Is it a good idea to open a Kirana Store near my location in a village?

INTRODUCTION

When you think about a Kirana store, the first thing that clicks your mind is a Kirana store near my location, where you often visit for every petty daily essential. Kirana stores are traditionally existing for centuries. They have been meeting the daily requirements of the people by hitting every corner and crossroads. Setting a Kirana shop is relatively easy whether in a town, city or a village. After setting up the shop, the initial stage should be to build customers from near and far. All the more, you need to be aware of your competitors. Kirana stores exist almost all over the sub-continent. It doesn’t have a particular target audience. But working with old traditional techniques won’t work in this era. Hence there should be an up-gradation to maintain its decorum and value. 

Things that make any Kirana store profitable and worth investing in villages:

1. Easy accessibility:

Kirana stores in villages should be easily accessible in village areas as transport in villages is not well developed, and most people walk on foot or cycle to reach these shops. Hence these shops in towns should be located at such points which do not probe any hurdles in approaching them. The movement of public transport in villages is not possible to a great extent as those in cities and towns due to improper roads and passages. Keeping a convenient approach for the people makes the shop more popular. The location should be such that the people can easily shop from your store and switch to other Kirana stores near my location.

2. Maintaining long term and healthy relationships with regular customers:

Kirana stores near my location in villages should be framed with a mindset that it should build long term reliable customers to increase their sale in folds and maintain their rapport with the villagers by providing them with good quality products at nominal rates. The convincing power should be strong enough to capture the minds of the villagers. 

3. Stocking only customer-relevant goods and commodities:

Kirana stores being customer-oriented, believe in stocking day to day essential and those commodities which required. People in villages do not go for expensive food items. They generally want the daily essentials like rice, wheat, cooking oil etc. Keeping these goods in stock will generate a maximum sale in villages. People in these areas are mainly concerned to feed their family to survive. They are generally farmers, labourers etc., whose main objective to buy essentials daily. 

4. Attractive offers and credit advantages:

Village Kirana stores should provide varied offers now and then and bumper discounts during festive seasons. They should also be provided goods on credit to win their trust as most of them generally belong to the poor class and partially literate. Using any kind of unfair means or grabbing more money from them is not good practice. All information and detail should be given most simply to make their purchase less time-consuming without affecting their decision. 

5.Provide digital payment and offers online shopping too:

The Kirana stores near my location should give online payment too, as few want to opt for this. But mainly, there should be convenient cash dealing as the crowd here is daily wage earners who purchase goods every second day. They do not believe in stocking goods every month. Older adults who cannot approach the shop frequently should be provided with a free delivery service.

6. Personalized special treatment:

Village customers who are permanent buyers should be welcomed and appreciated through personalised treatment to not shift their purchasing to other Kirana stores near my location. They could be offered gifts like extra grain if they purchase a certain amount of goods or good discounts. Respecting their self-respect and dignity also means a lot for them. They should be made to feel that they are unique and valued customers.

 How to initiate a Kirana Store near my Location in the Village?

 1. Solid business planning:

Setting up a Kirana store or thinking to build an own online store requires solid, firm and full proof planning. The financial status should be foreseen before taking up this venture. Analysing the customers and their needs is very important. Hardworking, expert and reliable staff should be recruited to carry on the business smoothly.

 2. Selection of location:

The selection of the location of the shop is very significant. It should be closely located in a populated area where people belonging to the poor class stays. For example, a small grocery store in a village will deal with affordable household articles where the consumers are primarily local merchants, farmers etc. Easy accessibility can gather many customers at a time. Avoid setting the shop in narrow lanes with improper roads or water logging areas. The accessibility to these shops can become problematic in the rainy season.

3. Invest wisely:

If you are willing to start a store in a rural area then, the investment should be calculated wisely. Villagers are not interested in the décor or presentation of the goods. Their concern is mainly the essentials which they need to buy to survive. The goods should be displayed in such a way that the customers quickly see them. They should have good access to it to see it easily by even touching them. Spend only on the primary requirements rather than beautifying the shop. Village people don’t have an eye to judge the décor, and they only focus on their needs.

4. Flexible timings:

The store should have flexible timings if opening in villages as people are not time-bound due to their working hours. They do not generally purchase every month and want the goods now and then due to limited earning. The timings to open the shops in villages should be as per the convenience of the people. The shop should remain open on weekends so that the females who are engrossed in household work can visit the shop every weekend to purchase the goods.

5. Teach and train:

If you plan to open an online Kirana store in a village, you should teach and train the public there as the village crowd is illiterate or partially literate. They should be informed as to how to order online and how to make payments.

6.Discounts:

A Kirana store is a profitable business if started in villages. The shop owner should give discounts to the daily wage earners there who seek to earn their bread and butter daily. They don’t have a fixed income, neither they are salaried if possible, cereals should be given at government subsidised rates.

7. Less profit margin:

The profit margin should be kept minimum because it deals with daily essentials. Hiked prices cause a hurdle in running this business. People living in villages are not so well to do to pay hiked prices.

8. Keep an eye on the competitors:

You should seek to keep an eye on your competitors. Adopt appropriate techniques to overcome them and flourish your business. Evaluate your opportunities well to have a long-term sale.

9. Giving options:

You can also have your own online store website apart from listing it. We should provide both offline and online Kirana stores option in rural areas to not switch to other Kirana stores near my location. Providing with such facilities will promote loyalty. Opening an online store through a website is not familiar till now, but an effort in this direction can be fruitful to some extent.

10. Advertise well:

You need to see the modes to advertise your shop and its attractions. Though social media is a popular medium of promoting your business nowadays when it comes to rural areas, the traditional method of one-to-one conversation is still prevalent in the Kirana store near my location. Every villager does not have access to social media. They have to be informed verbally through word of mouth.

11. Improve customer services:

Attending your customers politely is very important. You should know the tactics of dealing with customers of different temperaments. Return, refund and replacement facility should be made accessible. The customer feels connected if their preferences are considered and hence would visit your shop frequently to suffice their needs.

Conclusion:

A good plan, investment, expertise can help you build your online store in villages very quickly. The capacity to identify the requirements and the purchasing pattern of the people in villages can help you master them and make them permanent and valued long-term customers.