Amazon Floating I Have Space Store: Watch: Srinagar’s Dal Lake gets India’s first floating ‘I Have Space’ Amazon store – Times of India

Solving the last-mile connectivity
Amazon started the ‘I Have Space’ programme in 2015 to help local stores increase their reach. The initiative is aimed to help Amazon collaborate with local store owners and add extra earnings to their regular income. It also aims to resolve last-mile delivery issues. “As Amazon scales and expands its delivery network across the country, it continues to enable individuals to unlock their entrepreneurial potential and create opportunities to broaden their horizons through its last-mile delivery program, ‘I Have Space’, said the company in a statement. Through this program, Amazon India partners with local stores and business owners to deliver products to customers within a 2-4 kilometres radius of their store, enabling them to earn additional income. The program is said to have more than 28,000 neighbourhood and kirana partners in close to 420 towns and cities across the Amazon network in India.

“I have always relied on Amazon’s reliable delivery over the last three years. While my orders have always been delivered on time, I had to embark on a journey by using my own shikara towards the Ghat no. 7 at Dal Lake to receive the package,” said Burhan Farooq, who lives aboard a houseboat on Dal Lake. “It used to be a time-consuming process that called for careful planning to ensure orders are not missed. But things changed swiftly when Amazon India onboarded the floating store in June. This development has made my life convenient. I no longer need to trek to Ghat no. 7. Murtaza ensures that my packages are brought directly to the doorstep of my houseboat,” said Farooq. Farooq is among many residents whose lives is said to have become simpler.

Adding to family income
For Murtaza, the ‘I Have Space’ program is a journey towards empowerment and earning additional income. “While I have a houseboat as my primary business, it only brings in seasonal income with the inflow of tourists in Srinagar. However, the cost of managing the houseboat is very high, which has made it very difficult for our family. In order to address the increasing expenses, I began looking for additional income opportunities,” said Murtaza.