According to the PTI report, the video service will be ad-supported. The content will include short films, full-length movies and episodic series. It is also in talks with many content makers to expand the library. "We have a lot of investment going into this. Apart from shopping, we also want users to spend time on the platform and engage. We will use content as an engagement opportunity ... we will continue being an…
