D2C x Diwali on Qcommerce

Hey readers,

Welcome to the tenth edition of D2C Cents!

This edition? We talk about:

• Why Diwali on quick commerce is nothing like Diwali on Amazon or Flipkart

• 5 tactical moves to win the last-minute purchase game

• The sharpest D2C news that matters

It's October 19, 6 PM. Your relatives just confirmed they're coming over at 8 PM for the Diwali card party.

You need: fancy namkeen, playing cards (because your spouse lost last year's deck), tea lights, and mithai that doesn't scream "bought from the corner store."

Traditional solution: 45-minute market trip through traffic, settling for whatever's left.

Well-established new behaviour: Open Blinkit. Scan. Add to cart. Delivered in 10 minutes.

According to the Chryseum Report, quick commerce grew 73% from FY23 to FY24 - five times faster than e-commerce's 14% growth. That’s a given, but here's the surprising part: quick commerce's penetration rate is only 7% of the potential market, which was poised to increase to 8% during the festive season.

And the playbook that wins in E-commerce actively hurts your quick commerce performance.

Many D2C brands treat quick commerce like "faster Amazon."

But the purchase psychology is completely different. 75% of online grocery buyers saw a jump in unplanned purchase in the last six months, while 53% of buyers place more than five orders monthly on quick commerce platforms

If Amazon is like Window Shopping at a Mall, Quick Commerce is like your local Kirana where you go and buy a specific cooking oil / Dal.

Quick Commerce strategies differ strongly from E-commerce, here’s why:

• Search intent is hyper-specific: Unlike Ecom - Users search "boAt Airdopes" not "wireless earbuds under 2000." Keyword strategy shifts from feature-based to model-specific. Smart brands even cross-bid on competitor models - for eg. Boult bidding on top boAt keywords.

• Users don't scroll: First fold of homepage or search page is your only shot. If you're not visible in the initial scroll, you don't exist, period.

• Visibility is Gold: Being visible on the first page of any section or the cart page, or top banners / strips on high footfall pages can make or break a brand in Qcommerce

• Your product thumbnail is the ONLY decision trigger in a 90-second browse window

• Purchases happen 2-4 hours before need, not 2 weeks. Therefore, little to no scope for discount seeking

Not all festive purchases belong on quick commerce. Understanding where your product sits determines your entire strategy.

4700BC sales through quick commerce platforms are growing at an impressive 45% year-on-year and now account for a massive 87% of their total sales. The brand explicitly credits quick commerce as integral to its digital strategy.

Move 1: First Fold Discovery Optimization

The Reality:

What This Means:

• Time-based bidding: Breakfast needs peak 6-9 AM, pooja essentials surge in morning hours, party items spike 5-9 PM. Match your ad spend to your category's peak hours.

• Keyword specificity matters: Bid on exact model numbers of bestsellers in your category, not generic terms. If you sell premium playing cards, bid on "Ace playing cards" (the bestseller), not just "playing cards."

• First fold = first sale: If your product doesn't appear in the initial scroll during peak hours, increase bids aggressively during those slots. Being visible for 2 hours at peak is better than 12 hours off-peak.

The Cost Reality: First-fold placement is expensive, but the conversion rate justifies it. A 3-8% conversion on quick commerce beats 1.5-3% on Meta/Google even at 2X the cost.

Move 2: Strategic Bundling

The Psychology:

Bundle Types That Work:

Bestseller Hijacking: "Complete the Experience"

• Vanilla ice cream is the #1 dessert seller? Create a "Gulab Jamun + Ice Cream" Diwali bundle

• Top-selling chai sells 1000 units/day? Bundle your namkeen as "Perfect Chai Pairing"

• Position your product as the natural complement to what customers already buy

Occasion Bundles: "Card Night Essentials"

• Playing cards + namkeen + chai = single-click solution

• Positioned as "stress-free hosting"

Serving Size Bundles: "For 8 People"

• Removes mental math

• Sweets + savory + paper plates

• Clear value communication

Swiggy Instamart reported that combo packs contributed 12–15% to AOV during promotional campaigns.

Move 3: The Cart Page Opportunity

The Overlooked Truth:

What's Happening on Cart Pages:

• Sampling offers: "Add ₹50, get free sample of [your product]"

• Last-minute additions: "Customers buying this also added..." recommendations

• Cart discount triggers: "Add 1 more item for ₹100 off"

Your Strategy:

• Be cart-additive: If someone's buying party snacks worth ₹450, can your ₹99 product get them to a ₹500 cart discount threshold? You're solving their discount math, not just selling your product.

• Impulse positioning: "Forgot something? Customers also bought..." section on cart page converts 3-5% of viewers because intent is already high.

• Payment page visibility: Some platforms allow sponsored products on the payment confirmation screen - "Complete your Diwali prep" positioning works here.

Move 4: Peak Hour Precision - Morning AND Evening

The Pattern:

Morning Peak: 6-9 AM ← Breakfast and Pooja Essentials

• Categories that win: Fresh milk, bread, breakfast items, pooja flowers, incense, diyas

• Purchase behaviour: Planned, repeat buyers, high basket predictability

• Strategy: If you're in these categories, bid aggressively 6-9 AM. Outside these categories, save your budget.

Evening Peak: 5-9 PM ← Entertainment and Last-Minute Needs

• Categories that win: Party snacks, beverages, desserts, entertainment items, forgotten essentials, festive decor

• Purchase behavior: Impulse-driven, urgency-based, convenience over price

• Strategy: This is where festive entertaining products should focus 80% of ad spend

The Cost Arbitrage: Many brands bid equally across all hours. Smart brands concentrate firepower during their category's natural peak, achieving 2-3X better ROAS.

Order peaks are clustered around these windows, with younger shoppers favoring on-demand purchases for evening snacks, games or forgotten toiletries.

Move 5: CPAS Strategy - Meta Meets Quick Commerce

The Sophisticated Play:

How CPAS (Collaborative Performance Advertising Solutions) Works:

• Platform provides audience data: Users who've purchased in your category in the last 30 days

• You run Meta ads: Targeting these high-intent users

• Click goes directly to quick commerce: Not your website, but your Blinkit product page

• Conversion tracking: Full funnel visibility from Meta impression to quick commerce purchase

Why This Matters for Diwali:

• Target users who bought card party supplies last Diwali

• Retarget cart abandoners with "Still in stock" messaging

• Conquest competitors' customers with "Better alternative" positioning

The Platform Reality: Quick commerce platforms offer 1.5–2 times higher ROAS compared to standalone Meta and Google campaigns, with sales conversions of 3-8% versus 1.5-3% on traditional platforms.

The Pricing Psychology Nobody Talks About

On Amazon during Big Billion Days, a 30% discount drives conversion.

On quick commerce at 7 PM before your party, customers pay 15-20% premium for certainty.

The game isn't discount depth. It’s availability certainty.

82% of consumers have shifted at least one-fourth of their grocery spending from Kirana stores to quick commerce platforms, proving customers value convenience over price.

When someone browses playing cards at 5 PM when guests are scheduled to arrive at 8 PM, they're not comparison shopping. They're paying for problem-solving.products more affordable" - framing regulatory changes as brand purpose fulfillment.

The Diwali festive window is narrow, but the learnings are permanent.

Brands that crack quick commerce during Diwali set themselves up for the wedding season, Holi, and every last-minute entertaining occasion.

See you next edition - same time, deeper insights.

Until then, keep building strategically.
Abhishek