Namaste, Kirana.Com?

The Economic Times     28th August 2020     Save    
QEP Pocket Notes

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.

QEP Pocket Notes