Small vendors are using mobile apps for payments

LUDHIANA: After being hit by demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, several small vendors including chai walas, chole kulche walas, mehndi walas and even fruit and vegetable sellers have gone hi-tech in the city and are offering their customers cashless means of payments through mobile apps like Paytm.
Meanwhile, mobile payment and commerce platform companies have recorded a hike in their customer base.A sales officer of a company dealing in such solutions said, "The demand for enrolment with our company has doubled in the past one week. In addition to shops, hotels, restaurants, we are getting requests from vendors selling eatables, tea and even three wheeler drivers."
Arjun Tiwari, who runs a tea stall at Feroze Gandhi Market, said, "I have been accepting payments for tea through mobile app for the past few days. I get 4-5 customers daily who pay me via this mode. Some of customers who order tea in bulk for their shops and offices are paying me online."
When asked about using the online medium for accepting payments, Monu, a mehndi artist at Ghumar Mandi, said, "My bookings of bridal mehndi and marriage functions were at the verge of being cancelled. As several of my clients were facing shortage of cash, I registered for the service. Now anyone can pay me online."
Meanwhile, it's a win-win situation for the customers who were facing problems in carrying out purchases. Roshni Ahuja, a housewife from Rajguru Nagar, said, "With grocery shops, fruit sellers accepting the payment through mobile apps, it is a big relief as I was worried about arranging cash for making purchases for the entire month."
A lot of kiryana shops, dhabas, hotels and restaurants of the city too have started using such mobile apps and are also installing credit and debit card swiping machines to give alternate to their customers to make cashless payments.
Ravinder Gupta, owner of a kiryana store, said, "After the demonetization move, our sales have dropped significantly. A majority of people still come with old currency notes which we don't accept. We had been forced to give credit to our permanent clients, but now with the use of mobile apps, I think the businesses will improve in the coming days."