Picture this: You’re hosting friends for dinner, and mid-cooking, you realize that you’re out of olive oil. Panic mode? Not in 2024. Within 10 minutes, you’ll have a bottle delivered to your doorstep. Welcome to the world of quick commerce, where instant gratification isn’t just a desire—it’s an expectation.
Hello Folks!
I’m Ornellius, UX Lead at Vodafone Idea.
Welcome to episode six of <beta> than ever, your ultimate weekly product design guide. With Swiggy’s IPO underway it felt right to dig deep into the amazing world of quick commerce. A few days back, Finshots posted this insight:
The Indian quick commerce market is $700 million!? Say whaaaaaa! I was just blown away by the fact that just a few years back we would have to get out of our house, walk up to our local kirana, purchase groceries and then come back home. Cut to 2024, we casually lounge on our couch while easily ordering groceries and having it delivered in minutes.
But wait a minute, why Is quick commerce such a huge deal now?
The explosive growth of quick commerce in India isn’t just about speed—it’s about understanding the evolving Indian consumer. Let’s break down some of the reasons why this segment is booming:
• Urban Lifestyle Shifts: With more dual-income households and longer working hours, convenience isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity.
• Population Density: Unlike failed quick commerce experiments in the US and UK, India’s dense urban areas make the dark store model actually work.
• Digital Adoption: Post-pandemic, even the most tech-resistant Indians have embraced digital solutions.
• UPI Adoption: Paying via UPI has been a key contributor to the acceleration to digital purchases across all of ecommerce
The Tech Stack Behind the Speed
Building a quick commerce platform is like conducting an orchestra—every component needs to work in perfect harmony. Now you might think that a quick commerce app with a cool recommendation engine, repeat order feature etc is the only thing that is needed. But there’s more that what meets the eye. To deliver at high speeds with tremendous accuracy, quick commerce products generally need the following core applications:
• Customer App: The face of the operation
• Rider App: For delivery partners
• Dark Store Management System: The backend powerhouse
• Admin Dashboard: For operational control
Within these four types of apps, quick commerce companies invest heavily on:
• Prediction Engines: Using AI to forecast demand (because nobody wants to run out of milk during breakfast rush)
• Route Optimization: Because the difference between 9 and 11 minutes could cost you a customer
• Inventory Management: Real-time tracking across dark stores
• Payment Gateway Integration: Multiple options because, well, India
While companies spend tons on understanding their users, I was curious, what do people think about the companies they order from?
So I asked a few friends to share their experience. Here’s what some of them had to say:
• “So there are many times when product is already spoiled when delivered specially during summer, asking for refund is tough if you are not at home. Also now days convenience fees are increasing day by day might change to order from near by grocery store soon”
• “Product discovery and recommendation is the big factor in decision making”
• “I enjoy the festive UI instamart has for every occasion. I also like quick adds (reorder section of the app) – makes it super easy to get everything i need quickly. Generally also think the visuals are superior to most other apps like zepto, which is important to me, but probably because i’m a designer.”
• “There needs to be a easy to find option in the app where you recommend products they don’t have in their inventory.”
• “Of late I prefer to purchase offline and be mindful of the buying. So far, the purchasing habits were mainly driven by the comfort they offer. It was also not planned and on the go. Because of this, we haven’t allocated a time for these activities. Hence we won’t even bother reporting spoilt/rotten stuff. In general I want this to change and be more mindful of planning and buying groceries and veges.”
Most of them didn’t care for free delivery, in fact they cared about a plethora of other things. Here’s what they said:
• the interface is easy to navigate
• they have the products I like to purchase
• the delivery time is the shortest
• best return/refund policy
• they have the products I like to purchase
UX Strategies: Designing for Speed
Here’s where it gets interesting. When designing for quick commerce, every second counts—literally. Some solutions to quick commerce ecosystem problems don’t have anything to do with a screen. It’s majorly because there are so many physical parts that need to be ironed out first. Here are some key strategies that help in creating a successful quick commerce platform:
For Customers
• Minimal Steps: From opening the app to checkout in under 30 seconds
• Smart Recommendations: Based on time of day and previous orders
• Real-time Tracking: Because watching that delivery dot move is oddly satisfying
• Clear Communication: Especially when items are out of stock
For Dark Store Operations
• Large, Clear Fonts: Pickers shouldn’t squint to read orders
• Product Images: Quick visual recognition
• Zone-based Layout: Items arranged by frequency of orders
• Color Coding: For different sections and priorities
For Delivery Agents
• View of their day’s earnings
• Offline activities for delivery agents to feel part of the company
• Clear view of delivery location
The Future is Quick(er)
As Swiggy launches its IPO, the quick commerce space is evolving beyond just groceries. Some trends to watch:
• Category Expansion: From groceries to electronics (yes, getting a phone delivered in 10 minutes is a thing now)
• Smart Integration: IoT devices automatically placing orders when you run low on essentials
• Sustainable Practices: Because speed shouldn’t cost the Earth
• Hyperlocal Personalization: Different dark stores, different inventories based on neighborhood preferences
Wrapping up
Quick commerce isn’t just changing how we shop—it’s changing how we live. As product designers, our challenge is to make this lightning-fast future feel natural and effortless. Because in the end, the best design is one that makes you forget you’re using technology at all.
Remember when ordering food online seemed revolutionary? Well, welcome to the future—it arrives in 10 minutes or less.
Lastly, thank you Abheet, Himani, Joyson, Sennett, Lakshmi, Adarsh, Swapnil, Shrikant, Shruti, Loyster, Antara, and Aloysia for taking time out to share your thoughts and opinions about quick commerce with me
