Offline mobile retailers ring louder than e-comm...

WHAT SETS TRADITIONAL retailers apart isn't just speed, it's the quality of delivery.

- 

Online platforms largely treat smartphone orders as any other apart from a dedicated OTP mechanism to prevent theft.

Retailers, on the other hand, are deploying trained executives in their delivery fleets who are equipped to handle smartphone device setup. This includes critical services like screen guard installation, app setup, data transfer from an old phone — offerings which customers have come to expect from mobile purchases but which are absent in the online model.

“These are services that customers have grown accustomed to over a long period of time,” said Chandu Reddy, director of Sangeetha Gadgets, which now delivers smartphones within 15-20 minutes in as many as 800 PIN codes across India.

The hybrid model provides structural advantages. With 800 stores currently and plans to add 50-60 annually, the retailer can offer quick delivery even in tier-4 markets, which remain largely untapped by e-commerce platforms for quick delivery.