Kiranas to benefit from digital upskilling while also augmenting an alternate source of income for themselves
Bengaluru, NFAPost: In preparation of the upcoming festive season and the Big Billion Days, Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, has expanded its Kirana programme in Southern India with over 14,000 kiranas onboarded under this initiative from the region.
This expansion is part of the over 50,000 kiranas that Flipkart has on boarded across the country to provide a faster and personalised e-commerce experience to millions of consumers while also augmenting an alternate source of income for the kiranas.
To help kiranas onboard and be active participants in the festive season, Flipkart’s team initiated contactless onboarding of kiranas through online application forms where kirana partners directly uploaded details along with required documentation.
This enabled seamless onboarding without them having to step out during Covid-19 times. Following a detailed verification check, the kirana partners were brought into the program before they can deliver shipments. The team has also organised digital training on various tools including app-based dashboards and digital payments, helping kiranas transform their business from traditional general trade stores to modern convenience stores.
Digital commerce
The expansion of Flipkart’s kirana programme across Southern cities such as Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Kochi, Gulbarga, Mysore, Alleppey and Kannur makes e-commerce more inclusive by connecting kiranas and consumers from the region to the country’s fast-growing digital commerce.
This will ensure greater dedication towards consumer satisfaction and increased capability to serve the enhanced demand this festive season. These kiranas ranges from general trade stores, bakeries to tailor shops which have space and time at hand and exhibit interest in delivering shipments to nearby areas.
Flipkart Ekart and Marketplace Senior Vice-President Amitesh Jha said Flipkart believes in technology-enabled inclusive growth by taking all the ecosystem stakeholders with kirana partners are an integral part of this ecosystem.
“As one of the oldest retail formats in India, kiranas have one of the highest penetration and showcase effective management of the supply chain drivers such as facilities, inventory, information and sourcing, as well as in maintaining a long-standing relationship with consumers,” said Flipkart Ekart and Marketplace Senior Vice-President Amitesh Jha.
Hyperlocal presence
Flipkart Ekart and Marketplace Senior Vice-President Amitesh Jha said through a combination of their hyperlocal presence and innovations by Flipkart, this programme has become a great enabler in strengthening the kirana ecosystem in the country.
“We are pleased to witness the increasing participation from kiranas across the country to reinvent themselves and align with the fast-growing e-commerce industry,” said Flipkart Ekart and Marketplace Senior Vice-President Amitesh Jha.
Partnering with lakhs of sellers and MSMEs, Flipkart delivers millions of shipments every day through its robust supply chain across 100% of the serviceable pin codes in India.
Flipkart is expanding the physical and digital infrastructure, strengthening its supply chain capabilities while working with multiple ecosystem partners and traditional businesses. These include freelance delivery executives and kiranas, thereby complementing their incomes and bringing more convenience to e-commerce consumers.
Flipkart Wholesale
The kirana program is part of Flipkart Group’s efforts to drive growth for millions of kiranas across the country. This also includes Flipkart Wholesale, a digital B2B marketplace with an aim to connect local manufacturers and MSMEs with retailers and other businesses and bring a wholesale marketplace to their fingertips using technology.
The Flipkart Group is one of India’s leading digital commerce entities and includes group companies Flipkart, Myntra, and PhonePe. Started in 2007, Flipkart has enabled millions of consumers, sellers, merchants and small businesses to be a part of India’s e-commerce revolution, with a registered customer base of over 250 million, offering over 150 million products across 80+ categories.
Flipkart efforts to democratize e-commerce in India, drive access and affordability, delight customers, create lakhs of jobs in the ecosystem and empower generations of entrepreneurs and MSMEs has inspired us to innovate on many industry firsts.
Cash on delivery
The recent launch of Flipkart Wholesale, the company’s new digital marketplace, is a testament to the commitment to accelerate the growth of kiranas and MSMEs in India. Flipkart is known for pioneering services such as Cash on Delivery, No Cost EMI and easy returns – customer-centric innovations that have made online shopping more accessible and affordable for millions of Indians.
Together with Myntra, which holds a prominent position in the online fashion market, PhonePe, India’s fastest growing digital payments platform, and now Flipkart Wholesale, the Flipkart Group will continue to steer the transformation of commerce in India through technology.
