Overview

A family‑run kirana store in Kathmandu faced movement restrictions and unpredictable demand. They adopted WhatsApp/FB Messenger ordering with daily product lists and a simple mobile web form for delivery slots.

Key Moves

  • Created a Google Sheet‑backed product catalog; shared daily via WhatsApp broadcast.
  • Built a no‑code form (Google Forms → Apps Script email) for orders and preferred delivery windows.
  • Used neighborhood runners for last‑mile delivery; accepted COD and QR payments.
  • Managed inventory with low‑tech barcode labels and cycle counts; reconciled daily.

Outcomes

  • Retained local customers; added elderly and work‑from‑home segments.
  • Reduced in‑store congestion; improved delivery density by batching routes.

Why this works (Unit 1 lens)

  • Unique features: ubiquity (mobile), universal standards (QR/FonePay), and interactivity (chat) allowed rapid adoption without full websites.
  • Type: m‑commerce and social commerce hybrid.

Challenges

  • Stockouts and substitutes; perishable handling.
  • Delivery routing inefficiencies and return trips for missing items.

Lessons

  • Start with the channel customers already use (chat), then layer simple web forms.
  • In groceries, reliability (fill rate, on‑time) beats flashy UX.

Chapters covered

  • Why E‑commerce matters (1.1)
  • Unique features of e‑commerce (1.2)
  • Types of e‑commerce (m‑commerce/social) (1.3)