Udupi gets its own Vocal for Local E-commerce initiative
- People of Udupi can now avail grocery, restaurant food deliveries, farm products, pharmacy services and curated local content through the eSamudaay consumer App
- eSamudaay.com is a SaaS platform which enables local entrepreneurs to setup and grow LCommerce businesses
- Producers and Merchants of all sizes including home based producers have welcomed the LCommerce model
Udupi, January 27, 2021: A unique example of Vocal for Local has been launched in Udupi.
Udupi eSamudaay Digital, a local commerce (LCommerce) company was launched in Udupi today on the eSamudaay.com SaaS platform for local e-Commerce entrepreneurs.
eSamudaay is founded by Anup Pai, a native of Udupi and who had earlier founded Banking Analytics firm Fintellix, which was acquired by Nasdaq listed Verisk Analytics (VRSK).
Starting with Udupi, eSamudaay will create a network of entrepreneurs (Business Mentors and Circle Promoters) across India who will independently run local eCommerce initiatives that will serve producers and consumers in local communities. In Udupi, the firm plans to create at least 20 digital entrepreneurs and enable 800 local businesses to go digital within the next 12 months.
The objective of eSamudaay is to have sizeable number of businesses, cultural events and community content on the platform that will bring residents of Udupi to interact, engage and conduct commerce on the Udupi eSamudaay LCommerce platform.
“LCommerce is not a new idea but it’s an idea whose time has really come. The vocal for local spirit in Udupi resonates with eSamudaay’s vision of providing and celebrating the local commerce,” Anup Pai, Co-founder & CEO, eSamudaay said.
“I am really excited to launch this platform in my home town and through eSamudaay’s network of entrepreneurs we will strive to create small and sustainable digital ecosystems at the local and even the hyper-local level. We are a producer first platform and will stay committed to foster micro-entrepreneurship and local innovation across the country,” he added.
In the last two months of its pilot in the city, the company has already onboarded close to 100 local businesses as well as social and cultural entities.
It has so far launched grocery services, restaurant food deliveries, farm products and pharmacy service. It is also in the process of offering curated digital content for cultural institutions like Sri Krishna Temple and listing cultural events of Udupi on the app.
In the next 12 months, eSamudaay aims to reach at least 100 such LCommerce platforms across India including cities like Mysore, Warangal, Chandigarh, Nashik, Shillong, Patiala, Indore and Varanasi. In the next 5 years, eSamudaay aims to empower over 5000 entrepreneurs to run their own local eCommerce initiatives and impact 180+ million households across India.
The eSamudaay technology platform provides Business Mentors, local e-Commerce entrepreneurs, producers, delivery agents and consumers with all the digital tools necessary to be able to run a locally managed digital business entity.
The same will be offered on a SaaS (Software as a service) model and in a DIY (Do it yourself) format, making the onboarding a frictionless experience.
Through this model, each community will have its own Super App that will bring together producers and consumers and promote digitally driven commerce in the community. The super app will offer all products and services that are both available and needed in the community, ranging from groceries, kitchen supplies, apparels, services like food, health & wellness, mobility services, home-services etc.
While the current e-commerce narrative is dominated by large conglomerates, models like eSamudaay can be pivotal in enabling decentralized, self-governed digital marketplaces benefitting every stakeholder in the ecosystem.
eSamudaay provides a huge opportunity for commerce within and between communities, empower small producers and, promote local innovations.