Q-commerce – alternative to traditional commerce

One of the latest trends in the e-commerce industry is the so-called Q-Commerce, which is valued at $72 billion by 2025. What is the phenomenon of this solution and how can you start implementing it in your company right now? Let’s check it out!

What is Q-Commerce all about?

Q-Commerce (a.k.a. Quick Commerce)is another alternative besides e-commerce and m-commerce. As one can easily see, the ever-emerging changes in this industry influence the dynamics of its development. In this case, Q-Commerce refers to the focus on providing express delivery to the customer by keeping the process efficient and the quality of the product or service high.

The entire sales process should fit within 24 hours. Usually, they even fit within 30 minutes from the time the order is placed. Why is this aspect receiving so much attention? This is because consumers largely on this basis, judge the quality of service and satisfaction with the purchase.

Features of Q-Commerce

What are the characteristics of fast trading? These include:

• Specific goods – this concept was most readily adapted during the coronavirus pandemic and for smaller orders of food items or medicines. It also applies to smaller-sized products, as such are easier to quickly pick, ship and deliver to the customer;
• Short deadlines – this business model specifies that it should take less than an hour to complete an order;
• Selected locations – due to the nature of this solution, its implementation is possible only in adapted warehouse spaces and locations (mostly in urban areas, and city centers);
• Well-planned logistics – such fast order processing and delivery of goods requires effective management of the various logistics processes;
• Opportunity to build a competitive advantage and a unique selling proposition (USP) – Instant delivery can be an element that sets a company apart from other businesses in the market;
• Positive User Experience – fast commerce fulfills a specific customer need (fast and hassle-free delivery), which increases satisfaction with the service and brand loyalty;
• Real-time order tracking; It is gradually introduced by key players in the e-commerce market, e.g. Amazon and drone order delivery;
• Increasingly, affiliate marketing partnerships in cooperation with influencers are used to promote Q-Commerce;
• Focus on sustainable business development – this is now an increasingly important part of doing business, so companies in this industry are looking for solutions to make their business goals in the spirit of ecology, care for the environment and the community, e.g., the use of reusable packaging;
• New jobs – with the increase in market share, there will also be an increased demand for employees in this industry, especially drivers, delivering goods. There may also be demand for complex customer service employees and e-commerce sales specialists.

Q-Commerce challenges

Like any solution, it has its pros and cons. It is worth being aware of the challenges that come with implementing this strategy so that you can prepare for them accordingly.

• An issue that should not be ignored is that due to the high demand for instant delivery, the competitive struggle will be intense. This may lead at a later stage to an increase in the price of the service (companies will want to compensate themselves for lower profits) and a reduction in the quality of service (the fight for the customer may turn into mass order-taking).
• ICT security – companies in an industry based on e-commerce have to reckon with cyber security threats. Without expert software and the use of preventive measures, crimes can be attempted. For example, personal data of customers, suppliers appearing on payment cards or transaction details can be stolen. This, as a result, can negatively affect the image not only of the company in question but also of the entire Q-Commerce industry.

How to implement the Q-Commerce model?

If you think this alternative to traditional trading can work for your business, implement the following:

1. Make sure you work with a trusted and reliable courier company. If not, look for one. The key element is the speed of delivery to the customer.
2. Pay attention to efficient inventory management and adjusting the warehouse in such a way as to maximize order collection and shipping time.
3. Introduce automation of warehouse and sales processes to optimize the time and resources required for delivery.
4. Take care of the visual aspect and functionality of the website or mobile app. After all, these are the communication channels that are most likely to work well for this kind of service.
5. Try to shorten the customer’s purchase path to a minimum, so as not to discourage them with excessive redirects. In addition, provide several payment types (including installment or 30-day deferred payment) and several ways to deliver the goods.

Q-Commerce in practice – examples of companies

What brands have already decided to start implementing the Q-Commerce model? Examples include the world’s largest online retailer or the Spanish high-speed commerce start-up Amazon and Glovo.

Amazon

The 2022 company unveiled how to deliver customer orders faster and more efficiently. It decided to use drones for this purpose, which would deliver everyday products free of charge. At the moment, the service is in the testing phase in California and Texas. Its launch is scheduled for 2024. According to the assumptions, the technology is expected to enable the delivery of goods up to only 30 minutes after the order is placed.

Glovo

It is a mobile application that allows you to order on-demand delivery of, for example, food, groceries, and courier packages. In urban areas, orders are delivered within 30 minutes as part of the Q-commerce strategy. Spain was the first country to roll out the service, to expand its territorial reach after that. The plan also included the construction of so-called dark stores, or dedicated warehouses for handling online orders. This was to allow the product delivery time to be reduced as much as possible.

Summary

It seems that with the rapid growth of e-commerce, a solution such as Q-Commerce will prove to be a hit. The focus on high-quality service combined with lightning-fast delivery may indeed meet the needs of today’s consumers and gain popularity in the coming years. It is therefore a direction that is probably worth taking an interest in and trying to implement its elements into your business strategy.

Read also: Business cycles in economy

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