What Quick Commerce Needs Beyond Speed? The real competitive advantage in q-commerce lies beneath the surface, in the systems and infrastructure that make this speed viable at scale, says Anshul Singhal Co-Founder And Md, Welspun One Logistics Parks

India's quick com merce sector is at a tipping point. With gross merchandise value projected to reach $9.95 billion by 2029 and a surge of 75-100% y-o-y in monthly transacting users, what began as an urban convenience is now becoming a national habit. Consumers have grown used to groceries, gadgets, and daily essentials arriving in minutes. But as competition intensifies and operating costs mount, one thing is becoming clear: speed alone is no longer a differentiator - it's a given. The real competitive advantage in q-commerce lies beneath the surface, in the systems and infrastructure that make this speed viable at scale.

Today, the game is not just about how fast you can deliver once, but how consistently, profit ably, and sustainably you can do it across India's urban sprawl. While customer expectations are soaring, profitability remains elusive. Most q-commerce players operate on wafer-thin margins, with delivery costs eating into unit economics. In fact, leading platforms are still losing ₹20–50 per order on average, despite growing volumes. As brands fight for market share, they're discovering that you can't subsidize speed forever. The sector's future now hinges on reducing the cost per delivery not by slowing down, but by reengineering the ecosystem, starting with better-located, smarter urban infrastructure. The core constraint in q-commerce isn't consumer demand, its fulfillment proximity. India's top cities are facing a crunch on Grade-A warehousing space.

What's needed is a shift from legacy warehousing on the periphery to tech enabled, in-city Grade-A micro-fulfilment hubs. Modern fulfillment centers are no longer passive storage spaces, they are productivity engines. The next-generation Grade-A warehousing facilities are designed for throughput and agility, with features like automation-ready layouts, high floor load capacities, temperature controlled zones, and advanced racking systems. Built with ESG compliance and fire, zoning, and safety norms baked in, these assets not only meet today's operational demands but accelerate speed-to-market. Designed for API integration with tenant tech platforms, they enable real-time inventory visibility, smart replenishment, and efficient dock-to-door routing, all of which are critical for q-commerce.

Unlike retrofitted godowns or legacy industrial parks, these assets don't just support logistics, they elevate it. These spaces also create new touchpoints. Q-commerce brands can operate product experience zones or dark stores within high-footfall areas, bridging the gap between physical and digital retail, a proven consumer engagement strategy in dense urban markets like Singapore and Seoul (McKinsey, 2023). Infrastructure decisions today will shape whether q-commerce companies are seen as merely fast, or also responsible, resilient, and respected. With increasing scrutiny on urban air quality and emissions, shorter delivery routes enabled by in-city hubs can reduce carbon emissions by up to 25% per order. Add to that energy-efficient facilities and consolidated deliveries, and you have a logistics model that aligns with climate goals and customer demands. India's q-commerce sector no longer needs validation, it needs structure.

The early play book of raising capital, building brand loyalty, and offering hyper-speed delivery has reached its limits. The next wave of leadership will come from those who pair consumer-first thinking with infra-first execution. Because the future of quick commerce won't be defined by who delivers in 10 minutes. It will be defined by who still can, 10 years from now.