The pandemic came as a blessing in disguise for several ecommerce and quick commerce giants including Amazon, Flipkart, Zepto, and Swiggy.
According to Rakuten Insights, around 59 percent of consumers surveyed said that purchased online during the pandemic as they were practising social distancing. The 2021 Global Payments Report by Worldpay FIS said the Indian ecommerce market was projected to grow 21 percent annually over the next four years.
While the COVID-19 pandemic gave a major boost to digital commerce in metropolitan cities, it also opened up opportunities in Tier-II and III cities, as well as in rural areas, where people did not have easy access to online commerce.
One of the startups that took off was Srinagar-based digital marketplace Koshur Store founded by 23-year-old computer engineer Moris Adam.
Starting up young in Kashmir
Moris’ fascination with coding started at the age of 12, and he even began designing web pages for local businesses.
In 2017, he joined Punjab Technical University to study computer science. While designing web pages, Moris gained knowledge about businesses in Kashmir and got in touch with many vendors.
Started in July 2019, Koshur Store is a curated digital marketplace that sources products from local vendors and sells them on its website. The startup began by selling across categories including fashion, home care, small electronics, and accessories.
However, after only a month into its operations, the Kashmir Valley faced an internet shutdown following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. Due to the shutdown, Koshur Store’s operations came to a screeching halt.
“We were getting a few orders every day but after the internet was disconnected, what can anyone do,” sighs Moris.
Faced with the challenge of delivering in the Valley, Moris expanded the operations to serve across India. “For six to seven months, to keep the portal operational, I had partnered with third-party logistics players and were delivering local goods across India. Major demand would come from neighbouring states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh,” says Moris.