JioMart will come to you via WhatsApp
Reliance Jio introduced its grocery-delivery service -- the JioMart -- at the beginning of the year to take on Amazon, BigBasket, and more. In order to expand its new venture that comes under Jio Platforms, Jio has collaborated with social media giant Facebook to bring JioMart to users via WhatsApp. The new move is a part of the Jio-Facebook deal that has resulted in some generous investment on the part of Facebook in Jio Platforms. Read on to know more about it.
Jio, Facebook join hands for JioMart on WhatsApp
The collaboration between Jio and Facebook will allow for a simple way of transacting for both the local vendors and Kirana stores and the users -- WhatsApp. Users will be able to take and place orders via the popular messaging app WhatsApp. The aim is to ensure that users are able to get groceries from the local stores with ease, that too, via WhatsApp.
This way, both consumers and grocery stores will be able to communicate via WhatsApp and will help the local stores expand their reach since WhatsApp is the most-used platform for everyone in India. As a result, Jio's grocery venture can give out tough competition to the likes of BigBasket, Swiggy, Amazon, Flipkart, and even Grofers. For Facebook, the deal will help it get more and more users in the country as it signed a deal with the most popular telecom operator in India.
Commenting on the partnership with Facebook, Mr Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries Ltd, said, "When Reliance launched Jio in 2016, we were driven by the dream of INDIA’S DIGITAL SARVODAYA – India’s Inclusive Digital Rise to improve the quality of life of every single Indian and to propel India as the world’s leading Digital Society. All of us at Reliance are therefore humbled by the opportunity to welcome Facebook as our long-term partner in continuing to grow and transform the digital ecosystem of India for the benefit of all Indians."
For those who don't know, Jio unveiled the JioMart grocery service back in January this year. The online grocery service by Jio follows the concept of offline-to-online (O2O) model wherein users will be able to place orders online and get groceries at their doorsteps from local Kirana stores. Previously, Jio was expected to soon introduce a JioMarr app for Android and iOS. However, it seems like its collaboration with Facebook won't call for one and WhatsApp will do it all. Additionally, JioMart is currently available in Navi Mumbai, Thane, and Kalyan and will eventually be available in other parts of the country.
However, it still remains to be seen how Jio and WhatsApp manage to introduce a seamless experience for users so that they can conveniently place and get orders.
