Amazon.in Again Disrupts Indian Ecommerce Market; Introduces Kirana Stores Delivery Points

What can you do when you can’t fight your competition? Pretty easy: Befriend him!

Amazon has certainly thought of this business strategy as it has introduced a very unique and disruptive shipping mechanism, which can totally change the eCommerce game: Kirana Store Pick-ups.

The modus operandi would be simple; you buy your grocery products from Amazon portal, and then make the payment. While going back to home, simply pick up the deliveries from your local Kirana store.

With a single stroke of genius, Amazon has included these kirana stores which were considered the biggest threat of ecommerce model, into their team.

Such hybrid model of eCommerce is certainly new to India.

Last month, Amazon had started the store pick up service in Mumbai and Delhi, and this kirana delivery points can be described as an extension of this model. As of now, Amazon will start this model in Bangalore and then depending on the adoption, will spread to other demographics as well.

Amazon India country head Amit Agarwal said, “We are continually innovating to find solutions that enhance convenience and experience for our customers. We are running a pilot for in-store pick-up service in Bangalore. We have identified and trained staff at small kiosks and stores, run by individual entrepreneurs, to be our shipment pick-up points,”

Amazon will pay a service charge to these kirana stores for leveraging their physical presence, and may be ask them to open their own stores within the Amazon marketplace, thereby further strengthening their new friendship bond. But the exact details of such terms and conditions haven’t yet arrived.

Amit further said, “Depending on the results, we will take a call on how and what we want to roll out nationally at an appropriate time,”

In the past, there has been considerable amount of debate and discussion on whether the inclusion of foreign retailers like Walmart and Amazon will signal an end to traditional kirana stores in India. But with this brand new approach, Amazon has clearly shown us a unique way wherein every business establishment can flourish and prosper.

With the usage of ecommerce and technology, even local kirana stores can now confidently market their services.

It would be really interesting to observe the reaction of Indian ecommerce portals such as Flipkart and Snapdeal!