In a MediaBrief exclusive, Shradha Agarwal, Co-Founder and CEO of Grapes; Maanesh Vasudeo, CEO – Media at LS Digital; and Skandaram Vasudevan, Strategy Director at 22feet Tribal Worldwide, speak about how Q-commerce is becoming a major force in the retail landscape and explain why e-commerce platforms are pivoting to launch their own Q-commerce divisions.
Shradha Agarwal, Maanesh Vasudeo, and Skandaram Vasudevan speak about the contributing factors behind this shift, its impact and challenges, and outline how brands are retaining their core identities.
Discussing what prompted the shift of e-commerce giants making their way into the Q-commerce segment and the impact it will have on the established Q-commerce players, as well as the overall retail landscape, Shradha Agarwal of Grapes explains that, “The transition of e-commerce to Q-commerce can be attributed to the growing demand for ultra-fast delivery in recent years.”
“Consumers these days,” she says, “are always on the lookout for platforms that deliver items within minutes, where they are majorly driven by speed, convenience, and efficiency.”
“Q-commerce has scaled grocery online shopping and made delivery convenient and accessible for customers, reaching them almost instantaneously.”
“As a result,” Agarwal adds, “the foray of e-commerce into Q-commerce will open the gateway for the swift delivery of other products that are required instantly. It will drive deeper penetration of the segment in more cities, beyond the metropolis.”
According to Skandaram Vasudevan of 22feet Tribal Worldwide, “It was an inevitable shift of e-commerce players towards quick commerce.”
Vasudevan adds, “E-commerce has generally evolved through its lifespan on the basis of increasing convenience, and quick commerce is the next big thing on that spectrum. This will mean increased competition, with the winners being those who can sustain the highest consistency and range—in terms of inventory and delivery time.”
How quick commerce is redefining E-commerce
Maanesh Vasudeo of LS Digital believes that, “One of the major roadblocks to e-commerce success has been logistics, with consumers placing orders online but waiting days for delivery, whereas offline shopping allows immediate purchase and takeaway.”
“Quick commerce is overcoming these barriers by drastically reducing delivery times, which in turn is driving higher online purchases. Hence, the shift of e-commerce giants like Flipkart, Nykaa, and Myntra to focus on this area is a strategic response to evolving consumer expectations,” he says.
“Today,” elaborates Vasudeo, “consumers demand speed and convenience, and traditional e-commerce delivery times, which used to average 4-5 days, now look like a stretch in a world where quick gratification is an expected standard.”
“The entry of these e-commerce giants will undoubtedly intensify competition for established q-commerce players like Blinkit, Zepto, and Dunzo. However, it may also drive more innovation and operational efficiency within the industry. Larger players have the advantage of existing infrastructure, a vast customer base, and logistical expertise, which can help them scale their q-commerce divisions rapidly,” expands Vasudeo.
“At the same time,” he continues, “established q-commerce platforms, having pioneered this space, will need to enhance their offerings, focusing on hyperlocal partnerships, personalization, and perhaps superior customer service to maintain their competitive edge.
“Ultimately, this convergence between e-commerce and q-commerce will reshape the retail landscape by blurring the lines between convenience and speed, which have traditionally been seen as separate business models, or even innovating a new midway express delivery model,” adds Vasudeo.
Navigating dual demands of E-Comm and Q-Comm
Reflecting on the unique challenges faced by e-commerce platforms when launching q-commerce services and how they can overcome the complexities of managing both their q-commerce and e-commerce services simultaneously, Shradha Agarwal states, “Though e-commerce has been making its way into q-commerce, there is a need to navigate the landscape strategically to further rev up the growth of the category.”
“In the process,” she adds, “companies will have to invest in creating a robust infrastructure for logistics that has dark stores every few kilometers, or warehouses in close proximity to consumers, while vouching for rapid delivery.”
“In order to address the challenges, the brands will have to focus on employing sophisticated inventory management systems that are well-equipped to maintain optimal stock levels. The management system will focus on minimizing instances of overstocking or stockouts, along with housing the fresh batch for delivery at the same time,” explains Agarwal.
Skandaram Vasudevan believes that “A major challenge would be the logistics – despite major e-commerce players having a strong logistics presence, quick commerce presents a whole new set of problems.”
“Newer avenues of warehouses (and in greater quantities) combined with exclusive delivery partners means players will have to adapt in how they handle their logistics.”
“I don’t think regular commerce will die out and we will just be dominated by quick commerce – there will be use-cases for both scenarios,” he adds.
“Additionally, I feel this will open up newer avenues to market regular commerce – from eco-friendly to money-saving options,” says Vasudevan.
According to Maanesh Vasudeo, “Launching q-commerce services comes with several operational and logistical challenges, especially for traditional e-commerce platforms that are designed for longer delivery windows.”
“The most significant challenge,” he says, “is building a robust infrastructure that supports the instant delivery concept of q-commerce. This includes setting up efficient micro-warehouses or dark stores, ensuring a seamless last-mile delivery network, and managing real-time inventory updates. The need for hyper-localized operations presents a level of complexity that e-commerce platforms have not typically dealt with on such a scale.”
Vasudeo adds, “Managing both e-commerce and q-commerce services simultaneously requires intricate and efficient supply chain coordination. Platforms must balance their broader inventory management strategies with the specific demands of q-commerce, such as stocking fast-moving products and maintaining a highly responsive delivery system.”
“To overcome these complexities, many players are investing heavily in technology-driven solutions, such as predictive analytics for demand forecasting, automation in warehouse management, and route optimization for deliveries. Due to these solutions, this has become an interesting space to watch, and businesses will learn over time whether, by leveraging data, these platforms can streamline operations for both business models without compromising on either,” states Vasudeo.
On marketing strategies for platforms launching Q-commerce services
Sharing insights on how marketing strategies for platforms like Nykaa Now, Flipkart Minutes, etc., will evolve, Shradha Agarwal comments, “Expanding its delivery outreach with Q-commerce, the brands will have to change their marketing strategies as well, highlighting the new offerings by the brands. It is necessary that the messaging focuses more on swift delivery, catering to the instant need for beauty and skincare products by consumers. Going for more targeted and personalized campaigns can also play a pivotal role in aligning with the needs of consumers.”
Maanesh Vasudeo explains, “The marketing strategies for platforms launching Q-commerce services will need to shift towards highlighting the instant gratification and convenience of their offering, with emphasis on how quick delivery can seamlessly integrate into customers’ busy lifestyles. We are likely to see more real-time, hyper-targeted campaigns that focus on creating urgency, with promotions like ‘Order now, get it within 15 minutes’ or time-sensitive offers that tap into consumers’ impulse-buying behavior.”
Vasudeo adds, “Personalization will become critical. As consumer preferences become more immediate and context-specific, platforms will need to utilize data to tailor marketing messages based on real-time needs. For instance, personalized ads during specific times of day (e.g., ‘Last-minute makeup for an evening out’ or ‘Electronics delivered in time for your urgent project’) will create a connection between immediate demand and the promise of quick delivery.”
Further, Vasudeo says, “Platforms may also rely heavily on influencer marketing and user-generated content to demonstrate the effectiveness and speed of their services. Demonstrations of products arriving within minutes or influencers showing how they seamlessly integrate these services into their lives can create a strong brand affinity. Social proof and community engagement will be essential for building trust in the Q-commerce model.”
On E-commerce users versus Q-commerce adopters
Shedding light on the consumer segments being targeted and the differences between traditional E-commerce users versus Q-commerce adopters, Shradha Agarwal notes that, “E-commerce is introducing quick delivery caterers more to changing consumer behaviour, who live a fast-paced life and rely heavily on online shopping. In e-commerce, the purchasing is primarily characterized by in-time, pre-planned ordering, whereas q-commerce is ruled by need of the hour demand.”
“However,” she adds, “the purchasing pattern is changing nowadays, where last-minute need for beauty and skincare products is being witnessed among consumers. As a result, the shift towards Q-commerce will fulfill the urgent need for beauty and skincare products as well.”
Skandaram Vasudevan says, “To me, the audiences tend to be more or less the same – a majority of the country is anyway shopping on e-Commerce. What changes are the situations – different situations requiring different delivery times. Impulse shopping takes on a whole new meaning with quick commerce. It is about that matter of urgency where quick commerce steps in, at least over the next couple of years.”
Maanesh Vasudeo observes that, “The introduction of quick delivery by e-commerce giants represents both an adaptation to the changing preferences of their existing customer base and an opportunity to target new segments. Existing customers, especially those in urban areas, have become accustomed to the convenience of on-demand services, and their expectations around delivery speed are evolving. By offering quicker delivery options, platforms like Nykaa and Flipkart are catering to this shift in consumer preference without alienating their core audience.”
“At the same time,” he says, “Q-commerce is opening new consumer segments, particularly younger, tech-savvy individuals who prioritise convenience and speed over price or brand loyalty. These consumers are more likely to make spontaneous purchases, whether it is for everyday essentials or last-minute needs. In contrast, traditional e-commerce users may be more price-sensitive, patient, and willing to wait for deliveries, especially for bulk or less urgent purchases.”
“Behaviourally,” adds Vasudeo, “Q-commerce adopters tend to have higher expectations around service immediacy and are more likely to use these services for frequent, smaller purchases rather than large, planned orders.”
“As a result, platforms must balance between maintaining their traditional e-commerce customer base while attracting and catering to the more impulse-driven q-commerce segment,” he adds.
Adapting to a new service model
As Nykaa, Flipkart and Myntra move into the Q-commerce space, it’s crucial to observe how they will maintain their core brand identity while adapting to a different service model.
According to Skandaram Vasudevan, “Moving to a new service model wont drastically impact the brand identity of your e-Commerce giants – it all becomes how you market each type of service and the added layer of communication that gets added on top of it.”
Maanesh Vasudeo believes, “Maintaining a core brand identity while adapting to a new service model will be crucial for platforms like Nykaa, Flipkart, and Myntra. These brands have built strong identities around aspects like product quality, customer experience, and trust, and they will need to ensure that these values translate into the q-commerce space.”
He states that to maintain their brand identity, these platforms will have to find a balance between quality of available/accessible range and speed/convenience. “For example,” he says, “Nykaa may emphasise its expertise in beauty products while ensuring that its q-commerce offering meets the same standards of customer service and comes closer to their standards of curation in regular delivery timelines. Similarly, Myntra could highlight fashion-forward collections that can now be delivered in record time.”
“While adapting to the quick-delivery model, these platforms will also need to ensure a seamless brand experience across both e-commerce and q-commerce. This might involve aligning their communication, digital touchpoints, and customer service channels to create a unified brand experience, even as they cater to different service speeds,” he adds.
“Quick commerce is focused on providing a variety of brands and SKUs for daily-use and impulse-buy products with a high purchase frequency. It will be interesting to observe how verticalized e-commerce platforms can drive a higher transaction frequency in specific high-demand areas,” concludes Vasudeo.
