eastwaybazar seems to be very expensive. I checked prices of few items and it looked they have 50% more prices than retail grocery store.

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Hurat Honani Murat!

GG at some point of time you showed interest to start online grocery business. I will be driving 700Km to purchase basic asian grocery like ATTA and Toor Daal. It will be economical for me to purchase online. There is huge business prospects for online grocery store as desi population in small city are increasing gradually that do not have asian or chinese grocery stores.

Anyone interested to supply can PM me .......

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Check for pervert's database here http://www.perverted-justice.com

Try Grocery Land. He is a South Indian IT Techie, doing this business. The last I remember that he was delivering at home in and around Mississauga for orders more than $35. We need to support a good Indian Techie!.

In regards to this online business I will not touch it with a long pole to deal with Desi customers. Sorry to say and sorry to sound pessimistic. You need to see the way people haggle with the seller. Many times they carry old stocks (out of date-expiry) and are selling at cheap prices. As the grocery is brought in by containers with a lead time of 2 to 3 months direct from India or through people in Queens, New York with penny pinchers as your customer it is a tough proposition.

Last week I was laughing my ! off when I found a guy driving a Lexus who had driven through all the shops in Mississauga to buy Tilda Basmati rice and ended up at India Town as they were offering 40 Lbs at $34.50, while others charged between $36 to $40. If you look at some of these rice packets, you would find old rice on the top and while you go down you'll find newer rice which cooks differently. Yes he saved 3 to 5 bucks but at what cost of gas on V 6 Lexus ?.

Already you've seen a comment on this same thread where people say his prices are higher. People do not consider the cost of shopping, taking your children back and forth, cost of gas, lost of income when you factor your wages per hour during that period of time. You also need to consider the cost of purchases made by your children based on packaging of products(not made on need).

This online business is a two sided sword. If your target client base is affluent Desis it is good. If your customer base is more of labor class there is no chance. The question starts with your affluent desi base of how you would handle their quality/return problems as many of these goods are perishable!.

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Speech by Thomas Friedman of The New York Times....

"When we were young kids growing up in America, we were told to eat our
vegetables at dinner and not leave them. Mothers said, 'think of the
starving children in India and finish the dinner.' And now I tell my
children: 'Finish your maths homework. Think of the children in India
who would make you starve, if you don't.'"

Quote:

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Originally posted by Charlie

GG at some point of time you showed interest to start online grocery business. I will be driving 700Km to purchase basic asian grocery like ATTA and Toor Daal. It will be economical for me to purchase online. There is huge business prospects for online grocery store as desi population in small city are increasing gradually that do not have asian or chinese grocery stores.

Anyone interested to supply can PM me .......

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A Proud Indian Canadian

Don't most "western" online grocery stores carry indian groceries...I mean the basics like ginger, garlic, coriander (or cilantro), rice, flour, etc. Not sure about green chillies, especially those little Thai ones that I use as I have difficulty getting them here in London, ON.

However, for those hard to find items a desi online grocery store would be a fantastic idea! I know I would use it, if the prices were reasonable...it's so much more convenient, especially in the winter. No more having to go out the freezing cold weather and lugging all the groceries back through numerous doors and stairs and elevators...(those were in the days I lived in a condo and grocery shopping was a nightmare in the winter, so I used Grocery Gateway a lot)

Hey, we could call it "Desi Dukaan" (for those of you who know a little Swahili)

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Bijou Bazaar
http://bijoubazaar22.googlepages.com

Hello people,
With respect to above conversation, i understand the need the Grocery Home delivery by purchasing online.

I have product to support this. I just want to understand whether our canadian desi people will be ready to pay a delivery charge of 8 - 10 $ with a minimum purchase of 45$.

All start ups need a support, and this is some thing which requires a support.

Please post your comments.

Regards,
Vk

Quote:

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Originally posted by vkk03

Hello people,
With respect to above conversation, i understand the need the Grocery Home delivery by purchasing online.

I have product to support this. I just want to understand whether our canadian desi people will be ready to pay a delivery charge of 8 - 10 $ with a minimum purchase of 45$.

All start ups need a support, and this is some thing which requires a support.

Please post your comments.

Regards,
Vk

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