From site survey and real estate to staffing, compliance, IT, and your first delivery — one partner owns every workstream. You focus on growth. We build the operation.
Quick commerce is no longer a trend — it's the dominant channel. And every order placed on every platform runs through a dark store. This is the infrastructure race of the decade.
Eight end-to-end service pillars, all under one roof. No vendor coordination, no responsibility gaps. You brief us once — we deliver everything.
One setup process. Any platform. We handle the onboarding, compliance, and tech integration — for whichever platform you choose, or all of them at once.
We can set up and operationalise the same dark store location across multiple platforms at once — maximising asset utilisation and revenue per square foot. Multi-platform is the new default for serious operators.
A battle-tested playbook engineered for speed — without cutting corners on compliance or build quality.
From store floor to last mile — we source, verify, and platform-SOP-train every team member your dark store needs to hit its SLAs from day one.
We don't just hire delivery riders — we hand them the keys to a properly maintained, insured, GPS-tracked electric two-wheeler on day one.
Every other approach requires you to manage 8 vendors simultaneously. We are the one vendor who manages all 8 workstreams — and owns every outcome.
Setting up a dark store without us means managing eight separate vendors, coordinating timelines, and owning every gap between them.
| Capability | DIY (8 vendors) | OpenADarkStore |
|---|---|---|
| Location intelligence & survey | Separate consultant or guesswork | ✓ In-house, data-driven |
| Real estate negotiation & registration | Property broker (self-managed) | ✓ Full service, end-to-end |
| Store fit-out & cold chain | Contractor (separate vendor) | ✓ We project-manage everything |
| All licensing & compliance | CA + consultant (multiple) | ✓ All filings, all follow-ups |
| Ongoing compliance management | Usually missed / reactive | ✓ Monthly monitoring & renewal |
| WMS & platform API integration | IT vendor or platform's own team | ✓ We own the integration |
| In-store staff recruitment & training | Placement agency (separate) | ✓ SOP-trained before day one |
| Delivery rider recruitment | Another agency or self-hire | ✓ Verified & platform-trained |
| E2W fleet procurement & management | Not handled / self-sourced | ✓ OEM fleet pricing, fully managed |
| Multi-platform simultaneous setup | Near impossible to coordinate | ✓ We run parallel workstreams |
| Single point of accountability | None — everyone owns a piece | ✓ One team, one contract, one owner |
| Time to first delivery | 90–180 days (typical) | ✓ 30 days |
Whether you're a platform expanding your network, an investor deploying capital, or an entrepreneur entering the sector — we have a solution shaped for you.
Understanding the mechanics helps you understand why every element of our setup service exists — and why shortcuts cost you revenue.
No surprises. A typical dark store requires ₹80L–₹90L to operationalise from scratch. Here's precisely where every rupee goes — and how we help you deploy it efficiently.
| Investment component | What's included | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Store fit-out capex | Racks, shelving, freezers, chillers, CCTV, IT infra, broadband | ₹25L – ₹35L |
| Opening inventory | Initial 6,000+ SKU stock across all categories | ₹30L – ₹35L |
| Rental deposit | 3–6 months security deposit depending on city & location | ₹10L – ₹15L |
| Licensing & compliance | FSSAI, trade licence, GST, fire NOC, S&E, labour regs | ₹1L – ₹2L |
| WMS & IT integration | Platform API setup, WMS deployment, device procurement | ₹2L – ₹4L |
| Staffing (first month) | Store manager, 4–6 pickers/packers, supervisors | ₹3L – ₹5L |
| E2W fleet setup | 4–8 electric two-wheelers (own or leased) + insurance | ₹6L – ₹12L |
| Total to operationalise | Site selection, setup, staffing, fleet, compliance & go-live | ₹80L – ₹90L |
Based on JM Financial research and industry benchmarks. Figures are for a standard 2,500–4,000 sq. ft. dark store in a Tier-I city. Tier-II cities typically run 15–25% lower on real estate costs. Rental rates vary significantly by city and micro-location.
Every KPI below is a target we engineer into your store from day one — through layout design, inventory slotting, tech integration, and staff training.
Source: JM Financial Research, 3QFY24 data. A mature, well-laid-out dark store generates nearly twice the GMV per square foot of India's most efficient brick-and-mortar retailer — because every square foot is engineered for storage and pick efficiency, not customer experience. This is why our layout engineering service is not optional.
Dark store operations run on a deep technology stack. We integrate, configure, and train your team on every layer — so your store is operationally intelligent from the moment it goes live.
Tell us your target city and platform. We'll come back within 24 hours with a free preliminary location opportunity assessment — no cost, no obligation.
📍 We respond within 24 hours · 🔒 Your details stay private · ✅ No spam, ever