In a pandemic-hit world where customers are shifting online, a community market in New Town has climbed onto the social media bandwagon in a bid to catch eyeballs.

A public group, called CB Market, has been created on Facebook which has already garnered close to 300 members. It has regular posts on various shops and their products on display for the day, from fruits, vegetables and fish to items of home decor and hair cutting.

The group was floated by Biplab Pandit who owns the Decona interior designing and furniture store on the ground floor.

“CB Market in Action Area 1 is the most popular of the 10 community markets run by the New Town Kolkata Development Authority. But amid the pandemic, footfall is taking a hit because of the increased tendency of residents to buy things online. The rise in the number of vegetable cycle van sellers parking in the streets nearby is also stopping residents from stepping in. This is hurting stall owners like us who have paid lakhs to the NKDA,” said Pandit.

The group, he hopes, will increase awareness about the variety of products and services available in the market across its two floors. “There are 40 shops that are open, including a ladies tailor and a hair-cutting salon . But even those who come are used to visiting just one or two stalls. They don’t even know what is selling in the shop next door, leave alone on a different floor,” he pointed out.

The other purpose would be to provide visual enticement for buyers. “A picture of the morning’s fresh catch at the fishmonger’s usually gets good response and translates to orders.”

The home page of the group. Sudeshna Banerjee

Though Pandit himself has a furniture store, he gets his shop attendant Manas Maity to take pictures of other stalls and post in the group. “If I have to succeed, I need more people to visit this market. That is why I am taking the trouble to publicise products sold at other stalls too. Many of the fruit or vegetable sellers do not have a smart phone or are unaware of the benefits of social media. If there is no immediate impact, they give up,” said the youth who has an MBA degree.

It is for the same purpose that he is offering services like air-conditioner, geyser and chimney maintenance. “There is hardly any profit in these services but they serve to increase my shop’s popularity,” he added.

The group is gaining in popularity. While it had 119 members at the start of the month, the number rose to 287 on July 28.

Manotosh Mondal, who owns multiple stalls at the market selling fruits, vegetables and meat, is happy that the Facebook group has been created. “I used to offer home delivery services from earlier. I am getting more calls now to deliver at doorsteps, especially after the morning’s display of fish is posted. Many of the callers ask for items that I do not sell. But if it is something simple like a packet of biscuits or so, I get it picked up from another shop and send it across simply to help the caller,” he said.

But there are irritants too. Some ask for the day’s rate in the comment section, expecting an instant reply. “We expect them to come to the market to buy whatever they want, so why ask for the rates from home? Is it to compare with online delivery rates?” a fish monger exclaimed.