Purpose: Big online shopping apps and 10-minute delivery services have taken many customers away from traditional local shops all over India. However, instead of just giving up, some smart local shops are fighting back and successfully keeping their customers happy. This study takes a deep dive to explore exactly what strategies local shopkeepers in Navi Mumbai are using right now to survive, compete, and retain their loyal customers in a highly digital world. Methodology: To find the real answers, we went straight to the source. We collected detailed survey responses from 110 local shop owners across different areas of Navi Mumbai. To make this study highly scientific and reliable, we used advanced mathematical tools to analyze their answers. We used a 'Chi-Square Test' to see if different types of shops (like a clothing store versus a grocery store) need different strategies to survive. We also used 'Correlation Analysis' to mathematically prove which specific strategies (like using WhatsApp, offering free delivery, or giving instant returns) actually lead to higher customer retention. Findings: The results from the data clearly show that 39.1% of customers stay loyal primarily because of 'Immediate availability (they get it right now).'. Furthermore, the advanced Correlation test proved that offering 'Home Delivery' has the strongest mathematical connection (Score: 0.64) to successfully keeping customers. The Chi-Square test confirmed that customer needs change depending on what they are buying, proving that shopkeepers cannot use a 'one size fits all' approach. Value: Instead of just guessing what works, this paper uses real market data and advanced statistics to prove what actions actually bring success. The findings give clear, proven, and practical advice to local shop owners on how to successfully fight online competition by building deep trust and using simple, free digital tools.
Acharya et al. (Fri,) studied this question.