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Guides for local shops and communities
Practical, free guides to help local shops grow, neighbours support each other, and money stay in your town. No jargon, and no paid tools needed.
Get your shop on Google Maps, freeWhen someone nearby searches “sweet shop near me” or “tailor in Shastri Nagar”, Google shows the shops it knows about. A free Google Business Profile makes sure yours is one of them.
Sell on WhatsApp, keep every rupeeYour customers already use WhatsApp. With the free WhatsApp Business app you can show your products, take orders and get paid by UPI, with no app taking a cut and nobody standing between you and your customer.
How your neighbourhood kirana can keep its customersDelivery apps are fast and loud. But the kirana down the road has things no app can copy: it knows its customers, it is part of the street, and it is there when the app isn’t.
Shops in one market grow faster togetherCustomers don’t visit one shop, they visit a market. When the shops in a market help each other, more people come, stay longer and come back.
Why buying from local shops mattersEvery time you buy from a shop in your town, you are doing more than shopping. You are helping keep your street alive. This guide explains what your money does when you spend it locally, answers the honest doubts people have, and gives 10 easy ways to help.
Support your local shops in 5 small waysYou don’t need to change your whole life to help the shops in your neighbourhood. Five small habits, done regularly, make a real difference to a local shopkeeper’s month.
Start a business from home in your own townHome bakers, tiffin services, tailors, mehendi artists, tuition teachers: many of the best businesses in a town start in someone’s kitchen or front room.
Customer reviews: how to get them and reply wellFor a new customer, a few honest reviews from real people are often the reason they choose your shop over the one next door.
Festival season checklist for local shopsFestivals and wedding season can bring a big part of a local shop’s yearly sales into a few weeks. They can also bring empty shelves, tired staff and unhappy customers if you’re not ready.
Your shop’s ₹0 marketing planYou don’t need an advertising budget to bring more people into your shop. Most of what works for a local business is free: being easy to find, looking inviting, staying in touch with customers, and getting people to talk about you.
Your town’s hidden businessesSome of the best businesses in your town have no signboard. The aunty who makes the best pickles in the colony, the tailor working from his front room, the retired teacher who tutors maths, the young mehendi artist booked out every wedding season.
Local delivery, done togetherCustomers want home delivery, but one small shop rarely has enough orders to keep a delivery person busy all day. Three or four nearby shops sharing one, with fixed rounds, can offer reliable delivery at a fraction of the cost, and keep both the customer and the money local.
Start or revive your market associationA market association, vyapar mandal or traders’ welfare committee gives the shops of one market a single voice. Done well, it gets streets fixed, keeps the market safe and clean, and plans festivals that bring the whole town in.
Wedding vendors in one town, working as a teamA wedding needs a venue, food, decoration, lights, music, photos, mehendi, makeup and more. Families often hire each one separately and spend weeks coordinating.
GST basics for small shopsGST can feel confusing when you run a small shop or a home business. This guide explains the basics in plain language: when registration is generally required, the two main ways small businesses pay GST, what your bills should show, and how to keep simple records.Want your shop online, your way?
A free card with your QR code, catalogue and WhatsApp orders. Customers deal with you directly and pay you directly, with no commission. Free for 14 days.
