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The Emerging Landscape of Hyperlocal Startups

Niraj Hutheesing, Founder & Director, m1 Order
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
 Niraj Hutheesing, Founder & Director, m1 Order
Headquartered in Ahmedabad, m1-Order's innovative mobile & print commerce tools enable the B2C and B2B retailers/SMBs to have an online presence, reach out to their existing customers and promote their business on social media and print campaigns.

So it is not about the digital business, it is just business. It's not about e-Commerce, it is simply commerce! Over the last few years, the online shopping experience has amassed a graveyard of worries and sorts that failed to stay ahead of rapid changes in technology and consumer needs. Diversified Indian markets have provided a playground of opportunities from offering services via Website, mobile apps to mobile lite websites; e-tailers have done them all! The shifting retail landscape has spelled a doom in case of many, those who failed to keep pace with the ever competitive sector.

New technologies, changing shopping habits, volatile behaviors and the threat of disruptive competitors are the focus for many legacy retailers as they struggle to keep growing their businesses. With new challenges on the rise, businesses are on their toes constantly trying to keep consumers engaged and retain loyal ones. Every business from brick-n-mortar to online stores, are challenged today and it's a 'Winner takes it all' scenario.

Zoom further into the e-tailers life-cycle; if recent stats are to be believed, Tracxn reveals over 300 million Indians access the internet through their mobile devices, and this number is growing each month. India has a total 400 million internet users as of now. To create the omnipresent Omni-channel solutions, e-tail will have to merge with the small time retailers as well! They are doing it well, but a thought provoking question: 'How many consumers know the real you?'

Consumers today move around in the virtual world of shopping, window shopping for real deal discounts using coupon codes. The real hero; the retailer is usually the under-dog! The real hero never surfaces, he maybe the next door retailer from the friendly neighborhood stores. With influx of Venture capitalists, every new start-up can coolly pass-on discounts, coupon codes and freebies on every service. But the real question is for how long can you actually engage a real customer in the same fashion? Are those consumers the real ones?


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