‘Local Shops on Amazon’ launched to enable small retailers sell online

E-commerce major Amazon has decided to go big in the neighbourhood commerce space with the launch of ‘Local Shops on Amazon’, a programme to enable local and small shops and retailers sell their products online.

The announcement came a day after Reliance Industries announced the JioMart-WhatsApp partnership to enable transactions between ‘kiranas’ and consumers and support small businesses.

In a blog Gopal Pillai, Vice President, Seller Services, Amazon India, wrote: “Over the last six months, we have been running a pilot with 5,000+ offline retailers and local shops to bring the benefits of online selling closer to them.”

Amazon would invest Rs 10 crore to immediately expand this pilot to include any motivated retailer or shopkeeper who is ready to join the programme, he said.