DIGITAL BOOST: Now, free digital starter kits for small businesses

Builder.ai, an AI software builder platform, has introduced a new programme providing ‘digital starter kits’ to help distressed Indian businesses boost sales and retain customers as they recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. The programme will provide small businesses free e-commerce ‘shop in a box’ setup and for restaurants to launch free queueing apps through Studio Store. “India is in a somewhat unique position right now, with lockdowns already lifted for months coupled with cautious optimism for business growth in 2021,” said Sachin Dev Duggal, co-founder and CEO of Builder.ai. The programme which is aimed to capitalise on this situation, is designed for retailers who want to have their own web/mobile application or text/WhatsApp commerce and for restaurants, pubs and bar owners who want a digital queueing system to manage their customer reservations.

Duggal’s team polled 300 retail business professionals in India to gauge how valuable free apps could be in their Covid-19 recovery efforts. As per the poll, 92% of Indian retail professionals said they would accept an offer to build a free e-commerce store and launch it in under a week, to accelerate their recovery.

“This is why we won’t charge any fees— so the free apps can be free forever and businesses will only be charged after they grow to generate more than 50 orders per month,” said Duggal. “There are growing concerns that India could be headed for another lockdown in the near future. Regardless of whether that happens, digital is the best way forward for businesses to thrive and customers to be safe,” he added.