“Gandhi has been in electronic commerce for more than 20 years and had one of the first transactions in Mexico. In these years of experience, he has tried to evolve and adapt to the entire digital issue, and there is still much to be done in terms of omnichannel”, declared Miranda after his participation in eRetail Day 2023.
To attract readers, the chain – which opened its first unit in 1971 in Miguel Ángel de Quevedo, south of Mexico City – tightened some screws, especially in last-mile deliveries, after complaints about delivery delays were constant on social media. Today, the stores operate as small shipping centers, in addition to the distribution center, which also supplies its 46 stores in Mexico.
It’s not the only thing. For six months the company deliveries in a maximum of 24 hours in certain Mexico City zip codes, which together represent 40% of Librerías Gandhi’s e-commerce sales. Miranda highlighted the importance of being at the forefront in terms of electronic commerce and adapting to market trends so as not to fall behind competitors such as Amazon or Mercado Libre.
Gandhi Bookstores has implemented a strategy focused on knowing its customers both in the physical and digital world. To achieve this, the chain has deployed QR codes in its stores so that readers can access the extended catalog in its e-commerce. In addition, options have been enabled so that buyers can pick up their orders in the store and they also offer the pickup service.
The bookstore chain has also extended its digital ecosystem to marketplaces from Walmart, Palacio de Hierro and Mercado Libre, which has led to sales through digital channels representing between 13% and 15% of the consolidated chain.
“We have curated specific titles for each of the channels and we have an extended one for Gandhi.com,” he explained.
More stores in Mexico
In Mexico, selling books seems like a challenge. As some businesses in the industry close for good due to the growing preference for digital books and low readership, Gandhi continues to innovate to attract buyers. In addition to having a wide variety of titles and genres, the physical stores offer a cafeteria, board games, and music and video sections to enrich the visitor experience. Gandhi Bookstores is also preparing to open three units this year.
Miranda explained that they use the purchase information generated by customers to create retargeting and remarketing campaigns that adjust to the tastes and preferences of each one. In addition, physical stores have also adopted this shopping personalization strategy, offering shoppers books that suit their tastes in titles, authors, and genres.
“We are doing this mix and match of each of the users”, he declared.