Game on: Shiprocket counters Delhivery & XpressBees by acquiring smaller logistics aggregators

The great game that is playing out in the logistics arena has taken a few interesting turns in recent weeks. 

Aggregator Shiprocket, which is in the midst of a tussle with partners-turned-foes Delhivery, XpressBees and Ecom Express, is in talks to buy smaller rival Pickkr in a cash plus stock-swap deal. If it goes through, the deal will consolidate two of the largest aggregators in the logistics tech space. 

Shiprocket is also in talks to acquire another smaller rival, Shyplite, said people tracking the developments. 

These moves are coinciding with Amazon and Flipkart’s decision to aggressively open their logistics arms to external orders, and they may put the shipping companies on the back foot. 

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At the same time, they are also an indication of the immense pressure that Shiprocket and other aggregators are under, with the decline in consumer spending hitting their core customers — D2C brands — hard and forcing the aggregators to seriously consider consolidation.