How modern digital brands are capitalizing on the rapid rise of quick commerce

Direct-to-consumer (D2C) companies are sharing their success stories in the rapidly growing quick commerce (Q-comm) sector, which is expected to reach a market value of $5.5 billion in India by 2025.

Emerging D2C brands are seeing stronger growth through quick commerce platforms compared to traditional e-commerce, as instant delivery services extend their reach beyond metropolitan areas into Tier-2 cities.

Chirag Gupta, the founder and CEO of the gourmet snacking brand 4700BC, attributes the brand’s significant growth to the impact of quick commerce. He highlights how this model has notably expanded their market reach, especially in Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities, where traditional supply chains often have limited penetration.

“Among online sales from traditional e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart, and direct website sales, it’s in quick commerce that we see the highest consumer engagement. It’s now integral to our overall digital strategy,” Gupta reports that sales through quick commerce platforms have surged by 45% year-on-year, now accounting for an impressive 87% of 4700BC’s total sales. The brand is prominently featured on major platforms such as Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart, BigBasket, and Amazon Fresh.

Albinder Dhindsa, CEO of Blinkit, a Zomato-backed platform, highlights that sales for contemporary D2C brands are three times higher in Tier-2 cities like Ludhiana and Patiala compared to major metropolitan areas. He attributes this growth to the busy, time-strapped nuclear families in smaller cities, who often lack extended family support systems. Additionally, traditional supply chains face challenges in reaching these regions, resulting in limited product availability, while the demand for new and diverse brands continues to grow.

Harini Sivakumar, founder and CEO of clean beauty brand Earth Rhythm, observes that consumer behavior has shifted significantly with the rise of quick commerce. Today’s consumers are increasingly seeking instant delivery, showing far less tolerance for the multi-day waiting periods commonly associated with conventional e-commerce.

“For essential products such as, say, makeup remover cleansing balm, sunscreen, kohl pencil and lip balm, we’ve seen a drop in sales on platforms like Nykaa and Amazon, which has shifted to quick commerce. Consumers are more open to experimenting with new brands for these basic products,” says Sivakumar.

In the past 18 months since Earth Rhythm launched on Blinkit, the brand’s sales have skyrocketed from Rs 5 lakh to over Rs 1.5 crore per month. “Achieving this level of growth took us three years on Amazon,” says Harini Sivakumar. She adds that they are now revisiting their product range for platforms like Amazon and Nykaa, with a focus on premium, experience-oriented offerings.

According to strategic consultancy RedSeer, India’s quick commerce market is set to expand exponentially, with projections indicating a 10-15 fold growth by 2025, reaching an estimated market size of $5.5 billion (approximately Rs 46,280 crore).

Nasher Miles, a luggage brand, began selling on quick commerce platforms in April this year. Although it may seem unconventional to sell cabin bags and backpacks via such platforms, Lokesh Daga, founder and CEO, notes that the brand is seeing 100% year-on-year growth, albeit from a small starting point. “Quick commerce has truly surprised us and become a major driver of growth,” he remarks.

At present, Nasher Miles offers only its cabin bags, backpacks, and travel accessories on these platforms. Aadit Palicha, co-founder and CEO of Zepto, mentions that Nasher Miles is among the fastest-growing brands on their platform.

Daga further emphasizes that quick commerce customers tend to be highly deliberate in their purchasing decisions, which has led to zero return requests for their products. Similarly, Sivakumar observes that return rates for Earth Rhythm on quick commerce platforms have decreased from the typical 3% to just 1.75-2%.

While the significant growth on these platforms presents exciting opportunities, it also introduces unique challenges for D2C brands. Chirag Gupta of 4700BC highlights that one of the main hurdles is ensuring timely restocking of products at dark stores to meet the increasing demand.

stores to avoid out-of-stock situations. “As a brand, we are learning to keep up with the fast-paced nature of quick commerce, which requires efficient coordination in production planning and swift stock delivery,” he says.

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