Thanks to the e-commerce model, online shopping allows people to enjoy quick delivery when they order household items, groceries, food, etc. However, the privilege to shop from the comfort of your home has increased demand for fast delivery.
It was clear from the start that the traditional e-commerce model wouldn’t be able to satisfy the explosion in customer demand. That’s how q-commerce came to life.
Today, online shoppers have numerous q-commerce companies that exceed customer expectations with an incredibly fast delivery time and ultimate shopping convenience. With that in mind, let’s delve deeper into the q-commerce model, how it works, and how it differs from traditional e-commerce companies.
What is q-commerce?
Q-commerce (or quick commerce) is an e-commerce model that emphasizes ultra-fast delivery of goods, often within an hour or less.
This model is typically used for small, everyday items like groceries or personal care products.
Q-commerce is the next step in the e-commerce evolution, combining the convenience of traditional online shopping with the advantage of last-mile deliveries.
Quick commerce companies guarantee instant delivery or on-demand delivery. The best example is food delivery. Q-commerce businesses, such as online grocery stores, allow you to buy the items you need and receive them in minutes, thanks to rapid deliveries.
Aside from faster deliveries, the q-commerce market brings a next-generation business model that can address the growing consumer demands. The q-commerce business model allows modern companies to process huge chunks of data more efficiently using artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to cope with the ever-evolving customer behaviors.
Though q-commerce has been mostly revolving around purchasing household supplies and grocery items, the industry is evolving quickly. Today, internet users can buy a wide range of products and services from q-commerce companies.
Aside from instant online grocery delivery, you can purchase pretty much anything you need, from office supplies to movie tickets, making it easy to attract many people, meet consumer expectations, and increase customer loyalty.
Main advantages of q-commerce
Instant delivery speed
The quick commerce business model relies on the latest technological advancements to guarantee a speedy delivery process. It empowers your retail outlet to ensure every client receives super-fast delivery.
Your customers can now have same-day delivery at the lowest prices. Unlike traditional retailers, q-commerce businesses have micro-fulfillment centers that can deliver goods to customers within 10–30 minutes.
24/7 delivery
With q-commerce, customers have access to 24/7 delivery. While E-commerce offers a similar level of convenience to online purchases, it simply can’t handle the delivery of products as quickly as q-commerce does.
In addition, q-commerce enables real-time transactions and seamless 24/7 service. It doesn’t get any better than that, except it does.
Ultimate shopping experience
Q-commerce online retailers aim to exceed customer expectations by allowing them to purchase goods with a few clicks. Aside from providing customers with incredible convenience, these businesses will ensure every prospect receives an outstanding shopping experience.
You can now buy your favorite products, at any time, with a few taps on your phone, and get them delivered to your address in mere minutes instead of directly visiting brick-and-mortar stores.
Customer-friendly prices and deals
Q-commerce organizations often make bulk purchases of goods. That allows them to decrease the price of each item and offer competitive prices, customer-friendly discounts, and affordable deals. Thanks to that, Q-commerce websites see top traffic and can increase lead generation, conversion, and revenue.
Delivery of products is another major factor in pricing. Many Q-commerce businesses often include various discounts for on demand delivery services or even special deals to influence consumer shopping behavior.
Seamless order tracking and monitoring
Q-commerce websites offer advanced order tracking and monitoring features. They allow customers to easily track their orders and delivery routes through all phases of delivery in a single place.
In case of a delay in delivery, customers can contact customer service and receive the assistance they seek. In addition, customers can place automatic re-orders if need be.
Here are some fresh stats to keep you up to date with the rising Q-commerce industry:
- The industry has already surpassed the $25 billion mark;
- Its value will increase to over $75 billion in the next two years;
- By 2030, 78% of businesses will have adopted the last-mile delivery model.
Order placement
Gone are the days of bothering with endless product browsing and filling out lengthy order placement forms. Thanks to q-commerce, consumers can swiftly find the items they need and place orders effortlessly.
Speed of delivery
The speed of the entire delivery experience is the most obvious difference between the e-commerce and q-commerce business models. Unlike ordinary online stores, q-commerce enables order fulfillment measured in mere minutes.
Use of dark stores
Q-commerce delivery models are so quick thanks to the micro-warehouse management approach they employ. This approach allows companies to buy or rent micro-warehouses, also called cloud or dark stores, in prime locations.
These stores make it easier for delivery partners to collect and deliver goods to the customer’s address in minutes.
AI-powered shopping
Q-commerce platforms use AI and machine learning technologies to understand the needs of consumers and personalize product suggestions and recommendations to create the ultimate customer experience. In other words, consumers can instantly find and buy the products/services they need.
Mobile-friendly customer experience
In a mobile-dominated world, providing a great service to customer with mobile-friendly options is a must. Most online shoppers perform daily purchases via mobile. Since q-commerce is mobile-friendly, it empowers mobile shoppers to shop anytime, anywhere. In return, each customer gets a more convenient shopping experience than any e-commerce website could deliver.
Improved security
Q-commerce business organizations can process transactions in seconds without using central networks or servers. They use quantum key distribution (QKD) to secure each transaction with a perishable smart key that disappears after use.
Because of that, cybercriminals can’t hack into q-commerce transactions and steal precious customer data like usernames, email contacts, passwords, credit card credentials, etc.
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Industries where q-commerce plays a major role
Fashion q-commerce
Fashion q-commerce makes fast fashion go even faster. Conventional retail stores are still getting primary attention from customers. However, the sheer speed and delivery options that q-commerce in fashion offers are becoming a major factor that influences shopping behavior. Modern fashion q-commerce websites and applications consider the key points necessary to maintain a great shopping experience.
They often offer options to help customers clearly identify the correct fit, inform them about materials and color options, and give them convenient ways to return clothing articles that don’t fit as expected. With all of this on the table, q-commerce in fashion is experiencing major growth in the market.
Food q-commerce
Whether it’s an order of groceries, a menu from a fast food chain, or an elaborate dinner dish, q-commerce started playing a major role in the food industry and often surpasses physical restaurants and grocery stores. The food delivery option has been here for a very long time already, but q-Commerce ensures that it’s even more convenient than ever before.
The best examples are food delivery services like Uber Eats, Wolt, Bolt Food, and many others, which experienced major growth during the Covid-19 pandemic. Their success is undeniable even after the worst was over, and they still attract large numbers of customers worldwide. This is because their online delivery services are incredibly convenient thanks to q-commerce practices. Reasonable delivery fees, maintenance of great service through delivery people, and sometimes even technical advancement like drone delivery options also play a major role.
Major q-commerce examples
Let’s have a look at some of the leading companies serving as q-commerce examples to follow.
Getir
Getir is a Turkish start-up founded in 2015. The company provides courier services for hospitality businesses, such as on-demand grocery and food delivery.
Gopuff
Aside from accepting orders for alcohol, snacks, and food, Gopuff also delivers household supplies.
DoorDash
DoorDash has been around since 2013. The company deals with takeaways and food delivery for restaurants.
Gorillas
Gorillas delivers fresh, local, and organic produce to customers’ homes.
Conclusion
Q-commerce is the future of online shopping. Since it offers many advantages compared to e-commerce, q-commerce businesses are more capable of meeting customers’ needs and even exceeding their expectations.
With this approach, you can transform your online business into a lead-generating machine capable of reshaping the shopping experience for your target audience. Aside from making things more affordable, this model also makes your operations safer and more secure.
Today, consumers demand instant, customer-centric service. The only way to meet their ever-growing demands is to embrace digital business trends that can help you stay ahead of the competition.
Frequently asked questions
What is meant by q-commerce?
Q-commerce is a faster and more secure e-commerce business model, with on-demand delivery where customers can order and receive items in 10 to 30 minutes.
What is the difference between e-commerce and q-commerce?
The biggest difference between the two is the last-mile delivery approach to delivering goods. Unlike e-commerce platforms that take several days to deliver items to the customer’s address, q-commerce websites deliver goods in mere minutes.
In addition to same-day delivery, q-commerce guarantees increased transactional security, operational scalability, and customer satisfaction. Since q-commerce enterprises use conveniently positioned dark stores in prime locations, they can instantly deliver goods at lower prices.
What companies leverage Q-commerce?
Some of the leading names in the q-commerce industry include Getir, Gopuff, Glovo, Delivery Hero, Gorillas, DoordDash, Deliveroo, Postmates, Instacard, Rappi, Grab, Gojek, and Meituan.
What is the future of Q-commerce?
The future looks very bright for q-commerce. Business organizations can expect to see major improvements across the industry, such as:
- Inventory diversification – though q-commerce mostly revolves around food delivery, the industry will soon expand to other categories of items.
- Streamlined inventory management and supply chain –the speed of delivery depends on inventory management and supply chain. Both will advance in the time to come.
- Unmatched shopping convenience – with more companies joining the growing q-commerce market, online shoppers will get to enjoy the most personalized shopping experiences and unprecedented convenience.
Barbora does magic with words in Luigi's Box as a product marketing specialist. She got into writing while studying at university as a volunteer for various civic associations. Besides being part of Luigi's Box marketing team, she co-organizes the TEDxBratislava conference, where she cares about marketing and PR.
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