In order to benefit from the massive offline brick-and-mortar store network in India, Paytm Mall has today expanded the QR code feature to bring them under its umbrella. A customer can now scan QR codes from their nearby stores using the Paytm/Paytm Mall app and order products online. For now, Paytm partner stores can only sell Samsung devices to their offline footfall, however, the digital payments giant is engaged in signing up other brands as well.
Paytm Mall is the Paytm’s new e-commerce entity inspired by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba’s business-to-consumer (B2C) marketplace TMall. The application was launched about a month ago and offers electronics, fashion and FMCG products.
Talking about the QR Code feature, it will enable merchants to sell products without maintaining an inventory and expand on their limited range of goods. Each merchant would earn a percentage margin (varies from 3-20% depending upon the product) on each purchase made by a customer. In India, it is one-of-its-kind sales model introduced by Paytm.
A customer will land on the Paytm Mall page, once he scans the QR Code at the partner outlet. Via the page, he can order the available products online (currently Samsung handsets) and can be assured of same day delivery. The nearest authorised seller will deliver their product on the same day itself.
The feature was announced on Paytm’s official blog which read,
Our goal is to enable customers transact online and offline easily. We feel this assisted commerce model will transform regular businesses. Imagine, an apparel salesman will now be able to sell electronics or groceries, and vice versa. The possibilities are endless.
From the perspective of a customer, the feature is very valuable. A customer is ensured same-day delivery of the product and can pay via debit/credit card, net banking, Cash on Delivery (COD) or any other online method. Moreover, he doesn’t need to visit kilometers away stores to purchase an authentic product but can access it from a nearby grocery store instead.
The main aim of the feature is to penetrate online buying within offline customers, especially amid the non-metro cities of India. The move will also increase the revenues for the platform and will accelerate its user count (which stood at 200 million users in February 2017). On the other hands, it will help the brands to reach a wider audience and market their products on Paytm Mall. This feature is a result of the company’s recent Rs 600 crore capital infusion into the expansion of its QR code-based payment solutions.
