The idea of “Indian grocery” broadly encompasses the groceries from India. However, only a person from India and someone who lived there for some time are aware of the country’s regional distinctions. The common thread is the spices and some of the universally loved brands from the country. For instance, Parachute hair oil is synonymous with coconut oil in India, everyone knows the beloved Parle-G or Good-day biscuits, and who hasn’t had Maggi dinners in college?
Even before the pandemic struck the world and we were all confined to our houses, there has been a rising demand for online grocery stores. The pandemic necessitated this service as the entire country was locked down.
The US has over 4 million Indians
These are people visiting the country on business, work visas, students, and Indian-origin American citizens. The country has over 750 Indian grocery stores and many of them are small corner-side stores which you can refer to as the “Indian market near me”. Larger American stores such as Walmart and Costco are now stocking famous Indian brands such as MTR and Gits ready-to-eat foods, Indian pulses, grains, and spices. However, the larger Indian stores offer not only a greater choice of Indian groceries but also an Indian experience. Many have indoor cafes where one can order Indian snacks and drinks and unwind after their shopping.
Shop online Models
The Indian grocery stores are offering multiple shopping models to make shopping convenient for their patrons and expand their market. One alternative is to place your order online and even complete the payment; the customer can then pick up their grocery from the store. This is a good model if the store is on the way to one’s home as it saves precious time spent browsing the products and then standing at the till for billing. Also, since you are already at the store, you can check that all orders are received, the fresh produce is fresh and sold before dates haven’t been passed, and then collect the groceries.
The next model is of course to shop online, and the order is delivered home. If you order from the “Indian market near me”, then you can be assured of order delivery on the same day. A valuable service if you are unable to leave home.
The omnichannel availability
The benefit of an online grocery store is that one can check if the product is available on the store’s website. If it is, then you are guaranteed to find it in the store too. And, if the product is unavailable, you are saved a trip to the store and back. Also, if the store has many branches in the locality, one can check which branch the product is available in and place an order so that one is assured that they will receive the product even if they reach later to collect it.
A service edge
Online stores have an edge over stores with a physical presence as they give a more personalized shopping experience to the customer. So, if you are looking for something as nuanced as agarbattis for pooja at home, you can search for it online and place an order. You can choose the fragrance you like, or the brand you prefer and order it in the quantities you need. If the store is nearby, you can expect a same-day delivery or visit the physical store and collect it at your leisure, without any fear that someone may reach before you and grab it.
How do you order Indian groceries online?
If you don’t know any good stores nearby then you can search online for Indian stores near you. Or you can search for the product you need directly. Thus, you will get a list of options of the stores closest to you, or online stores that are stocking products you need. You can choose where you want to purchase from based on the price and date by which the product will be delivered.
The US is a place where one can buy authentic products from any part of the world, and the same holds for Indian groceries too. You must only know how to search.
