Khadi and Village Industry Commission’s (KVIC) venture into the online marketing segment has quickly established a pan-India reach enabling the artisans to sell their products to the remotest parts of India through the KVIC E-Portal – www.kviconline.gov.in/khadimask/.
The online sale, that was launched with just Khadi Face Masks on July 7 this year, has evolved into a full-fledged E-market platform with 180 products as on Wednesday and many more in the pipeline.
As per KVIC, the product range includes hand-spun and hand-woven fine fabric like Muslin, Silk, Denim and Cotton, Unisex Vichar Vastra by Ritu Beri, Khadi’s Signature Wrist Watch, a variety of honey, Herbal and Green Tea, Herbal Medicines and Soaps, Papad, Kacchi Ghani Mustard Oil and a range of herbal cosmetics among many others.
KVIC is adding at least 10 new products to its online inventory on a daily basis and it has set a target of adding at least 1000 products by October 2 this year. In less than two months’ time, KVIC has served nearly 4000 customers.
KVIC Chairman, Vinai Kumar Saxena, said the online sale of Khadi products is a big push to “Swadeshi” and aims at empowering the local artisans. “Khadi’s E-market portal is providing our artisans with an additional platform to sell their goods. This is a concrete step towards the building of Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” Saxena said, adding the product range is priced from Rs 50 to Rs 5000, keeping in view the choice and affordability of all sections of buyers.
Earlier products of Khadi institutions were sold only through outlets and hence their visibility was confined to a few states only. However, with KVIC’s E-portal, products are now reaching to the far-flung areas of the country and thus giving wider marketing spectrum to Khadi institutions which will ultimately increase their production and add to the income of artisans.
Customers, too, have expressed great satisfaction over the online sale of Khadi products as the E-market platform has enabled them to order their desired products online and receive the same at their doorsteps.
KVIC has received online orders from 31 States and Union Territories that include the far-flung Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. KVIC has fixed the minimum order value at Rs 599 for free delivery of goods. It has entered into an agreement with the Postal Department for delivery of consignments via Speed Post.