Page 57 - IBT October 2020

This solution is aimed to erase
barriers/blockers for these
shopkeepers (also known as
merchants/retailers), that they
otherwise face in a traditional
supply chain system. The majority of
these small retailers face constant
challenges in procuring goods from
multiple distributors and
wholesalers. The unavailability of
products from various brands, in
addition to other challenges such as
the lack of transparent pricing and
inefficient delivery systems, create
serious obstacles for the retailers in
running their day-to-day business.
The adaptation of technology across
various socioeconomic classes in
Bangladesh has relatively made it
easier for a platform like ShopUp to
ShopUp’s journey initiated with a most of these pottery businesses are remote areas. This, in turn, has capital/financial support to expand empower these retailers as well.
simple intention- the need to serve family-owned businesses. However, allowed the majority of the the business. While ShopUp made its With the help of ShopUp’s services
enterprises that make up more than when you combine the revenue that is population, including people from all way towards becoming the center of in its app, these neighborhood mom
90% of the business population, generated in each of these families socioeconomic backgrounds, to have solutions for their merchants using and pop sellers achieve more profit
globally - SMEs, the bloodline of from within one village/area - the access to various digital platforms technology, it also tapped into the with less effort, allowing them to
Bangladesh's economy providing a percentage can cross the revenue easing their everyday life. fragmented retail market of focus more on engaging with
livelihood for 31.2 million, and generated by a rather medium-sized ShopUp is a tech-first platform, Bangladesh which accounts for 98% customers and business expansion.
creating direct employment for 7.8 FMCG organization. utilised this momentum and of the country's retail industry and is The facility also allows these
million people. ShopUp introduces itself as a acceptance of technology to introduce known to be Asia’s largest retailers to procure regular groceries
This need was a result to protect the full-stack B2B commerce platform for its services that target small unorganized retail sector. without having to travel directly to
heritage long business of a small small businesses. When mentioning businesses and their adaptation of This unorganized retail market is the wholesalers which also saves
village in Potuakhali where potters small businesses, ShopUp covers technology. As a full-stack platform, made up of the neighborhood mom their time. In addition to these, they
and craftsmen made a living out of SMEs, MSMEs, F-commerce or what is commonly known as a and pop stores- again, what we know can now provide doorstep delivery of
clay-based crockeries. During the rise entrepreneurs, and what may look one-stop solution, ShopUp provides as Mudir Dokan. products to their end customers.
in demand for plastic-based like a unique addition is the easy access to B2B Commerce, ShopUp in its unique approach to Currently, ShopUp is serving over
crockeries and utensils, these neighborhood mom and pop stores last-mile logistics, digital credit, and including these mudir dokans in its 6,55,000 small businesses via its
craftsmen, who can otherwise be that are locally known as - mudir business management solutions. tech-first move created a simple B2B platform. What it means for a
called small entrepreneurs, from dokaan. These services are specifically aimed Commerce solution, and included its growing economy like Bangladesh is
villages were at risk of losing their With the fast-paced growth of to solve barriers of small businesses last-mile logistics service, RedX, that ShopUp is playing a vital role in
means of income. Bangladesh’s economy, the in Bangladesh, all under one alongside the support of embedded advocating for the growth of small
According to Co-founder and CEO of acceptance of technology has been umbrella. This is what makes ShopUp finance. and medium-sized entrepreneurs.
ShopUp, Afeef Zaman’s observation also made available even in the most stand out as a problem-solving
startup/platform.
In the early years of its launch,
ShopUp’s initial target was to provide
a means of support to small Facebook
based businesses. Starting from
helping to catalog the products of
these business owners, also known as
merchants, ShopUp assisted in
ensuring smooth facilitation of the
entire business via the Facebook page
itself. For a number of merchants, the
hurdles to run their business varied;
some of these hurdles included the
delivery of end product to their
customers, while other hurdles
included the unavailability of

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