Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, today shared data that its kirana partners across the country registered an increase of nearly 30% in average monthly delivery incomes in 2020. This is a testament to Flipkart’s commitment to the partnership with India’s oldest form of retail to augment their incomes and create newer avenues for them through digital means.
As part of Flipkart’s kirana program, mom-and-pop stores, including general stores, tailor shops, and more, partner with Flipkart to deliver millions of shipments at customers’ doorstep and create new revenue channels for themselves.
According to insights by Flipkart, the average monthly delivery incomes for kirana partners in the South grew the most, followed by East, West and North. Among the top cities, kirana partners from Hyderabad saw the highest growth followed by kiranas from Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Pune. The kirana delivery program continues to benefit scores of kirana partners, helping sustain them financially during the lockdown period.
Rajneesh Kumar, Senior Vice-President and Chief Corporate Affairs Office at Flipkart, said, “The Flipkart Group is committed to the development of Kiranas across the country through innovative partnerships to augment their incomes and equip them digitally. As one of the oldest and most trusted forms of retail in the county, kiranas are an essential part of the retail ecosystem in India and we, as a homegrown organisation, have been engaging with them in various ways to re-position and re-invent them as convenience stores from an e-commerce perspective. Doorstep deliveries to customers have been one of the most successful kirana programs, and it gives me immense pleasure to witness the growth and prosperity it is creating for our kirana partners.”
Flipkart deploys a host of business processes and technologies to ensure wide availability of shipments for deliveries for the kirana partners to supplement their incomes. It also provides them with comprehensive training, including teaching the finer nuances of delivery, the functioning of the app and customer service.
Launched in 2019, the program aligns with Flipkart’s aim of expanding its reach among consumers, especially in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, while providing kiranas with an additional source of revenue. This additional source of income has helped kirana partners provide for their families, save up for children’s education, repay loans and meet other personal needs.
In addition to this, Flipkart also serves close to a million kiranas across nine states in the country through Flipkart Wholesale’s Best Price cash-and-carry business. Under this business, kiranas have access to a wide range of quality merchandise at competitive prices, door-step delivery of products and convenient payment solutions. Through the year, Best Price has worked closely with its supplier partners on transportation and logistics and has significantly ramped up e-commerce and delivery capabilities, ensuring members can order and receive products conveniently amidst the pandemic.
