PUNE: Amazon’s ‘Local Shops on Amazon’ program has witnessed remarkable momentum in Maharashtra, with over 35,000 brick-and-mortar retailers and neighborhood shops joining the initiative. Launched in April 2020, the program has helped sellers across the country grow and sustain their business, enabling them to reach customers beyond their immediate catchment.
The program has seen adoption from local shop owners across various categories, including Apparel, Home and kitchen, Health and Personal Care, Electronics, Books and toys, and more. Pune, in particular, is at the forefront of this transformation, with local shop owners embracing the initiative across various categories, including Kitchen, Apparel, Grocery, Electronics, Inverter Batteries, Home, Furniture, and more.
The ‘Local Shops on Amazon’ program has become a thriving platform, boasting an extensive network of more than 300,000 brick-and-mortar retailers and neighborhood shops spanning 344 cities. This impressive presence encompasses not only major metropolises but also tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Notably, this includes a robust contingent of 35,000+ stores from the vibrant state of Maharashtra, with a widespread presence in key cities like Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nagpur, Satara, and Nasik.
The program brings the advantages of e-commerce to offline retailers and neighborhood stores, allowing them to reach customers far and wide while preserving the essence of local businesses. Customers can now discover products from trusted and beloved neighborhood stores within Pune from the comfort of their homes, thanks to this program. Local shops are transitioning into digital stores, and sellers have the flexibility to serve customers beyond their immediate vicinity, either through their existing delivery mechanisms or by partnering with identified courier services.
Santosh Mane, the proud owner of ‘Captooe,’ a renowned footwear store located in Pune, Maharashtra, is among the 35,000+ offline retailers and neighborhood stores from Maharashtra that have registered as sellers on the ‘Local Shops on Amazon’ program. This initiative brings the advantages of e-commerce to offline retailers and neighborhood stores, supplementing their existing foot traffic with a strong digital presence on Amazon.in, thus expanding their reach.
The decision to embrace the online marketplace proved to be a game-changer, yielding positive results. Santosh expressed his deep satisfaction with Amazon’s extensive range of management and product suggestion tools, which played a pivotal role in guiding his product selection and devising effective strategies for his account. This strategic approach resulted in significant improvements in visibility and sales, not just within Pune but throughout Maharashtra, a feat previously deemed unattainable. Over the course of 1.5 years with Amazon, he witnessed an impressive 60% growth in his overall volume, particularly in men’s and women’s footwear.
Abhishek Jain, Head, of Local Shops, Amazon India, said, “I am truly inspired by the remarkable transformation happening in Pune through the ‘Local Shops on Amazon’ program. It’s not just a program; it’s a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit of local shop owners, who have embraced this initiative and witnessed exceptional growth. Their journey from offline to online, powered by Amazon’s tools and support, is a testament to the endless possibilities of digital commerce.“
With the Indian festive season around the corner, there is a huge opportunity for local shop owners to grow their business online as there will be a surge in demand for festive and related products. In the recently concluded Amazon Prime Day 2023, Small and Medium Businesses (SMB) saw strong sales as SMBs on Amazon.in received 20 orders every second, and over 90,000 SMB sellers received orders from Prime members across 19,000+ pin codes in India. By taking advantage of the increased demand, traffic, and special offers, MSMEs can boost their sales and reach new customers.
Amazon’s ‘Local Shops on Amazon’ program has become a game-changer for local shop owners in Maharashtra, allowing them to embrace digital entrepreneurship and reach customers far and wide. With the festive season around the corner, the program presents a huge opportunity for local shop owners to grow their business online and tap into a broader customer base.
| Cities in Maharashtra with highest number of Local Shops sellers | MumbaiPuneThaneNagpurSataraNasik |
| Top selling product categories in Pune from Local Shops sellers | Kitchen and GroceryApparelElectronics and Major Appliances BeautyDrugstoreHome and Furniture |
Amazon in Maharashtra
- Total Sellers (Maharashtra): 1.6 lakh+
- Total Local Shops Sellers (Maharashtra): 35,000
- Number of Fulfillment Centers: 14 with more than 6 million cubic feet of storage space
- Number of Sortation Centres: 6 with more than 516,000 sq. ft. of processing area
- Number of Service Partner Delivery Stations: Close to 200
- Number of ‘I Have Space’ stores: Close to 3000
