Amazon rushes to kirana stores to take on RIL's 'new commerce' plans

Amazon Distribution offers retailers services that will include GST invoices, competitive rates, and managing back-end inventory.

Amazon India seems to be gearing up for the impending e-commerce battle with Reliance Industries (RIL) by systematically adding its own set of kirana stores. As part of this strategy, the e-commerce major has launched a programme to manage the entire business-to-business (B2B) inventory supply and management for neighourhood kirana stores in three cities in Karnataka, before taking it pan-India, sources in the know said.

“Presently, the company has launched the project in three cities in Karnataka — Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Tumakuru. Amazon has consolidated everything under the Amazon Distribution marketplace. Retailers and kirana store owners can order online, and