E-ISSN:2583-1747

Research Article

Quick-Commerce

Management Journal for Advanced Research

2025 Volume 5 Number 4 August
Publisherwww.singhpublication.com

The Rise of Q-Commerce: Transforming Retail and Logistics

Pandey N1*
DOI:10.54741/MJAR/5.4.2025.290

1* Nandlal Pandey, Former Post Graduate Student, Department of Commerce, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

The retail landscape is undergoing a seismic shift with the emergence of Q-Commerce (Quick Commerce), a paradigm that promises to revolutionise the way we shop and receive goods. Q-Commerce leverages cutting-edge technology, ultra-fast delivery models, and data-driven insights to deliver products to customers in record time, often within minutes. E-commerce can make delivery faster and more efficient, especially for perishable goods like fruits, veggies, and some medicines that don't last long. The pandemic accelerated the shift to online shopping, setting a new standard for convenience that's tough for traditional retail to match. Q-commerce relies on tech, using AI, real-time data, and better logistics to deliver superfast.
The present study explores the rise of Q-Commerce, its impact on traditional retail and logistics, and the opportunities and challenges it presents. Evolution of Q-Commerce and its key players. Disruption of traditional retail models and supply chains. This study also tried to find out whether consumer satisfaction grew with the limited introduction of e-commerce in certain areas of online businesses and concluded that the satisfaction level did increase to some extent. Innovations in logistics and last-mile delivery: Opportunities for growth and challenges ahead. As Q-Commerce continues to reshape the retail landscape, businesses must adapt to stay ahead. This abstract sets the stage for a deeper dive into the world of Q-Commerce and its far-reaching implications.

Keywords: quick commerce, retail transformation, e-commerce

Corresponding Author How to Cite this Article To Browse
Nandlal Pandey, Former Post Graduate Student, Department of Commerce, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Email: 		Pandey N, The Rise of Q-Commerce: Transforming Retail and Logistics. Manag J Adv Res. 2025;5(4):101-104.
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https://mjar.singhpublication.com/index.php/ojs/article/view/290

Manuscript Received Review Round 1 Review Round 2 Review Round 3 Accepted
2025-07-18 2025-08-03 2025-08-23
Conflict of Interest Funding Ethical Approval Plagiarism X-checker Note
None Nil Yes 4.16

© 2025 by Pandey N and Published by Singh Publication. This is an Open Access article licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ unported [CC BY 4.0].

Manag J Adv Res 2025;5(4)101
Download PDFBack To Article1. Introduction2. Literature Review3. Objectives of the
Study4. Research
Methodology5. Operating Model
of the Quick
Commerce Industry6. Infrastructure
Requirements of
Quick Commerce
Business7. Limitations of the
Study8. ConclusionReferences
Pandey N. The Rise of Q-Commerce

1. Introduction

Quick commerce has rapidly evolved as a transformative player in the worldwide as well as India’s retail ecosystem, reshaping the industry by driving incremental demand, influencing purchasing behaviours, and unlocking new opportunities for businesses and employment. Its value proposition is centred on speed, convenience, and an expanding product assortment. Quick commerce is growing the market and creating jobs, especially in delivery and logistics. This report looks at how it's doing this and what it means for the industry. Offering a value proposition that differentiates quick commerce from other channels. In contrast to general and modern trade, quick commerce offers customers a carefully curated yet high-demand product selection, combining speed with doorstep convenience.

Optimised logistics and technology-driven operating models enhance efficiency, minimise waste, and boost profitability, ensuring long-term sustainability. People are buying more of certain products, especially during festivals and for gifting, and impulse purchases are also doing well. As a vital part of the country’s retail sector, India’s grocery industry, including food fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), non-food FMCG, and fruits and vegetables, is undergoing a transformation driven by changing consumer preferences and the rise of digital adoption.

2. Literature Review

Gilles Pache (2022) explored that a new stage in the evolution of e-commerce, quick commerce (or Q-commerce) is expanding rapidly on several continents. Its business model is based on ultrafast delivery since the online shopper receives the product between 10 and 15 minutes after ordering via an application on his/her smartphone. Q-commerce introduces a real supply chain revolution thanks to the promise of a much shorter delivery time than in traditional e-commerce. As per Pragathi Prakash, Truptha Shankar (2024), the ever-changing needs of the customers have always been a motivating factor behind the creative thinking and new inventions of the service providers. One such is the transition of customers from e-commerce platforms to the new emerging zeal of q-commerce applications, a technological shift that is widely adopted by urban residents, enabling them to access products swiftly within a 30-minute timeframe.

Joysri Datta, Suchandra Bose (2024). E-commerce primarily deals with the faster delivery of goods to its consumers through e-commerce channels. Aryan Gupta and Deepak Jha (2025) suggested that there has been a sea change in retail with the new wave of consumers who are looking to get instant access to products, which is leading to Q-commerce. Q-commerce can be defined as Quick Commerce, a means through which retailers/retailing can attempt to be different by delivering products within a minute. This chapter is an elaboration of how Q-commerce affects consumer behaviour and retail strategies. The COVID-19 pandemic really sped up the transition from traditional retail to e-commerce and placed convenience at a new standard that challenges traditional retailing practices.

The study by Gupta and Singh ( ) deals with the intricate relationship between e-commerce and delivery services. It emphasises the fact that as e-commerce booms, it depends more and more on the efficiency of the delivery services, which can directly be linked with consumer satisfaction. Rahul Tripathi (2025) highlighted that the rapid expansion of quick-commerce (q-commerce) is reshaping the landscape of modern retail, driven by the demand for faster delivery and more convenience. Q-commerce refers to online retail services that enable the delivery of goods in a matter of hours or even minutes, making it a prominent player in sectors such as groceries, pharmaceuticals, and daily essentials. This growth has been propelled by advancements in technology, logistics, and consumer expectations, which now prioritise speed and convenience over traditional shopping experiences.

3. Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the study are as follows -

  • To investigate the impact of Q-Commerce on traditional retail models and supply chains.
  • To analyse the role of technology, logistics, and data-driven insights in enabling ultra-fast delivery in Q-Commerce.
  • To examine the effect of Q-Commerce on consumer satisfaction and purchasing behaviour.
  • To identify the opportunities and challenges presented by Q-Commerce for businesses and the logistics industry.

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Pandey N. The Rise of Q-Commerce

  • To compare the growth prospects of Q-Commerce with traditional e-commerce platforms

4. Research Methodology

The present study is descriptive in nature and is based on the secondary sources collected from related websites, case studies, working papers, reputable journals, etc.

5. Operating Model of the Quick Commerce Industry

This section discusses the operating model of the quick commerce industry. The model is dependent on the availability of the internet to consumers. The company’s app serves as the first point of contact between the customers and the sellers. Once the customer places an order, it is received by the order execution system and is routed to the distribution centre nearest to the consumer location. The picker (or the delivery partner) picks the parts as per the orders, packs them, and hands them over to the delivery agent, who thereafter delivers the order.

mjar_290_01.PNG
Quick commerce companies need to be super coordinated between their warehouses and delivery folks to get stuff to you fast (like, within 15 minutes fast). They use data to predict what's going to be in demand and was, so they can prep stuff in advance. This helps them figure out where to put their warehouses and how to manage them better, considering things like where people live, road networks, and busy areas. That way, they can get stuff to you quicker.

Quick Commerce Business Models

So lots of companies are jumping into quick commerce by launching various innovative business models on online grocery platforms.

Zepto, BigBasket, Flipkart, Amazon Fresh, Grofers-Blinkit, and Swiggy-Instamart are a few of the key players. The following table shows the list of market players and their target delivery time in quick commerce.
   
Quick Commerce Firms with their Promised Delivery Time
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Companies are using small warehouses, called dark stores, to deliver stuff fast. These are like mini-stores with lots of popular items, located near customers. Think of them like tiny hubs that get your order ready super quickly.   

6. Infrastructure Requirements of Quick Commerce Business

To succeed in quick commerce, companies need to get a few basics right. Warehousing is super important - it's like the heart of the operation. In a dark store (the small warehouse), everything needs to be super-efficient. The goal is to get stuff packed and out the door in under 5 minutes, so delivery folks can get it to you fast. The following are the crucial elements that help create efficient infrastructure for quick commerce order handling.

  • Order Management System (OMS): This is the backend system used for managing and processing consumer orders and includes processes such as order routing, order processing, tracking, and inventory management. OMS assists firms in managing orders coming in from multiple locations and going out to various fulfilment centres.
  • Throughput of the Fulfilment Centres: The activities in a warehouse involve storing, replenishing, picking, and packing the order items and the final dispatch.

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Pandey N. The Rise of Q-Commerce

    All these activities should not take more than five minutes, since sufficient time should be left for the delivery partners to deliver the goods. Therefore, it becomes necessary to design warehouse operations and an order fulfilment flow for the dark stores to reduce time delays caused by the excessive movement of operators in search of items.

  • Layout of Fulfilment Centres: The layout of the dark stores plays a critical role in efficient order fulfilment. Placement of the material storage racks, packing station, incoming material staging areas, and incoming and dispatch docks is all interconnected.
  • Packaging and Last-mile Delivery: Concise and easy-to-carry packages are designed for quick last-mile delivery. Elimination of packaging can help optimise the operation time of dark stores. Innovative packing bags and reusable containers can be used instead of traditional packing to reduce time.

7. Limitations of the Study

The limitations of the study are as follows -

  • The study is descriptive in nature and relies heavily on secondary sources, which may not provide a comprehensive understanding of the Q-Commerce landscape in India.
  • The study focuses primarily on the Indian market, which may limit its applicability to other countries or regions.
  • The article relies heavily on secondary sources, which may introduce biases or inaccuracies.

8. Conclusion

Quick Commerce (Q-commerce) is changing how we shop and get stuff. It's all about speed - getting things to you in minutes, not hours or days. Companies like Zepto, BigBasket, and Swiggy are leading the way, using tech and smart warehouses (called dark stores) to make it happen. This shift is good for customers, who get what they want fast. But it's also creating new opportunities for businesses and jobs in delivery and logistics.

As Q-commerce grows, companies need to get a few things right: efficient warehouses, smart tech, and speedy delivery. Overall, Q-commerce is reshaping retail and logistics, and it's here to stay.

In the last 10 years, Q-commerce has grown superfast in India. More people getting online has meant more opportunities for businesses to sell stuff online. When COVID-19 hit, people started shopping online even more, and Q-commerce took off. The present study looks at how Q-commerce is changing and growing. It explains how the industry works and what business models companies are using.

References

1. Datta, J., & Bose, S. (2024). A study on the growth prospects of Q commerce and its role in the e-commerce business in present-day India. Sustainability in Marketing Practice, 155-168.

2. Gupta, A., & Jha, D. (2025). The rise of quick commerce: Redefining retail through digital innovation and sustainable practices. Sustainable Digitalisation Strategies in Business and Healthcare, pp. 93-116.

3. Pache, G. (2022). The impact of logistics on product assortment policy: An illustration with Q-Commerce. Journal of Supply Chain Management: Research & Practice, 16(2), 1-10.

4. Prakash, P., & Shankar, T. (2024). Transformation of customers from e-commerce to q-commerce: A comparative study at Bangalore City. J. Cultural Studies Social Sci., 21(2), 160-170.

5. Tripathi, D. R. (2025). Quick-commerce growth and its impact on traditional retail marketing. Motherhood International Journal of Research & Innovation, 2(1), 68-76.

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