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What is Dukaan Tech
Dukaan tech' is a term coined for the community of technology companies and start-ups that help kirana stores (mom-and-pop stores) or traders to go digital. Such firms empower small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) such as grocery shops, fruits and vegetable stores, restaurants, electronics shops, fashion and apparel, furniture and jewellery stores to start and manage their businesses over the Internet.
Several startups such as Max Wholesale, Jumbotail, KiranaKart and ShopKirana are helping retail stores in placing orders, maintaining inventory, optimising the delivery routes and making payments, all digitally. Most of these apps are free and charge no commissions.
Tech firms like Dukaan, OkShop, MyStore by Khatabook and Bikayi enable entrepreneurs to develop and maintain an online presence by providing digital solutions where kirana store owners can create a site or an app, list their goods and services, accept orders, offer local deliveries, and accept online transactions.
During the past few months of 2021, many start-ups are helping kirana stores go online.
For example, Khatabook unveiled 'Mystore', digital cataloguing start-up DotPe came up with 'Digital Dukaan' and book-keeping app OkCredit launched 'OkShop'. Similarly, fintech start-up MSwipe offers 'MeraOnlineStore' and social commerce platform Meesho has launched 'Popshop'.
Due to the competition from home delivery giants like Zomato, Swiggy, and Dunzo, Indian start-ups are helping in customers’ growth and coming up with unique features to onboard new users, retain existing businesses and make the shopping experience more engaging.
Dukaan, for instance, added a Canva software plugin that helps SMBs create posters and share them directly on Whatsapp or Facebook. ‘Digital Dukaan’ by DotPe gives daily cash rewards through scratch cards based on the milestones achieved. Store owners can also create festival offers, special discounts and share new products through the app.
Impact of pandemic
The term 'dukaan tech' came into existence in August 2020 as the need for digital solutions for daily problems increased manifold during the coronavirus pandemic. Re-opening of the economy fuelled and reignited the concept of ‘Dukaan tech’ further in 2021.
The Covid-induced lockdowns disrupted the traditional buying behaviour of the consumers with many shifting to e-commerce platforms for groceries and other essentials owing to pandemic related fears. This severely impacted SMBs such as kirana stores, restaurants and textile shops.
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