Flash, a payment management service that tracks all your online purchases, announced its entry into the U.S. market on Tuesday, giving U.S. customers the ability to manage all their spending in one place while offering perks like gift cards and cashback. can now also be obtained.
The US has many high-spending consumers, making it a strategic choice to launch the app here. The Department of Commerce's Census Bureau estimates that U.S. online shopping brought in approximately $291.6 billion in the second quarter of 2024. We estimate that total retail sales will reach approximately $1.8 trillion. Projections for the global e-commerce market are also promising, with some estimates predicting it to exceed $6 trillion this year.
This app was previously available only to users in India.
Now available for download on both iOS and Android devices, Flash lets you manage all your online purchases in one place, as well as track multiple shipments, receipts, and your entire year's order history. Masu. When you connect your email to the app, it collects all the messages sent to you by brands and creates an overview of where you shop, how much you spend, which brands you use most often, and more. It also breaks down your spending into separate areas such as shopping, travel, food and groceries, and entertainment. Insights features help you budget more effectively and understand your spending habits more clearly. For example, you might cut out all the sweet treats at Starbucks (it adds up!)
Plus, when you place a new order through Flash's various brand partners, including Amazon, Booking.com, Doordash, Instacart, Target, and Walmart, you'll earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards ranging from $5 to $100. The free version of the app lets you earn 10 points on every order and 100 points on flights and hotels. If you subscribe to a paid plan, you can earn 5x points.
The app is free to download. However, if you upgrade to the $49/year Flash Plus plan, you will receive an email ID (@flash.co) to get a dedicated smart inbox for all your shopping-related emails. This subscription also includes AI-powered spam protection, advanced tracking features, and other benefits.
Image credit: Flash
The India-based startup was founded by Ranjith Boyanapalli, former senior vice president of Flipkart, in 2022 when Boyanapalli noticed that his email inbox was flooded with promotional messages from brands. It started on.
“If you look at the origins, it started with being a power shopper and delivering 60% of my personal communications. The email I use primarily is actually commerce related,” Boyanapalli told TechCrunch. spoke. “Across all of these areas, I find myself spending on at least 20 to 30 brands a year.For example, last year I received about $12,500. [shopping-related] The emails, probably 10,400 of them, were promotional in nature…so that was the genesis of, “Hey, maybe it's time to have a different shopping ID.” That's how Flash was created. ”
Since its launch, the platform has achieved success among users in India and has 1 million active users.
The company is always planning to expand into other markets, and the US is an obvious choice. Boyanapalli noted that Flash's U.S. app was tested by about 200 beta users. In total, over the past year, these users have placed nearly 35,000 orders totaling nearly $2 million across hundreds of different brands.
“We thought now was the right time to launch and scale, especially given that the holiday season has begun,” Boyanapalli added.
The only difference between the two versions is the subscription service, which is only available in the US. Meanwhile, Flash has opted for an advertising model in India. However, Boyanapalli noted that this could change.
Next on the roadmap is a global version of the app, expected to be released in mid-June 2025. The company also plans to raise new capital to support its planned expansion in the United States in the first phase. Quarter of 2025.