Quick commerce (Q-commerce): It gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, initially serving lockdown customers. Despite the pandemic ending, Q-commerce continues to reshape shopping habits, especially in urban India.
o Operates through dark stores (warehouses solely for online order fulfillment) and distribution centers.
o Close proximity to consumers ensures faster deliveries.
o Enables better inventory planning based on demand patterns (e.g., seasonal or demographic influences).
o EY-Parthenon attributes growth to low-cost manpower availability and abundant choice for consumers.