Find out how Indians who are new to digital platforms or only well-versed in local dialect can shop online too, with the help of InstantPay’s assisted e-commerce platform!
Though the adult literacy rate in India is high on average (81% as per a 2015 UNESCO list), digital literacy is still a distant dream for the majority of the population, especially in small towns and rural areas. In other words, those who are new to the virtual world or have a poor or nil understanding of English, like daily wage laborers, factory workers and maids, find it challenging to shop online. However, the good news is that InstantPay’s Digi Kendras are here to make this process simple and secure for all Indians.
With our assisted e-commerce platform, everyone can buy things online, even if they don’t know how to operate a smartphone, browse, read product descriptions or cannot make a digital payment. This novel platform uses the help of trained neighborhood shops or stores to enable this system of online shopping. To find out how this assisted e-commerce platform can benefit both customers and retailers, read on.
Advantages of Assisted Ecommerce Platform for Customers and Store Owners
A large section of the Indian population is only well-versed in their state language or local dialect, which makes it tough for them to interact with a website. They are also used to touching and feeling products before buying them. And most of them are even unaware of the concept of online shopping. So, our assisted e-commerce platform can help customers by:
1. Guiding them with the whole process of online shopping
2. Helping them browse products to place an order and make a payment
3. Solving their doubts or queries regarding the safety of this online shopping process
4. Helping them understand what a particular product will look or feel like (its dimensions, color,
material and so on)
5. Helping them pick from countless items available at attractive prices
6. Providing information about sales and discounts
The assisted e-commerce platform has the following benefits for store owners:
1. Increased walk-ins as more people (those who lack digital awareness) find out about online
shopping through Digi Kendras
2. More transactions with existing customers in the neighborhood, leading to more sales and
better earnings
How InstantPay is Helping the Average Indian to Shop Online Easily
InstantPay, India’s largest neo banking platform, has more than one lakh Digi Kendras all over the country to provide easy banking services to those who are unbanked or under-banked. Essentially, InstantPay partners with rural stores to run these Digi Kendras and ensure the financial inclusion of mainly those who are at or below the poverty level.
The assisted e-commerce platform is one of our initiatives that can take financial freedom and inclusion one step further by allowing average Indians (especially those who are new to the digital world) to shop online by visiting a Digi Kendra. The steps are quite simple:
1. The customer will enter a Digi Kendra.
2. The retailer and the customer will browse through different collections (as per his or her needs) together. The range
usually includes apparel, jewelry, wireless products, DVD, software, major appliances, video games, electronics, and
computers.
3. If the customer decides to shop online, the retailer can create an account for him and place an order.
4. Once the product gets delivered to the customer’s doorstep, he or she can pay for it in cash.
To conclude
So, InstantPay’s assisted e-commerce platform is not just a boon for those who are unaware of or new to online shopping but is also a great rural business opportunity. Customers can consult their reliable neighborhood store owners to land good deals on various products, while the owners can get better traffic and earn more than usual. Hence, this assisted e-commerce platform is a win-win for all.
