Quick Commerce Supply Chain: Master Last-Mile Delivery Magic

Discover how fast-moving supply chains power Quick Commerce through dark stores, real-time tech & hyperlocal delivery.

What you'll learn

Learn about the rapid rise of Q-Commerce, how it differs from traditional e-commerce

Various business models in Q-Commerce, including the dark store model, inventory-led vs. marketplace-led approaches

Role of cutting-edge technologies in Q-Commerce operations, such as real-time tracking, order management systems, and delivery fleet management

How to handle demand forecasting in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with rapidly changing customer demands

Strategies to reduce last-mile delivery costs and improve margins.

Role of KPIs in managing demand for Q-Commerce platforms

Key components of unit economics and how they apply to Q-Commerce

The journey of the retail sector from traditional e-commerce to Q-Commerce

Career and business opportunities in the Q-commerce ecosystem

End-to-end supply chain design for 10-minute delivery systems

Requirements

The Willingness to Learn

Basic understanding of Supply Chain

Description

Welcome to "Q-Commerce Supply Chain: From Dark Stores to Last-Mile Magic" — your ultimate guide to understanding how India’s fastest-growing companies like Zepto, Blinkit, and Swiggy Instamart etc are transforming the world of supply chain and logistics.In the age of instant gratification, customers expect groceries, snacks, medicines, and daily essentials to be delivered at their doorstep in under 15 minutes. But how exactly do these platforms make that happen? What kind of supply chain operates at such lightning speed? What systems and strategies drive this level of performance?In this course, you'll dive deep into the evolution of Quick Commerce (Q-Commerce) — from traditional retail to 10-minute deliveries — and explore how hyperlocal logistics, dark store models, real-time inventory management, and predictive demand forecasting are redefining the way businesses serve customers.Whether you're a supply chain professional, startup founder, MBA student, or simply curious about the future of e-commerce, this course offers practical insights and actionable knowledge across every stage of the Q-Commerce value chain.We’ll also explore case studies of India’s leading Q-Commerce players, global trends, and marketing strategies used to acquire and retain customers in this ultra-competitive space.By the end of this course, you’ll have a comprehensive understanding of how modern supply chains operate in the Q-Commerce era — and how you can apply these learnings to grow your career, business, or startup.Are you ready to master the fastest supply chains in the world?Enroll now and get future-ready with Quick Commerce!

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 Kickoff & Setting up Yourself Up for Success

Lecture 2 Next Big Wave

Lecture 3 Instructor’s Profile

Lecture 4 What Does the Course Cover

Lecture 5 Frequently asked Questions

Section 2: Introduction to Supply Chain Management

Lecture 6 Do we really need to study Supply Chain in the age of 10-minute deliveries?

Lecture 7 Key components of a retail supply chain

Lecture 8 SCM impact customer satisfaction and profitability

Lecture 9 Modern trends in SCM

Section 3: From E-Commerce to Q-Commerce – The Evolution

Lecture 10 Overview of Retail sector

Lecture 11 COVID 19 Pandemic = Opportunities

Lecture 12 Traditional e-commerce and its evolution

Lecture 13 Difference between same-day, next-day, and Q-Commerce

Lecture 14 What led to the rise of hyperlocal and instant delivery models?

Lecture 15 Omnichannel fulfillment and relation to Q-Commerce

Lecture 16 Challenges and Opportunities Faced by Local shops

Lecture 17 Lessons from e-commerce logistics apply to Q-Commerce

Section 4: What is Quick Commerce and Why Is It Booming?

Lecture 18 What is Quick Commerce? Is it an impulse buying model?

Lecture 19 How is Q-Commerce different from traditional e-commerce?

Lecture 20 Competitive landscape of Q Commerce

Lecture 21 Q-Commerce booming in urban India

Lecture 22 India vs Western countries Q-Commerce Model

Lecture 23 Urban India challenges being addressed by Q Commerce

Lecture 24 Did the founder create Q-Commerce need or was it already in consumers?

Lecture 25 Why are customers demanding 10-minute deliveries?

Lecture 26 Core stakeholders in a Q-Commerce supply chain

Lecture 27 Career in Q-Commerce

Section 5: From Grofers to Blinkit – Evolution of a Q-Commerce Pioneer

Lecture 28 What was the original Grofers business model?

Lecture 29 Why didn’t the original Grofers model scale profitably?

Lecture 30 Lesson learned from Grofers 1.0

Lecture 31 How did Grofers become Blinkit?

Lecture 32 Why does the old Grofers model not work anymore in India’s current market?

Section 6: Different Business Models in Q-Commerce

Lecture 33 Two main supply chain models used

Lecture 34 Understanding the dark store model and how it operates in Q-Commerce.

Lecture 35 Dark Stores vs Partner Stores: Which one scales faster?

Lecture 36 Inventory-led vs Marketplace-led: What works in Q-Commerce?

Lecture 37 Why is capital efficiency critical in scaling Q-Commerce?

Lecture 38 How are dark stores optimized for efficiency in Q-Commerce?

Lecture 39 Upfront investments required to set up a dark store

Section 7: Technologies Power Q-Commerce

Lecture 40 Technologies power Q-Commerce operations

Lecture 41 Importance of mobile technology for Q Commerce's success

Lecture 42 Real-time tracking and order management

Lecture 43 What systems ensure seamless customer experiences?

Lecture 44 How is data used to optimize operations?

Lecture 45 Quick Commerce Technology teams and operations in a 24/7 business model

Lecture 46 How is Generative AI being practically used to optimize Q-Commerce operations?

Section 8: Managing Gig Workforce and Delivery Excellence

Lecture 47 Rider incentives and Routing systems

Lecture 48 Does Q commerce face societal integration issues when employing unskilled worker

Lecture 49 Opportunities for unskilled workforce

Lecture 50 How are delivery drivers assigned to orders?

Lecture 51 Challenges faced by delivery partners in the hyperlocal model

Lecture 52 Delivery partner retention and satisfaction

Lecture 53 Why is delivery experience critical for long-term retention in Q-Commerce?

Lecture 54 Q Commerce as Job Creator

Section 9: Culture, Leadership & Execution

Lecture 55 Culture of innovation and ownership

Lecture 56 Mindset and long-term planning

Lecture 57 Leadership qualities to Scale

Lecture 58 Nature of work evolved and discipline at work

Section 10: Customer Behavior, Experience & Retention

Lecture 59 How do Q-Commerce companies ensure a great customer experience?

Lecture 60 What role does app UX/UI play in retention?

Lecture 61 How do reviews, refunds, and issue resolution impact loyalty?

Lecture 62 What is the Net Promoter Score (NPS) and how is it used?

Lecture 63 What CRM tools and strategies are effective in Q-Commerce?

Lecture 64 How is Indian consumer behavior evolving with Q-Commerce?

Lecture 65 Why will Q-Commerce replace many traditional grocery shopping behaviors?

Lecture 66 How does city-specific behavior influence Q-Commerce operations?

Lecture 67 How does micro-market adaptability impact Q-Commerce success in India?

Section 11: Financial Market Debut & Investment Strategies in Quick Commerce

Lecture 68 Q-Commerce startups raise large amounts of capital early

Lecture 69 Valuation methods

Lecture 70 Biggest red flags in Q-Commerce financial statements

Lecture 71 Valuation by investor

Lecture 72 Key financial indicators for Q-Commerce IPO readiness

Lecture 73 Why is financial discipline critical for Q-Commerce startups?

Section 12: Marketing Strategy

Lecture 74 Acquire customers quickly

Lecture 75 Most effective marketing channels

Lecture 76 Personalize Brand Promotions

Lecture 77 Customer segmentation

Lecture 78 Commerce enable impulse buying through design

Lecture 79 Role of influencers and social commerce

Lecture 80 Brand loyalty

Lecture 81 Marketing efforts vary across Tier-1 vs Tier-2 cities

Section 13: Brand Building Without Heavy Discounts

Lecture 82 Build brands without Discounts

Lecture 83 Discounts are dangerous

Section 14: Inventory Management

Lecture 84 Inventory model supports 10-minute delivery

Lecture 85 Inventory replenished in dark stores

Lecture 86 How do platforms deal with perishable items?

Lecture 87 How do stockouts and overstock impact profitability?

Lecture 88 Manage Vendors and Sourcing at Speed

Lecture 89 How do Q-Commerce firms source the right products from right vendors?

Lecture 90 Why is hyperlocal inventory assortment critical in Indian Q-Commerce?

Section 15: What Happens When Things Go Wrong?

Lecture 91 Behind the scenes when you tap 'Place Order' on your favorite app

Lecture 92 Most common risks and failures in Q-Commerce

Lecture 93 How do companies handle delays, cancellations, or errors?

Lecture 94 Customer service managed in real-time

Section 16: What Are the Labor and Ethical Considerations?

Lecture 95 What ethical issues exist in Q-Commerce?

Lecture 96 How are riders managed, monitored, and incentivized?

Lecture 97 Safety and well-being of delivery drivers

Lecture 98 Legal challenges are emerging in this sector

Lecture 99 Do delivery partners get incentivized for faster deliveries? Should they?

Lecture 100 Future trends in last-mile delivery

Section 17: Demand Forecasting Work at Hyper Speed

Lecture 101 Forecast demand that changes hourly

Lecture 102 Tools or techniques improve accuracy in Q-Commerce forecasting

Lecture 103 Biggest forecasting challenges in a 10-minute delivery environment

Lecture 104 Supply chain KPIs for Q-Commerce

Section 18: How Is Last-Mile Delivery Managed in Minutes?

Lecture 105 Last-mile logistics handled in minutes

Lecture 106 Technologies used for fast delivery

Lecture 107 Delivery fleets management

Lecture 108 Value Chain Analysis

Section 19: Payment

Lecture 109 Mode of Payment

Lecture 110 Delivery partner payments structure

Lecture 111 Incentives and performance bonuses work

Section 20: Role of Reverse Logistics in Q-Commerce

Lecture 112 Why Reverse logistics?

Lecture 113 Reverse logistics and how is it different in Q-Commerce

Lecture 114 Product complaints and returns handled

Lecture 115 Common return categories in Q-Commerce

Lecture 116 Companies manage reprocessing and restocking

Section 21: Innovation and Service Expansion

Lecture 117 Why Did Q-Commerce Expand to Printouts, Food & Even Ambulances?

Lecture 118 How Q Commerce evaluate whether to enter new categories like fashion/medicine?

Lecture 119 Which products work best and which ones face challenges?

Lecture 120 Why is “product discovery” becoming a hidden engine of Q-Commerce growth?

Lecture 121 Are there products/service that shouldn’t be delivered in 10 minutes?

Lecture 122 More profitable Product/Service categories

Lecture 123 Inter-city supply chains and why are they investing early?

Lecture 124 Regionalization of supply chains

Lecture 125 Dangers of scaling too fast

Lecture 126 Hyper-local product assortment critical for scaling to Tier-2/Tier-3 cities?

Lecture 127 Expanding into fresh food, café offerings, and printouts

Lecture 128 How does Quick Commerce decide which new service to launch?

Lecture 129 Is Tier 2 better than Tier 3 cities?

Lecture 130 Approach to Innovation & Expansion

Lecture 131 Favourable government initiatives

Section 22: Is Q-Commerce Environmentally Sustainable?

Lecture 132 Sustainability concerns

Lecture 133 How are companies addressing waste and environmental impact?

Lecture 134 What role does electric mobility play?

Section 23: How Do You Ensure Q-Commerce Is Profitable?

Lecture 135 Can Q-Commerce be profitable?

Lecture 136 What are the key components of unit economics?

Lecture 137 What levers can improve margins ?

Lecture 138 What are the common cost drivers and how to control them?

Lecture 139 What are the key levers to reduce last-mile delivery costs?

Lecture 140 Strategies to reduce customer acquisition costs

Lecture 141 Balance growth with profitability

Lecture 142 Why does vertical integration matter so much in Q-Commerce supply chains?

Lecture 143 What role does vertical integration play in dark store profitability?

Lecture 144 How does Q Commerce measure store-level success?

Section 24: What Can We Learn from Global Q-Commerce Players?

Lecture 145 Top global Q-Commerce companies and what do they do differently

Lecture 146 Global trends relevant to India

Lecture 147 Q-Commerce: unique business in the Indian context

Section 25: Road Ahead

Lecture 148 Opportunities in the future

Lecture 149 Current challenges

Lecture 150 Future challenges

Lecture 151 Will Q-Commerce become the default mode of shopping in urban areas?

Lecture 152 Will 10-minute delivery still be viable in 2030—or will the market shift?

Lecture 153 Is "trust" more important than speed in the long run ?

Lecture 154 Will traditional supermarkets survive against Q-Commerce?

Lecture 155 What does "long-termism" mean to Q-Commerce founders?

Lecture 156 How does family (parents) influence product feedback?

Section 26: Case studies

Lecture 157 Journey of Zomato/Blinkit

Lecture 158 Road Map of Zepto

Lecture 159 BB Now – Bigbasket’s Quick Commerce Journey

Lecture 160 Pincode – PhonePe’s Disruptive Leap

Lecture 161 Journey of Swiggy/Instamart

Lecture 162 Can Amazon Reclaim Its Prime Edge?

Section 27: Founder’s Secret Insight

Lecture 163 Insight 1

Lecture 164 Insight 2

Lecture 165 Insight 3

Lecture 166 Insight 4

Lecture 167 Insight 5

Section 28: Ultimate Challenge

Section 29: Closing Remark

Lecture 168 Final Reflection

Lecture 169 Essential Readings 1

Lecture 170 Essential Readings 2

Lecture 171 Application Base Questions

Lecture 172 Course Disclaimer

Section 30: Bonus Lecture

Lecture 173 Bonus

Anyone working in supply chain management, logistics, or operations who wants to understand how to adapt traditional models to the fast-paced world of Q-Commerce and last-mile delivery.,E-commerce and retail professionals looking to transition or expand into the Q-Commerce space, particularly those responsible for inventory management, fulfillment strategies, or customer delivery.,Aspiring entrepreneurs or startup founders aiming to launch a Q-Commerce business or innovate within the fast delivery space. This course will provide valuable insights into business models, profitability, and growth strategies.,MBA students, especially those specializing in supply chain, operations, or marketing, who want to gain practical knowledge about Q-Commerce trends, technologies, and strategies.,Professionals already in logistics, e-commerce, or retail industries who want to keep up with emerging trends, understand the latest business models, and improve their knowledge of Q-Commerce to stay competitive.