How Grocery Apps Are Quietly Changing Lives Of Neighbourhood Vendors: ‘Sir, Aap Aate Hi Nahi. Business Down’

A visit to a local vegetable vendor turned into a moment of quiet reflection for a person after the seller spoke candidly about how online grocery applications have affected his livelihood.

In a post shared on X, the person recalled going to a nearby vendor to buy bhathua for making saag, only to be met with an emotional appeal.

The vendor told him, “Sir, aap aate hi nahi ho aajkal, koi nahi aata itni badi society hai, online app ki wajeh se business down hai (Sir, you don’t come these days, no one comes despite such a big society. My business is down because of online apps),” pointing to a sharp drop in footfall despite operating near a large housing society.

The seller went on to request direct orders, saying, “Aap mujhe call kar dia karo main

delivery kar dunga ghar par (Just give me a call, and I will deliver it to your home),” offering home delivery in an attempt to compete with app-based services.

The post’s author admitted feeling conflicted by the exchange, writing, “How and what do I tell him. I said I will try but I also know that I will go towards the convenience of the app again eventually.”

The admission reflects a dilemma many urban consumers face, which is balancing ease and speed with the desire to support local businesses.

The user concluded the post on a sombre note, saying the interaction left him feeling sad, while also acknowledging his limitations. “But I alone can’t save his business as well,” he wrote.

Here’s the post:

Yesterday when we went to the nearby vegetable vendor to buy bhathua to make saag,

he said, "sir aap aate hi nahi ho aajkal, koi nahi aata itni badi society hai, online app ki wajeh se business down hai aap mujhe call kar dia karo main delivery kar dunga ghar par"

How and what…

— Chirag Barjatya (@chiragbarjatya) January 24, 2026

How Did Internet React To It?

The post has struck a chord online, with many users commenting on it.

One user said, “That ‘aap mujhe call kar dia karo’ is a cry for survival against billion-dollar apps. Convenience wins every time, but at the cost of the people who used to know our names. We aren’t just buying vegetables; we’re killing the local ecosystem.”

Others suggested practical ways to support vendors while balancing convenience. One comment read, “Ask him to start taking your orders on phone and deliver next day morning or something,” and added that the quality of vegetables by daily vendors is better than online stores.

Another said that local vegetable vendors are “adapting faster than most retailers, offering delivery,” and added, “Small vendors who pivot like this usually survive the digital wave better than those who don’t.”

Many users shared personal experiences of returning to local vendors for groceries. One wrote, “We consciously order from the local vendor grocery fruits and veggies. They deliver and absolutely no fuss, it’s much more convenient from what we have seen.”

One of the comments read, “I started buying from local mandi 2 months ago, and I already saved 5k/month. The prices on .com and mandi differ too much, and don’t even start with quality. Except for a few emergency purchases, let’s try to buy from the local mandi.”

The discussion highlights the delicate balance urban consumers face between convenience and supporting neighbourhood businesses.