Women selling Unilever goods in rural India receive digital training and smartphones through its Shakti programme. In a 2025 account, the company reported that 85% of Shakti retailers actively used its Shikhar ordering app.[1]
This preparation sits alongside business and financial training. It connects the physical shop with a way to request products at any hour.[1]
Voice commands let a retailer say which products she needs. Smart Basket can fill in regular orders, giving her a familiar starting point. That reduces the manual entry required to repeat a routine purchase.[1]
Individual stock data supports suggestions about restocking, popular products and additions to the range. For retailers with shelf space, image recognition can also recommend product placement.[1]
That puts AI advice inside an ordering routine, alongside the training needed to use it. For a retailer with little spare capital, choosing what to restock is a cash decision.[1]
Sources & further reading
- How AI and digital tools are empowering women micro-entrepreneurs Unilever · Accessed 20 Oct 2026