Technological Solutions for Kirana Store

Before we explore the technological solutions, we need to identify the problems the unorganized grocery retailers or kiranas are facing nowadays

Resource constraints

The owners usually, do not have formal exposure to organized retail, do not necessarily have the financial muscle and rely on their own sources of financing to meet investment needs.

Single store & fragmented

FMCG companies invest in organised retailers to shore up their volumes and visibility.

Low technology investment

Modern-day retailing with all its sophistication around point-of-sale, bar coding, RFID, just-in-time, security & surveillance, queuing solutions – the list is endless, are alien to kirana.

Entry of organised retail

Kirana is right to be concerned with an entry of organised retail comprised of MNCs and national conglomerates. Organised retail has capabilities/resources beyond the reach of kirana.

Modern technology

Modern technology has given retail tools to project demand through each stage of the supply chain process. Kiranas do not have the resources to deploy such technology.

Promotion and CRM

The impact of technology led promotion & CRM on revenues. Kirana has none of these.

Solutions for Kirana stores

POS Solution

A kirana owner can start his IT journey with a simple POS system. A POS solution with the barcoding system will help them to improve stock management and control, and to get more in-depth cash and financial reporting.

Kirana owners might need some hardware to manage the operations faster and give a better in-shop customer satisfaction. Here is a quick list:

POS Solution
Thermal Bill printer
Barcode Scanner
Weighing Machine
Barcode Printer (Optional)

Online Shopping and Home Delivery

Majority of consumers prefer to shop at traditional grocery stores, and ordering groceries online is becoming an attractive option for more and more people. Look for a solution that provides online e-commerce app for the store. End customers should have the option of either picking up in store or having it delivered to their home. Delivery order and tracking can be implemented through a mobile app.

Wallets and Mobile Payments

After demonitisation in 2016, customers are moving away from cash transactions and exploring options to live in a cashless society. Debit and Credit cards are things of the past, now customers are using Mobile Wallets, UPI-Payments, QR, NFC (contactless payments). Kiranas have to look for a solution which can provide the above payment options to their customers, and by doing so they can provide additional convenience and increase customer loyalty.

In-store Technologies

Kirana owners realise that nowadays for customers shopping for groceries is more of an experience. Some facilities such as free Wi-Fi while making digital payments, and a few minutes of free Wi-Fi all add up to delivering a holistic experience to a customer.