Mahindra asks if physical retailers could be allowed to home-deliver non-essentials

Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra on Sunday asked if physical retailers could be allowed to do home deliveries of non-essentials after the government's move to ban e-commerce players from home delivery of the same items during the lockdown.

Mahindra was responding to a tweet by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal who thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "the clarification that e-commerce companies can only supply essential goods during the lockdown. This will create a level playing field for small retailers."

Reacting to the minister's tweet, Mahindra tweeted, "Appreciate the sentiment. But it's about sharing misfortune instead of opening up opportunities for good fortune."

He further said, "Could physical retailers be permitted to home-deliver 'non-essentials?' I'd trust my small neighbourhood stores more than e-comm cos to deliver reliably & speedily."

He also agreed with suggestion that if technology companies can help physical neighbourhood stores to get online, it would help them in doing home deliveries that could help in restarting manufacturing and supply chain.

"...Especially that this will help us get the supply chain back on its feet earlier rather than later. But my local stores don't even need to be online...we usually order by phone...," Mahindra said in a another tweet.