Need to convert small shops into digital storefronts: Isha and Akash Ambani in conversation with Meta

Mumbai: The directors of Reliance Jio Isha Ambani and Akash Ambani said that there is a need to convert the grocery shops into digital stores in the current time, in a virtual interview in Fuel for India 2021 program by Meta.

Isha Ambani said that small businesses are the economic backbone of the country. The pandemic brought home the truth that small merchant shops, retailers, and small businesses urgently needed to convert their physical brick and mortar stores to digital storefronts. Akash Ambani said that they currently have over half a million retailers and they were very clear that the JioMart’s network, both in online and offline retail should be leveraged optimally.

Isha Ambani said in reply to a question asked by Chief Business Officer, Meta (Facebook) Marne Levin, “For Akash and I personally, this has great personal significance, because it means that we are moving closer to my father’s vision of enabling millions of small retailers to become digital first via Jio and JioMart, which for us is a really motivating factor.”

Akash Amabani said while commenting on the partnership of JioMart and WhatsApp, “ The JioMart experience through WhatsApp is actually, very simply put – ‘conversational’ in nature.” He added: “Digital shopping is now just an extension of messaging via WhatsApp to JioMart, it’s all taken care of in a couple of steps effortlessly. Really, it is a revolution in consumer ease.”

Marne Levin asked how Jio Mobile recharge is operating through WhatsApp and how it’s making that experience easier for people. In reply, Akash Ambani said that Jio and Meta teams work closely and are opening more and more avenues of working together. He said that one such avenue is Jio on WhatsApp, which is simplifying the entire ‘prepaid recharge’. Isha Ambani gave an example that the Jio recharge feature through WhatsApp is helpful for older citizens who may find it difficult to head outside and payments on WhatsApp adds to that ease.

The Meta officials are interviewing the renowned persons of the country in the Fuel for India 2021. DeshGujarat