The new normal post COVID-19
Even when people change their shopping habits and transfer some of their purchases offline, it was predicted that online grocery ordering will become part of the new normal. The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the main causes for this expansion. In order to adhere to lockdown-related regulations and maintain social isolation, it forced customers, particularly those in metropolitan regions, to use online platforms for everyday grocery shopping.During the pandemic, it was easier for customers to purchase groceries via online platforms because of initiatives like "contactless delivery" and the opportunity to make payments online. Additionally, many who work from home were attempting to strike a balance between work and leisure while still effortlessly getting their groceries online with a few taps on their mobile devices. Online grocery shopping appears to be here to stay at a level far greater than could have been previously imagined, even after life has returned to a state of normalcy after the pandemic.
Quick commerce trends in India
Companies in India are investing money in the quick commerce market. Since most of the products in the grocery market were perishable, companies began creating a rapid commerce, or q-commerce, model of supermarket delivery that takes 10 to 20 minutes. The major online market players are BigBasket, Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, JioMart, and Dunzo are now using quick commerce to deliver groceries within 10-20 minutes to the customers.For the first time, quick commerce has begun to interfere with Kirana or a small grocery store spending. The quick commerce market is set to reach 5.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2025 in India. The fast delivery approach of q-commerce sets it apart from the most conventional e-commerce setup. Additionally, a major food aggregator like Zomato has adopted the q-commerce strategy. The incorporation of new technologies such as delivery through drones, electric vehicles, voice ordering, and automation of dark stores will lead the market to rapid expansion in the future.
