Online retail majors focus on sprawling small retailer base to boost reach

Small retailers are chary about integrating digitally with larger players on grounds that it will give them access to their customer bases

Your kirana shop owner next door is the new retail king. The big e-commerce boys such as Jio Mart and Amazon are wooing him not only to become their partners for last-mile delivery but to also buy and procure more from their wholesale operations or business market place. They want him to be a partner on their digital e-commerce platforms and also offer credit support.

B2B retailers are also getting into the act. Udaan is promising the small retailer delivery of an array of food and non-food products at attractive prices directly from the manufacturers, cutting out the middlemen, at