Digital on-boarding key to retail growth, says Pine Labs' Kush Mehra

Fintech companies will need to design solutions with merchants in focus to encourage faster adoption, he says

As much as 90 per cent of the country’s $700-billion retail sector is unorganised, and made up mostly of neighbourhood kirana stores, among other small shops. These businesses play a pivotal role in the socio-economic development by accelerating industrialisation and commercialisation in the rural and economically-underserved pockets of the country. But these kirana stores are yet to make the most of the digital transformation happening in organised retail. 

Small retail stores are facing  business challenges owing to the fast-growing e-commerce sector, evolving customer preferences and the rise of digital. Moreover, over the last few years, merchants across the country have faced