The journey of 'Dukaan App' in empowering lakhs of small businesses in India
Aug 13, 2020
New Delhi [India], Aug 13 (ANI/Digpu): Shakuntala Devi had started a small boutique in the Bhilwara district of Rajasthan. As with any new business, she was struggling to find customers. With the onset of lockdown since March 2020, the future of her small venture seemed bleak.
Many of her well-wishers suggested that she should go digital, but being a non-tech savvy person, she had not really entertained the idea. Thanks to her best friend Akansha, who introduced her to an app called Dukaan.
To her surprise, Shakuntala Devi found the app extremely easy to use. It enabled her to digitise her entire collection in just a few days! The upsurge of customers she witnessed after using the app was something unprecedented for her!
Dukaan worked like a magic pill, saving Shakuntala Devi's small business from going bankrupt. However, the original story of the app has its foundation 1040 km away from Bhilwara, in Satara, Maharashtra.
The founder of Dukaan, Suumit Shah, has humble beginnings as a shop boy in his uncle's store in Satara. An eager and quick learner, he went on to complete his engineering degree in Sangli, learn web design and development from his roommate in college, and take up digital marketing courses online.
One day during the lockdown, Suumit was stunned to receive a text from Jockey containing a PDF of their catalogue. Their message clearly highlighted -"We now start accepting orders on WhatsApp."
Seeing an international brand use digital means to enhance their sales gave rise to a brilliant idea in Suumit's mind. Why not build an easy to use platform that can help small businesses go online in India?
Suumit and his team, inspired by this crazy but life-changing idea, rolled up their sleeves and built Dukaan in the next 48 hours-- an Android app that allows shopkeepers across India to create their online store within 30 seconds!
Speaking of the team, their team story is really interesting and the key highlight is Dukaan has 8 CXOs who previously were running their own companies. For instance, Kaustub Pandey, an IITB dropout and entrepreneur who previously ran companies like Shipler and BC Jukebox (acquired by Gaana.com) and Anuraag Meena - a hardcore techie from IIT Bombay who previously was the co-founder and had an experience of running a grocery delivery startup called Movincart.
In 20 days, 150,000 plus stores were created across over 400 cities and received more than 75,000 orders -- Dukaan was an inevitable revolution in the form of an app, making Digital India truly come to life!
The quick success of Dukaan lies in the simplicity of the idea and user-friendly interface of the app. "If I can use it, then anyone can," said Shakuntala Devi.
Since its inception, the app has received a lot of love and positive feedback from happy users all over the country, with an average rating of 4.5 stars in Google Play Store.
Digital transformation in India today is shaping the lives of entrepreneurs and dukandaars big and small. Technology has honestly become a necessity more than a luxury for businesses to stay afloat in a rapidly evolving landscape.
In such a scenario, a super easy and affordable digital platform like Dukaan can help a small business person like Shakuntala Devi take the huge leap, which they otherwise would never have thought possible.
Thanks to Suumit and his team, a better world is possible for Indian shopkeepers. Now, Dukaan is slowly emerging as a platform that has made Digital India a reality for numerous small shopkeepers all over the country!
This story is provided by Digpu. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/Digpu)
