Reliance Retail, India’s largest retailer, is piloting a sophisticated search-and-discovery platform designed to blur the lines between physical storefronts and digital shopping. Speaking at the Retail Leadership Summit in Mumbai, Damodar Mall, CEO of Grocery Retail, confirmed that the platform is currently live in apparel outlets like Trends and Yousta, with a rollout planned for Smart Bazaar later this year.
Shoppers can scan a QR code upon entering a store to access the platform. The system then analyzes customer preferences to help them search for and discover products tailored to their specific needs within the physical aisles. This integration aims to offer the convenience of an online filter while maintaining the “touch-and-feel” advantage of a traditional store.
The move comes as traditional retailers face a double-edged threat. While e-commerce giants like Amazon and Flipkart remain dominant, “quick commerce” players such as Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart have rapidly eroded market share in the grocery and essentials space. Reliance’s own JioMart entered the 10-minute delivery race in 2025 to counter this shift.
Despite a slight dip in third-quarter core margins to 8% attributed to festive discounting and the implementation of India’s new labor code Reliance remains bullish. Mall emphasized that while the pace of change is “intense,” India’s expanding consumption market provides ample room for such tech-driven shifts in market share without hindering overall growth.
