JioMart Lets Consumers Order Groceries Via WhatsApp Amid Coronavirus Lockdown

| Published: Monday, April 27, 2020, 11:39 [IST]

Facebook's recent investment was made to Reliance, where the social media giant said it would invest $5.7 billion, which translates to Rs. 43,574 crores in digital assets owned and controlled by Reliance. Right after the announcement, JioMart, an e-commerce site and a venture of Reliance Retail, went live in three neighborhoods in Mumbai.

As JioMart went live, it's also giving access to WhatsApp's 400 million users in India. WhatsApp, owned by Facebook, is tapping into the digital asset of the country and how best to tap its full potential.

How To Order On JioMart?

As part of the new deal, JioMart is now using its technology base to connect with the vast network of small Kirana (grocery) stores in India. To place an order on JioMart, users will need to save the WhatsApp business number 88500 08000. Users can type any greeting message like ‘Hi', to which, JioMart will send a link to the user's number.

The link needs to be used and accessed within 30 minutes, after which it expires. To get the link again, users can send ‘Hi' again. On opening the link, it'll lead to the JioMart page, which will require customers to fill in their mobile number, area, complete address, and other details for delivery.

Next, users will be redirected to the catalog of products. The selected products will be shared with the local Kirana stores on WhatsApp. Once these items are billed and packed, customers will once again receive an alert with the grocery store. As it's still in its beta status, customers are required to pick up the groceries at the store. Even the payment mode is limited to cash currently.

JioMart Set To Compete Amazon, Flipkart

From the looks of it, Reliance is gearing up to compete with some of the popular online retailers like Amazon and Flipkart. With support from Facebook, Reliance is hoping to grab a slice of the online shopping sector. Moreover, with support from Reliance, Facebook hopes to further push WhatsApp as a popular platform for shopping as well.

The success of the JioMart via WhatsApp is tied to its crucial timing. As India is facing one of the most expensive lockdowns in the world, bringing groceries a step closer to the people might certainly benefit both Reliance and Facebook.