In preparation for the festival season and its flagship annual The Big Billion Days sale, Flipkart, has expanded its kirana onboarding programme to make deliveries to customers in more than 850 cities. With more than 50,000 kiranas onboarded, Flipkart aims to provide a fast and personalised e-commerce experience to millions of consumers while creating opportunities for digital upskilling as well as additional income for kiranas.
Flipkart’s team initiated contactless onboarding of kiranas through online application forms where kirana partners directly uploaded details along with required documentation without them having to step out during Covid-19 times. Following a detailed verification check, the kirana partners were brought into the program before they can deliver shipments. The team has also organised digital training on various tools including app-based dashboards and digital payments, helping kiranas transform their business from traditional general trade stores to modern convenience stores.
The kirana programme has been further expanded to remote and far away cities across the country including places such as Tinsukia (Assam), Agartala (Tripura) and Kannur (Kerala), making e-commerce more inclusive by connecting kiranas and consumers to the country’s fast growing digital commerce.
Inclusive growth
“Flipkart believes in technology-enabled inclusive growth by taking all the ecosystem stakeholders with us and our kirana partners are an integral part of this ecosystem. As one of the oldest retail formats in India, kiranas have one of the highest penetration and showcase effective management of the supply chain drivers such as facilities, inventory, information and sourcing, as well as in maintaining a long-standing relationship with consumers. Through a combination of their hyperlocal presence and innovations by Flipkart, this program has become a great enabler in strengthening the kirana ecosystem in the country. We are pleased to witness the increasing participation from kiranas across the country to reinvent themselves and align with the fast growing e-commerce industry,” said Amitesh Jha, Senior Vice-President, Ekart and Marketplace, Flipkart.
Partnering with lakhs of sellers and MSMEs, Flipkart delivers millions of shipments every day through its robust supply chain across 100 per cent of the serviceable pin codes in India. Flipkart is expanding the physical and digital infrastructure, strengthening its supply chain capabilities while working with multiple ecosystem partners and traditional businesses. These include freelance delivery executives and kiranas, thereby complementing their incomes and bringing more convenience to e-commerce consumers. Last year, kiranas collectively delivered over 1 million shipments during Flipkart’s The Big Billion Days sale while offering a stellar e-commerce experience for the consumers.
The kirana program is part of Flipkart Group's efforts to drive growth for millions of kiranas across the country. This also includes Flipkart Wholesale, a digital B2B marketplace with an aim to connect local manufacturers and MSMEs with retailers and other businesses and bring a wholesale marketplace to their fingertips using technology.