Zomato-owned quick commerce company Blinkit has launched Brand Stores, a feature that will allow companies to set up exclusive micro-shops within the app. Brands will be able to place all their products under one page instead of being one of the many options that search results throw up, including competing products.
Companies that opt for the feature will also get access to real-time data on how consumers shop on the page, what approach works best and which arrangement isn’t yielding desired results, across geographies. Blinkit is present in 500 localities with over 13,000 products.
“These new-age (participating) brands don’t yet have the prowess to tell their story to customers using mass media. At the same time, all brands want to really target their products and services in a way, which stays true to their brand identity and beliefs,” Blinkit said in a blog post.
Blinkit will also allow brands to make customisations that can be live in a few seconds. “Whoever visits our Brand Store page would be fully acquainted with our offerings within a few minutes of exploration. This helps us connect with our potential customers deeply,” The Whole Truth, a healthy snacks company, said.
Blinkit’s average order value dipped 2.6% q-o-q in the October-December period as “consumers (are) buying smaller batches than before since they are spending less during this period”, CEO Albinder Dhindsa had told analysts earlier. But the company remains upbeat, and said it will look at expanding the supply side of its business and increase the company’s spends on infrastructure. Dhindsa also said Blinkit would be expanding its dark stores count by 40% over the coming 12 months.
During the December quarter, Zomato’s net loss widened to `346.6 crore from `250.8 crore in the preceding quarter. Year on year, Zomato’s losses further went up compared to `67.2 crore a year ago.