Flipkartto acquire digital mapping firm

Flipkart, among India’s most prominent e-commerce organisations, is in talks to acquire a stake in MapmyIndia, a digital mapping company. The deal, which could help Flipkart strengthen its logistics and customer analytics, is likely to see the Bengaluru-based company acquire a significant stake in the company, according to key news sources. Flipkart is set to invest 400 – 500 crore in the firm. With the acquisition of MapmyIndia, FlipKart intends to further leverage and strengthen its logistics and customer analytics.Industry trackers highlight that location is becoming increasingly important to understand consumer behaviour and with MapmyIndia's database across big metros and small towns could be an asset to e-tailers. Established in 1992 by RakeshVerma and RashmiVerma, MapmyIndia provides digital map data, navigation, tracking, global positioning system (GPS) and geographic information systems (GIS) based systems integration services. MapmyIndia, which has all the major car makers in India as its clients, claimed in a PTI report that its order book doubled to Rs 200 crore in the last fiscal from Rs 100 crore a year ago. Off late, the company has been aggressively focusing on tapping the fast-growing e-commerce platform to sell its products such as GPS navigation, tracking and entertainment systems.