Srijit Kumar Bhadra<p>Rest of World has <a href="https://restofworld.org/2024/india-rapid-delivery-zepto-blinkit/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">recently published</a> that</p><blockquote><span>Indian kirana stores are struggling to compete with quick-commerce (typically 10 minute delivery) apps like Zepto and Blinkit on discounts and delivery.<br>Around 200,000 kirana stores have closed in the past year, mostly in big cities.</span></blockquote>Here are my two cents with respect to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangalore" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bengaluru, India</a><span>.<br><br>1. Most gated communities and large apartments complexes have their own mom-and-pop stores. Some even have eateries and barber shops. These stores and outlets have captive customers and are apparently doing okay.<br>2. The mom-and-pop stores that have closed used to be located almost near these apartment complexes and gated communities but not within a short walking distance.<br>3. Indian kirana stores (e.g. vegetable and fruit stalls, mini-restaurants and other outlets) in older localities with independent houses or smaller apartment complexes are still surviving and some are doing well.<br>4. Typically 10 minute delivery service providers like Blinkit, Zepto, Bigbasket Now, Swiggy Instamart etc. also stop operations in a locality almost without any notice. I am convinced that</span><blockquote>these quick-commerce businesses are burning cash to establish a monopoly in the market.</blockquote><span>5. Due to very heavy traffic in Bengaluru during normal working hours, independently reaching these local stores is a challenge. Sometimes even parking a two wheeler can be a headache.<br>6. Some of the closed mom-and-pop stores could have survived by providing better customer interface and experience.<br>7. </span><a href="https://restofworld.org/2024/india-rapid-delivery-zepto-blinkit/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The article</a> does not mention about the <a href="https://www.businessoffood.in/the-ondc-revolution-transforming-indias-kirana-stores-in-the-digital-era/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)</a><span> which is a government initiative aimed at empowering small retailers, particularly kirana stores, to compete with e-commerce giants.<br>* ONDC provides a platform for kirana stores to compete with e-commerce giants.<br>* Kirana stores face challenges in adopting ONDC, including payment delays and lack of process discipline.<br>* ONDC offers advantages such as discoverability and competition with dark stores.<br><br></span><a href="https://fedi.social/tags/MastodonIndians" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MastodonIndians</a> <a href="https://fedi.social/tags/MastIndia" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MastIndia</a> <a href="https://fedi.social/tags/India" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#India</a> <a href="https://fedi.social/tags/QuickCommerce" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#QuickCommerce</a> <a href="https://fedi.social/tags/ONDC" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ONDC</a> <a href="https://fedi.social/tags/MomAndPopStores" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MomAndPopStores</a><p></p>