Early this year, Kirana Club unveiled Retailers' favourite sales representatives – and the response from the industry was phenomenal! (Thanks for joining the conversation, everyone!) But, as you know, the journey just starts with order-taking. Consistent and reliable service is crucial for building strong brand-retailer relationships.

That's why we dug deeper. We went straight to the source – India's largest Kirana community – to understand what truly matters to them when it comes to post-order-taking servicing. We asked them which FMCG companies excel in different aspects of servicing their outlets, and why.

Welcome back to Kirana Club Insider, your trusted source for exclusive insights into the Kirana community. In this issue, we'll unveil the Retailer Report Card, revealing the FMCG brands that are acing (and struggling) in key areas like delivery speed, returns, and more. We'll also share the reasons behind the same!

This breakdown will equip you with valuable information about what truly drives retailer loyalty. You might even discover a few secrets to boost your brand's service standards and climb the Indian Retailers’ A-List!

About This Survey

We conducted a comprehensive survey of over 9,000 retailers on the Kirana Club platform, from April 15th to May 5th. With a majority of respondents from the HSM region, this in-depth analysis provides valuable insights into brand performance across various outlet servicing variables.
To ensure an accurate and unbiased ranking, we normalised the data for geographies, outlet types, and brand penetration. The results highlight various brands in different aspects on a national scale.

Retailers’ Pick - Top 10

Lightening Fast Delivery ⚡

For retailers, efficient order fulfilment is key. Order-taking is the start of the cycle. What comes next is delivering the products on time. With most Kiranas carrying limited inventory, the speed of delivery becomes very important. We asked retailers about the brands that deliver the products the fastest post-order taking. The following brands made it to the Top 10. HUL being the fastest, followed by Parle in second place.

While brands like Mondelez, Dabur, Nestle, Tata Consumer, Godrej, and Colpal may not have cracked the top 10, most retailers express satisfaction with their delivery speeds. These brands are maintaining a reliable service that meets retailers’ expectations.

While retailers may not expect 10-minute deliveries, like many of us, they do value prompt service. Most prefer orders to be delivered within 1 to 3 days, with under 48 hours being the sweet spot. However, urban retailers tend to express a greater need for speed, preferring deliveries within 24 hours.

Retailers’ Pick

Out of Stock, Again?

Out-of-stock issues are a major pain point for retailers, leading to lost sales and frustrated customers who might switch to competitors. Our survey revealed the following brands frequently experiencing stockouts.

Our survey also identified several brands that retailers rarely mentioned when discussing stock issues. Brands like P&G, PepsiCo, Marico, and Godrej weren’t mentioned as much, suggesting they're doing a great job with inventory management!

Retailers’ Pick

Brands with High Near-Expiry/Defective Products

Near-expiry or defective products create major issues for retailers. It hurts their business and damages the brand’s and retailer’s image. Our survey asked retailers to identify brands most frequently associated with near-expiry or damaged goods. Here's what they revealed:

Packaged food brands lead the list of retailers' concerns regarding near-expiry or defective products, likely because of their shorter shelf lives and susceptibility to damage.

Interestingly, retailers rarely mentioned Marico, Mondelez, P&G, and Adani Wilmar when discussing these issues, suggesting their strong performance in this area.

Retailers’ Pick

Brands and Handling Returns

Product returns are a fact of retail life. Whether because of expiration, slow sales, or other issues, products inevitably need to be sent back. Our survey asked retailers to rate their experiences with returning products to different brands. Some brands have very smooth returns, while others leave retailers frustrated.

See which brands are winning hearts (and who needs to up their game) in the infographic below!

Unwillingness to accept returns discourages retailers from taking a chance on new products, potentially hindering your brand's growth.

Summary

Who Gets an A+?

Here's your sneak peek at the brands that are acing (and struggling) in key areas like delivery speed and returns. Don't forget to tag us on LinkedIn when you reshare!

Feedback & Support

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We would love to hear from you!

We appreciate your interest in the Retailer Report Card! We'd love to hear your feedback and what you'd like to see in the next edition.

The Retailer Report Card is just the beginning. Unlock deeper category & pin code level insights. Kirana Club can help you get actionable insights from over 18L retailers, empowering informed decisions for your brand. Reach out at [email protected]