Retailers target emergency aid recipients

The large Brazilian retailers have created options for consumers receiving emergency aid distributed by the Federal Government to use the money on their respective platforms. The aid of R$ 600 for three months - which can reach R$ 1,200.00 per month, in the case of mothers heads of household - represents a possible additional revenue to the e-commerce of these operations. According to government studies, the number of aid recipients can reach 80 million consumers. In view of this mass of customers, retailers have created tools to make this group's buying journey more fluid. In the case of Via Varejo, Casas Bahia has developed a platform to accept Emergency Aid through a virtual debit card issued by Caixa Econômica Federal. The platform is already available and working on the sites of Casas Bahia and Extra.com. In them, the company curated a number of essential products for the beneficiaries. Magalu, in turn, also made an API for the direct connection of the virtual card of caixa to its e-commerce. In this way, the customer can buy within the company's digital channels without the need for a credit card. The purchasing function within the platform, however, was expanded to all caixa account holders, and not only to the beneficiaries of the aid. The move comes at a time of expansion of magazine Luiza's marketplace. This is one of the main strategies of the retailer to expand its operations in Brazil. In the U.S., the option for a vast portfolio and broad logistics fronts that have earned Amazon a prominent position. Since the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic, Magalu has increased its supply of market items to more than 60,000 products in the category. The campaign to publicize this initiative is called #TemNoMagalu.