Namaste, Kirana.Com?

Context: The Covid-19 pandemic has left a radical impact on lives and businesses all across the world, especially on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Ways to Enhance Efficiency of Kirana Stores

• Store-owners must expand their target addressable market and encourage retailers to take charge, adapt and participate in change
• Expand the opportunity and visualise their stores as a nerve centre to conduct physical and electronic retailing seamlessly.
• Modifications in operations and use of basic technology: Physical stores will require to be either part of ecommerce marketplaces and social media platforms, or develop solutions to -
• Showcase products in stores and inventories to customers
• Provide a choice of electronic and digital payment solutions through the use of Unified Payment Interface (UPI) or Point-of- Sale (PoS) systems
• Stores must have a clean catalogue of the assortment they typically carry, and accurate count of in-store inventory.
• Lack of visibility of live assortment leads to loss of sales, or post-order defects leads to customer disappointment. 
• Introduce minor changes to physical infrastructure i.e having a small area to pack and store customer orders to be ready for shipments. 
• Reskill/upskill the owner as well as the store staff to interact with customers over the phone or via email.
• Enhance soft skills to manage virtual customers and capabilities to handle basic technology 
• Upgrade skills regarding scanning, keying-in information and uploading inventory files on marketplaces and keeping a track of inventory. 

Conclusion: Kirana storeowners must combine their stores’ inherent advantages of physical presence and proximity to the consumer with the right set of technologies to move up the value chain.