Startups are finding innovative ideas to keep their businesses going during the coronavirus crisis. Most of them have partnered with hyperlocal delivery platforms and are facilitating deliveries for users in situations where movement is restricted. OkCredit, digital ledger or bookkeeping startup has also launched a new service called ‘nearby store’ as it enters the B2C segment.
The feature which is in beta mode right now, allows the users to order essentials like grocery and medicines from nearby stores via WhatsApp. It also provides other information like distance of the store, working hours, listing of available goods among others. It will soon be released for everyone.
OkCredit’s service is very similar to GooglePay’s recently launched Nearby Stores which reached out to 35 cities in the previous month. GooglePay has also partnered with Dunzo as a storefront to provide quick services like grocery and medicine delivery, bike pool and other pickup and drop facilities.
Several startups have been using WhatsApp as a platform for delivery service of essential items during lockdown. JioMart of Reliance which was launched in 200 cities recently is also using WhatsApp as the core platform for its services.
The firm has a B2B model and as it shifts to the B2C model, it will have to create new strategies to make a presence in the market as the delivery sector requires a lot of effort. They will have to focus on first enabling businesses to interact with the customer and later on retaining the same will be a task.
OkCredit now competes with the likes of firms like GooglePay, JioMart in acquiring the merchants for its platform. The startup mainly focuses on helping shop owners and their customers to manage their credit account in Tier II and Tier III cities.