“Essentially, the idea is to keep users within WhatsApp, and the APIs (application programming interface) allow that.

Reliance not only helps kiranas procure items but, through its point of sale (PoS) machine, offers the kiranas financing, inventory management and tax return filing services, among others. The kirana store gets a commission on the sales. The delivery is either done by the kirana shop or by RIL’s logistics arm Grab, which it acquired in 2019 for $14 million. So, when a customer orders using the JioMart app, the app maps the user to a nearby kirana store. Reliance Retail is also on-boarding local kirana stores on its platform. This will make it easier for businesses to connect with customers and close sales,' a WhatsApp spokesperson said. “Through our investment with Jio, we’re going to bring millions of small businesses and the customers they serve into the digital economy. Now your chats, retail and payments will all be integrated within the same interface,' said Jayanth Kolla, founder and partner, Convergence Catalyst, a research firm.Ī Reliance Retail spokesperson did not respond to an email seeking comment. With payments now available on WhatsApp, it makes all the more sense. The JioMart integration is essentially adding a retail layer for WhatsApp chats. “It is essentially marrying of strengths for both companies. bought a 9.9% stake in Reliance Industries’ digital unit Jio Platforms for $5.7 billion.

JioMart was launched in May across 200 cities and towns, a month after Reliance Retail signed a pact with WhatsApp to boost the reach of the online shopping website.

Whatsapp inc. daily basis