In recent years and during the pandemic, e-commerce has experienced significant development and growth due to the widespread use of delivery, creating new consumers with new habits, demands, lifestyles, less time, etc. Consumers want to complete their purchases as quickly as possible, so the delivery and coordination requirements for receiving orders are essential to the user experience.
Quick commerce focuses primarily on delivery speed, seeking delivery in less than an hour or, in the worst case, on the same day. It also includes the implementation of excellent customer service. This is known as the third generation of online sales.
Following the global implementation of startups that provide delivery services, new consumer profiles have been created, in which the value of speed, convenience, and customer service stands out, regardless of the price they must pay.
Generations of Commerce
In the first generation of commerce, delivery times do not exist, as self-service is prioritized. Stock availability is expected to ensure that all products are available and stored in the store, and consumers' transportation is their own vehicle. Furthermore, purchases are intended for a family of three to four people. Their main interest and attraction are discounts.
The second generation is e-commerce. Estimated delivery times are one to three days, and only the main products are available. Transportation is understood as delivery via truck that takes the products from a large warehouse to the shipping location. Purchases are usually more personal for one or two people. And like traditional commerce, consumers' interest is in discounts.
Meanwhile, the third generation, quick commerce, aims to achieve a dispatch time of one hour from the time the order is placed. Unlike traditional commerce and e-commerce, stock availability consists of small product selections, delivered by bicycle or motorcycle. Storage is in local stores or warehouses and is typically for one person. The main draw for consumer interest is speed of delivery.
More than a term or a new concept, it is a global consumer demand, with a leading edge in more developed countries. Meanwhile, in Latin America, order deliveries take from one to three weeks.