E-commerce companies see big opportunity in kirana store tech

BENGALURU : The resilience of the humble kirana has led many online delivery and e-commerce companies to source essential goods from neighbourhood stores and deliver them to households during the covid-19 lockdown.

This has reaffirmed the belief of large online delivery firms that kiranas could be helped to innovate with technology solutions.

“We realized that technology and better logistics is something most offline shopkeepers can be equipped with. They need robust cataloguing, inventory, and order management system that is intelligent enough to figure out which stock-keeping unit (SKUs) they need, when, and in what quantity. This is important to maximize profits, prioritize orders, and help keep pilferage and wastage low,” said Srinivas Mothey, senior vice president, Paytm Mall.