By Aroosa Ahmed

Copyright thehindubusinessline

Retailers and Kirana store owners are adopting innovative methods to boost their sales this festive season with an eye on the popularity of quick commerce.

Partnering with bike riders to deliver Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), gifts to using Artificial intelligence in real time, small businesses are taking recourse to various methods to improve product sales.

“I and nearby Kirana store owners have partnered with bike riders to ensure that we deliver products directly to the consumers. We are offering additional discounts on locally made products,” said Sanjay Kumar, a Kirana store owner from Nashik district in Maharashtra.

Small business owners are also using social media to publicise their products.

“Quick commerce is definitely here to stay as it serves a particular purpose of speed. However, small retailers are also creating their own methods and alternatives. Few retailers are using WhatsApp and other social media to sell their products,” said Kumar Rajagopalan, Chief Executive Officer of the Retailers Association of India (RAI) to businessline.

“Their basis of existence is trust and they are bound to it. The retailers are selling products that are not necessarily available on quick commerce including perishables which are at times not handled well by quick commerce,” he added.

“Just like quick commerce platforms we are ensuring real-time updates to customers. We have hired additional helpers to ensure that shoppers receive their desired products at the comfort of their homes. There is a different offer on products every single day,” said Ashok Pandit, a business owner based in Indore.

Artificial Intelligence

Business owners are utilising Artificial Intelligence to generate images and descriptions of their products.

“Small retailers will have to relook at their strategy of how they want to work with consumers. There are low-priced technologies available. The business owners have adopted their own new methods. Some are using Kirana Pro, ONDC and other platforms. Owners are also using AI to create product images which has made life easier for them. Quick commerce will make them adapt themselves to the new reality and come up with newer offerings and methods,” added Kumar Rajagopalan.

businessline had earlier reported that quick commerce channels are reporting record uptick in sales this festive season. Zepto witnessed 14.15x sales growth in decorative lights, 13.61x in chunri, 6.82x in betel nuts, 6.65x in Gulab jamun and 3.79x growth in the sales of rangoli and rangoli stencils during Ganesh Chaturthi.

Published on October 2, 2025