What Is Quick Commerce? How Fast Is it Growing?

A few decades ago, receiving stuff delivered within about an hour after purchasing seemed like a crazy idea. Consumers thrive on instant gratification, with quickness and efficiency frequently overriding other aspects along the buying route. Online shopping and same-day shipping are and remain to be a growing trend. So, we have noticed two-day delivery transforming into subsequent or even the exact shipping and click-and-collect pickup in under two hours. 

41% of customers are prepared to pay a fee for same-day shipping, whereas nearly a third (24%) indicated they would spend more to get products within an hour or two of their shopping. To meet our desires with a need for quickness, a slew of Quick Commerce store applications and systems are springing up, guaranteeing items at customer’s doorstep almost on-demand and often in as little as 15 to 20 minutes. This post offers several information about Quick Commerce and its advantages and disadvantages.

What Is Quick Commerce?

Quick commerce is a one-of-a-kind business concept in which products and services are delivered within 10 to 30 minutes after purchasing. It concentrates on smaller amounts of fewer commodities, such as food, personal hygiene products, stationery, and over-the-counter medications. The quick commerce marketing strategy combines the characteristics of e-commerce with conventional shopping to produce a new business product that can satisfy the growing need for speed when purchasing online.

How Big Is Quick Commerce?

According to indigenous management consulting company RedSeer, India’s quick commerce industry is predicted to increase 15 times through 2025, hitting an addressable market of approximately $5.5 billion, exceeding other economies regarding quick commerce acceptance. In respect of category development, quick commerce is quickly becoming another vital area. 

According to the research, rapid commerce significantly transforms customer buying behavior and the grocery retail chain by delivering speedier alternatives and a more comfort-driven buying experience. Quick commerce technologies allow for a more efficient customer experience. They update online shopping carts speedier, involve smaller steps to purchase things, and produce a better comprehensive shopping cart environment.

The TAM (Total Addressable Market) for fast commerce in India is over $45 billion. It includes metropolitan and tier-1 locations driving this marketplace based on middle-to-high-income families. Quick commerce has been adopted in metropolitan regions over the past two years. It includes big cities like Chennai, Bangalore, and New Delhi, which experience most services. The expanding internet population and growing popularity of online purchasing allow this sector to expand.

Difference Between eCommerce & Q-Commerce

Q-commerce is a modern, speedier sort of e-commerce. It blends the advantages of conventional e-commerce with technological breakthroughs in last-mile shipping. 

• The delivery time is the primary differentiator between ecommerce and quick commerce.   Ecommerce guarantees shipping within several hours at most, whereas quick or Q-commerce guarantees order fulfillment and shipment within minutes. Because of the quickest delivery time, the potential market size of Q-commerce in India in 2020 is anticipated to be over 49 billion US dollars.
• Another difference is the delivery method employed by both businesses to deliver stuff to consumers. Quick commerce businesses utilize them for distribution because of the needed speed that two-wheeled automobiles can provide. Whereas, the c Conventional e-commerce usually employs bigger delivery vehicles for goods shipping. Dark storefronts are often utilized in Q-commerce. These fulfillment facilities are purposefully positioned in heavily populated places so that cars may collect and ship items fast.
• Furthermore, from a psychological perspective, quick commerce purchase behavior is more of an impulse buy. eCommerce with substantially longer shipping times is meticulously handled. So, the estimated price of each transaction has increased, and so has the diversity of purchases.
• The last distinction between Q-commerce and eCommerce consumers is the consumer’s age. The quick commerce buyers are frequently younger. The demographic difference exists because more youthful folks are more willing to experiment with new services.

What Are The Benefits Of Quick Commerce?

From online ordering to takeout meals, the faster a client gets an item, the more excellent it happens for these firms. With the shifting delivery scenario, the introduction of quick commerce must not sound surprising. Q-commerce has enormous development potential. Its worldwide market size is estimated to reach $525 billion by 2030. The following are some of the primary advantages that the quick commerce firms may provide:

1. Faster Delivery Time

When compared to the old retail shop, Q-commerce enterprises can deliver items to clients in a relatively short time. This is owing to the previously described hyper-local micro-fulfillment facilities (dark shops) strewn across densely inhabited swaths of cities and located near individuals placing orders. This implies that orders may be filled more efficiently than the conventional in-store delivery.

Dark shops shouldn’t need to compromise valuable space footage to assist people perusing aisles since every bit of their layout is optimized for performance. Once complete transactions, couriers may bounce back and forth among dark stores and clients’ addresses.

2. Guaranteed Availability Of Curated, Relevant Products

Quick commerce delivers products quickly, but they also usually avail all products. This is because of artificial intelligence (AI) developments and technologies that track demand and adjust inventory in real-time. Intelligent software monitors demand tendencies, and firms may change by guaranteeing that items are available when they are required. They also use innovative technology that keeps their network of couriers, who represent the brand’s face, updated, trained, and providing clients with an excellent service.

3. 24-hour Operation/Convenience/Anytime Delivery

Quickcommerce provides delivery service 24/7, unlike brick-and-mortar businesses, with specific daily operating hours. The most significant aspect of q-commerce has been its convenience. Customers may shop whenever and wherever they want by simply hitting their smartphones. Furthermore, q-commerce allows clients to have their orders delivered at any time that is convenient for them. It does not restrict clients to specific business hours. It is a one-of-a-kind marketing strategy that delivers products and services within 10-30 minutes after purchasing.

4. Ease/Reliability

Ease is the core and highly appealing value proposition that q-commerce enterprises provide to time-pressed clients. As customer expectations rise, quick commerce can assist online merchants in meeting and exceeding them. As a result, brand recognition will increase. The q-commerce significantly tackles the client’s pain points. It can assist somebody unable to get to the store to restock on necessities. There are several scenarios in which the ease of q-commerce may alleviate tension and possibly even avoid calamity.

5. Lower Pricing

This site provides price savings in addition to a wide choice of items. Inventory is frequently purchased in bulk by q-commerce businesses. This volume buy lowers the overall price of each product plus allows them to provide attractive discounts. As a result, the products sold on rapid commerce platforms are generally modest in price, making them accessible to consumers.

6. Order Tracking

Another element of q-commerce is order tracking. This feature helps clients to monitor their orders. Q-commerce platforms allow you to monitor, administer, organize and trace all purchases. 

7. ‘One-Stop Shop’

Quick commerce organizations build applications that allow consumers to order many things from a single platform. It is synonymous with ‘on-demand delivery,’ focusing on micro to smaller amounts of commodities spanning from foodstuffs to stationery to over-the-counter pharmaceuticals.

Quick Commerce Disadvantages

1. High Startup Operational Costs

Since the q-commerce enterprises need to supply the facilities and infrastructure necessary for last-mile shipping, Q-commerce shipping services include a high starting cost. This involves establishing a warehouse unit to keep their items, employing and training associates, and providing such companions with the equipment they need to distribute goods. High delivery costs make it challenging for q-commerce competitors to develop in low-margin areas.

2. Risks To Existing Local Economy

The q-commerce delivery strategy enables businesses to reduce reliance on local marketplaces. This might be detrimental to current local companies since consumers may consider it easier to buy their daily necessities online compared to visiting the local marketplace. Furthermore, a decrease in visitors to all these marketplaces might influence the local business as a whole.

Quick Commerce Examples

Below are some of the best examples of quick commerce or q-commerce:

1. Delivery Hero

Delivery Hero is a worldwide German online food-delivery business headquartered in Berlin, Germany. Delivery Hero operates in approximately 50 nations spanning four continents. They run a diverse assortment of local businesses linked by their shared goal of consistently delivering excellent service with speed and convenience. Delivery Hero earned EUR 9.6 billion Gross Market Value in the 4th quarter of 2021, representing a 39 percent increase each year. Moreover, they offer more than just link customers with their favorite stores and restaurants. 

2. DoorDash

DoorDash, Inc. is a firm based in the United States that provides an online meal ordering and delivery platform. It is a digital startup that links individuals in the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, and Germany with the finest of their neighborhoods. They enable local companies to satisfy customers’ expectations for simplicity and convenience. DoorDash provides a comprehensive range of the community on-demand, with dozens of eateries, pet shops, grocery stores, convenience stores, etc., at a single click.

3. Uber Eats

Uber Eats is an online food delivery company that Uber started in 2014. This application makes it as simple as asking for a ride to receive excellent cuisine from your favorite local eateries. A consumer launches the Uber Eats app, selects products from the menu, and puts an order. Moreover, the consumer may monitor their order status using the application.

4. Ola Dash

Ola Dash is an extension of the modern mobility strategy. This platform now addresses a broader range of consumer demands, ranging across multi-modal ride-hailing to automobile commerce to dining experiences. Ola Dash focuses on the store-to-door 10-minute delivery business, which is now available in 200 dark shops and offers a selection of over 2,500 inventories. 

5. Swiggy Instamart

Swiggy Instamart, which debuted in Bengaluru and Gurugram in 2020, serves consumers in 18 cities and processes over 1 million purchases every week. Swiggy Instamart is a digital convenient chain store. These convenient online stores sell quick meals, fruits, vegetables, snacks, ice cream, or other items. Swiggy offers these services throughout its partner’s “dark shops,” only available on the internet and its hubs.

6. Zepto

Zepto is a groceries delivery application that promises to bring your goods in 10 minutes. Users s get the benefits of selecting a wide range of products at the best rates from Zepto. This includes fresh farm fruit and veggies, dairy, groceries, etc., and order. A Zeptonian rider can deliver the items at the door in approximately 10 minutes. The 10-minute service is known as quick commerce, popular amongst hyperlocal shipping start-ups. These start-ups employ an inventory approach to distribute food from their local dark shops or micro-warehouses.

7. Blinkit (Earlier Known As Grofers)

Blinkit is a quick delivery business located in Gurgaon that was started in December 2013. Previously, it was branded as grofers, a grocery delivery business. Following that, the company relaunched Blinkit to emphasize its rapid commerce image even further. It is a one-app solution for all of your everyday demands. Users may order thousands of things from nearby retailers with a single tap. This app sells items at lower pricing than your local grocery, and you can easily return them if you are dissatisfied with them.

8. DunzoDaily

Using Dunzo Daily, customers can get the best items delivered right to their houses. This platform is a one-stop online grocery for everything, including fruits and vegetables to meat and pet care products. They ensure that you will get the fresh vegetables and every day and thus necessities delivered straight to your house. Featuring free delivery on products that range from breakfast foods to fruit and vegetables and home necessities, you could do all of your purchasing and still save money.

9. Zomato

Pankaj Chaddah and DeepinderGoyal established Zomato in 2008. It is an Indian multinational food aggregator and meal delivery service. The platform offers eatery information, dishes, user ratings, and meal delivery choices from restaurants provided in selected locations. Users use the zomato portal to browse and find the best restaurants nearby, check and upload images, order food, make a reservation in cafes and restaurants, and pay bills while dining out.

10. Getir

Getir is a platform for a digital grocery delivery service that serves items in minutes. The site partnered with local warehousing owners, who subsequently distributed the goods. Getir earns money by selling groceries (and other things) at inflated rates and through delivery or other costs. It brings groceries and household supplies in a matter of minutes. Consumers may choose from over 1,500 kinds of stuff, and Getir will supply them in minutes, irrespective of day and night. 

11. Glovo

Glovo is an app that enables you to purchase, collect, and transfer anything inside your city. It is already available in over 200 cities and 26 countries worldwide, improving life better and more accessible for millions of individuals. Glovo’s 50,000 riders deliver the merchandise. This covers food goods such as takeout and non-food items such as couriers, groceries, and medications. Users may also order products or services using the app’s “Anything” section.

12. Gorillas

Gorillas is an on-demand food delivery service that promises to deliver goods under 10 minutes of buying through the use of dark storefronts. The Gorillas program allows consumers to book and receive supermarket supplies. As of 2021, it was servicing in more than 55 cities. It is pretty simple to use Gorillas. Customers sign up for a subscription by visiting the company’s website or installing its mobile applications. After providing their address and payment information, customers may explore the lots of stuff accessible for deliveries.

13. YemeksepetiBanabi

Yemeksepeti, Turkey’s biggest rapid commerce startup, was started in 2001 as the country’s earliest online food delivery service. This online meal ordering platform allows consumers to place orders from their favorite restaurants via the internet. Banabi is a grocery buying feature within the Yemeksepeti app that enables users to purchase over 2,000 market products. You can have them delivered within 15 minutes using dark stores and other food deliveries. It saves the effort and time of buying groceries, preparing, and cooking meals.

What Is The Future Of Q-commerce?

Q-commerce will become the standard as a result of customer needs and expectations. The tremendous growth in the market prompted businesses to develop automation and delivery solutions as soon as possible. So, here are five unexpected forecasts for the future of quick commerce:

1. A Complimentary Solution

The destiny of quick commerce and ecommerce remains to be determined, but the consensus is that q-commerce serves as a complement instead of a substitute. The main dilemma is that we have been waiting for this transformation for decades, and it’s now happening. Thus, leaving conventional merchants completely unable to face and satisfy the increasing demands.

Big companies with massive infrastructure and workings are often incapable of satisfying customers quickly. Whereas most q-commerce firms are platforms, they do not function from dark storefronts and do not carry any merchandise, and they depend on the inventory of superstore companies.

2. The Infrastructure Of Cities

Ridesharing seems to influence urban mobility. Additional vehicles on the road increase the danger and frequency of overcrowding in metropolitan regions. Existing motorways lack enough infrastructure to handle commodities delivery. Local authorities may consider creating congestion zones with accompanying levies or restricting car admission into some regions.

3. Anything On-Demand

Several q-commerce startups focus on online grocery delivery. However, they will grow further to avail nearly everything for delivery. Glovo app has already taken steps in this manner, with the phrase ‘groceries,’ ‘stores,’ ‘pharmacies,’ and ‘anything’ acknowledging website users.

4. Technological Adoption Will determine Who Wins.

Q-commerce was created from technologies and will continue to prosper with innovation. Numerous comparable firms are now functioning in the field, all competing for market share. The victors in the upcoming years will be the individuals who are most technically concerned with organizational effectiveness.

Conclusion

This article comprises all about quick commerce and its advantages and disadvantages. It is essentially a unique business strategy in which products and services are delivered within 10 to 30 minutes after buying. Q-Commerce has huge potential worldwide, and it provides the proper blend of technology, network, and an unrelenting emphasis on user experience. Lastly, quick commerce may assist this developing business in evolving quickly in today’s scenario.