Q-commerce is in a state of flux. For many observers, that translates to big trouble. The rise and popularity of q-commerce is often tied to covid, and now that the worst of the pandemic is behind us, people assume q-commerce has passed its peak.
In a recent article, q-commerce expert Quaid Combstock claimed “the pandemic created a warped vision of the way people were going to buy their groceries” – a vision that didn’t account for a time when people could leave their homes safely.
Yet, while the increased cost of living might have people asking whether they can still afford the service, for many its necessity won’t have changed. That’s because, far from getting ice cream delivered in under 10 minutes, q-commerce can provide essential access to items at a time when demand might have even increased. Instead of its demise, then, the current trials of rapid delivery players point towards the sector’s reinvention.
Community knowledge
Just as demand for q-commerce rose when people were unable to leave their homes, it must now pivot again to remain relevant to a changing demographic. One way it can do this is by investing in its community. By opening collaborative channels between small business partners and major q-commerce competitors, the sector can re-energise, diversify and even guarantee its own future.
Knowledge sharing in this way has often been a red flag for businesses, as it is perceived to go against the supposedly ‘dog eat dog’ narrative of success. Yet rather than giving away their best-kept secrets, businesses can create a supportive community – one that ensures the sector becomes more self-sustaining and capable of being continually relevant to its customers. This is especially vital right now because the sector has plenty of lessons to share.
Over the course of a transformative few years, the changing face of the sector hasn’t just taken customers by surprise but, at times, businesses too.
Since early 2020, the world has been in a cycle of ‘permacrisis’. As such, there has been a period of accelerated learning. Many businesses have adopted a technology partner to increase digitisation efforts as the dining experience evolves.
Elsewhere, geopolitical factors such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have shown sector players the value of having a voice when it comes to world events – of showing support to couriers and customers based in and outside of affected countries, but also the role the service has to play in times of conflict.
From the pandemic to the cost of living crisis, recent events have placed additional mental strain on employees and have heightened the responsibility of businesses to their teams. This has led to new ways of engaging with our workforces and providing a positive and supportive culture from which to work.
Businesses cannot keep this information to themselves. There will be companies that have not experienced the negative impact of Covid or inflation. But they can still learn the lessons.
As a community, q-commerce should share what it is doing to meet a changing world. Not only for its own business success, but to inspire others and encourage change on a larger scale. There will always be things that take us by surprise, but this can encourage readiness so businesses grow more resilient and missteps don’t prove fatal.
This will only benefit the sector as a whole if we share our successes and best practice – all the while making more room for differentiation and innovation.
Mutual benefits
This is not to say the knowledge would only flow in one direction. If established rapid delivery players convince themselves they have nothing to learn, they will find themselves quickly short of innovation.
More established q-commerce businesses could stand to learn a few things from startups whose entire lifespan has been dominated by recent challenging events. How, for instance, have they managed to survive without their brand being as well established? Did they pivot their business model, or was it borne out of pandemic-era customer needs?
Without the resources of larger, more established companies, smaller businesses would have had to turn to other methods to become more resilient. And these are lessons larger companies could stand to learn – especially ahead of another recession.
By investing in a community of knowledge-sharing, q-commerce can remain a diverse and creative sector that will continue to adapt to a changing customer base and unpredictable global conditions.
The future of rapid delivery has always been about diversification. But that doesn’t mean businesses pulling apart from one another, rather coming together as a community. This can help change the outlook both in and outside of the industry, so that when we think of q-commerce, it’s no longer in a negative context but one based on opportunity.
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