Without any fanfare or official announcement, Eternal, the company led by Deepinder Goyal, has expanded the scope of its lifestyle app District, quietly rolling out a new feature that lets users discover nearby retail stores. The new ‘Stores’ tab within the app gives shoppers access to local outlets offering clothing, shoes, home decor, beauty services, and more.
The list of participating brands already includes names like The Souled Store, Adidas, VLCC, Toni & Guy, Heads Up For Tails, Libas, Kazo, and BlackBerry, among others.
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District is also sweetening the deal by offering instant discounts (up to ₹500 or 10% off) and additional perks like food and movie vouchers—but only if users make their purchase through the app at one of the featured stores. These benefits are tailored based on a user’s location, and the app highlights nearby outlets offering the best deals.
Eternal hasn’t commented on the rollout yet—questions sent by Inc42 have gone unanswered so far.
District Shifts Gears: From Movie Tickets to Local Shopping and Activities
The new retail feature is part of a larger push by Eternal to make District a comprehensive “going-out” app, not just a ticketing platform. Alongside the retail section, the app has also launched a new ‘Activities’ tab that showcases workshops, recreational spaces, art and craft sessions, and amusement venues. To build buzz, District is relying on influencer partnerships to promote these experience-based offerings on social platforms.
District first hit the market in November 2024, and while it started out focused on movies and events, its ambitions have clearly expanded. It has already crossed 10 million downloads on Google Play Store. The app’s ticketing infrastructure is built on the back of Paytm Insider, which Eternal acquired last year in a ₹2,048 crore deal as part of its strategy to scale its “going out” vertical.
Today, District users can do everything from booking movie tickets and finding gigs to exploring restaurants, retail stores, and experiences—positioning it as a broader lifestyle app rather than just a ticket-booking tool.
Going Up Against BookMyShow—and Magicpin
With the launch of the ‘Stores’ section, District is now positioning itself as a hybrid of BookMyShow and magicpin. While BookMyShow remains dominant in entertainment ticketing, District’s multi-category approach is clearly an attempt to undercut its lead by offering more than just movies.
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Interestingly, Zomato (now Eternal) had previously invested $50 million in magicpin back in 2021 during its $60 million Series D round, picking up a 16% stake. Now, District seems to be stepping on similar turf—enabling hyperlocal discovery and rewards, much like magicpin’s model.
