Amazon India’s strategy of partnering with petty shopkeepers and kirana store owners to execute neighbourhood deliveries and pick-ups seems to have become a lifeline for many, particularly during the lockdown period.

Nikhil, for instance, is engaged in servicing and selling CCTV cameras. His earnings were not only irregular, but insufficient to make ends meet. This youngster, after learning about Amazon India’s “I Have Space” (IHS) programme, enrolled for the same in 2016.

“This gave me a lifeline during the lockdown, when we had to down our shutters for weeks at a time. Even after the restrictions were lifted partially, peoples’ priorities were elsewhere. My income from repairing CCTV sets or selling similar products was practically nil. Thanks to the IHS delivery programme, I continued to receive ₹12,000 to ₹15,000 every month; this kept us going, while many of my friends had no means to eke out a living,” he said.

Prakash Rochlani, Director, Last Mile Transportation, Amazon India, said that the local knowledge of such youngsters (about the region) and their immense goodwill, helped the IHS partners in efficient deliveries and pick-up of products.

“Amazon India is committed to empowering thousands of local entrepreneurs across the country to scale up their business. We were able to extend our reach to the last mile, especially during these unprecedented times, while enabling micro entrepreneurs to overcome unforeseen disruption in business,” he said.

Amazon has, through this programme, partnered with grocery, telecom, stationery, chemist, general and other modern trade outlets, to name a few. “After evaluating the interest of the store owner, we on-board and train the store partners on customer management skills, safety and formal customer etiquettes.”

comment COMMENT NOW