Quick commerce is expected to outpace traditional e-commerce this festive season, as consumers increasingly turn to instant-delivery platforms for gifting, home décor and other convenience-led purchases. According to Datum Intelligence's 2025 Festive Barometer, overall festive sales grew 31% to cross ₹1.24 trillion, with grocery (including quick commerce) being the fastest-growing category at 45% year-on-year growth. India's quick-commerce gross merchandise value is projected to rise from $11.3 billion in FY26 to about $60 billion by FY31, according to Anand Rathi Research. The festival season typically runs from August with Independence Day until new year's eve, making this period crucial for platform growth and consumer adoption.
Direct-to-consumer (D2C) startups across food, beverages, fashion, consumer electronics and lifestyle categories are strategically using quick commerce platforms as launch and discovery channels ahead of the festive season. These startups are treating QCom as more than just a fulfillment channel, using the August-December festive window to introduce new categories, expand their assortment and test consumer response. Several companies expect the channel to contribute significantly to sales growth during this period, with the shift being driven by evolving consumer behaviour as customers increasingly opt for last-minute purchases or spur-of-the-moment celebrations.
Leads Brand Connect is targeting ₹100-150 crore in sales from QCom platforms alone in the current financial year, while frozen meat startup Zappfresh expects QCom to add 25-30% to its current D2C sales run-rate over the next six to nine months. Consumer electronics startup SnapUp is targeting approximately ₹5 crore in sales on QCom platform during the remaining months of the year, and beverage company Borécha expects a 25-30% increase in QCom channel volumes over coming quarters. Stellaris Venture Partners-backed home décor brand Nestasia expects the channel to account for 15% of its sales this festive season, up from 10% last year, with average order value around ₹600-700.
Quick commerce platforms are increasingly adopting gamification mechanics to enhance customer engagement during the festive season. Brands are implementing spin-to-win wheels, instant-win campaigns, festive quizzes, and digital advent calendars to create more interactive experiences. These mechanisms help brands cut through the noise of seasonal promotions and give customers clear reasons to participate, with memory games, catch games, and product recommendation quizzes being particularly effective for product discovery and customer retention. The holiday marketing season presents unique challenges as customers face bombardment from dozens of brands, making interactive campaigns essential for standing out and driving repeat visits.
Fashion quick commerce startup Zilo has launched a mall-to-home delivery model aimed at bringing the in-store shopping experience directly to consumers. Founded by former Flipkart and Myntra executives Padmakumar Pal and Bhavik Jhaveri, Zilo raised $15.3 million in Series A funding earlier this year to support expansion and technology investments. The mall-to-home concept addresses the key challenge in online fashion retail: the inability to physically assess products before purchase. By combining digital browsing with home-based trials, Zilo is attempting to replicate some elements of the traditional shopping experience while retaining the convenience of e-commerce. The initiative comes as quick commerce players increasingly expand beyond grocery and daily essentials into categories such as fashion, apparel, lifestyle products, and accessories.
Beverage company Borécha is using QCom as a launchpad for the debut of Bun-Taa! Orange Pop, a zero-sugar probiotic orange soda, on Swiggy Instamart. Following this launch, Orange Pop will be expanded to Blinkit, Zepto, BigBasket, Amazon and Flipkart in coming months. The company spokesperson noted that QCom has become an important discovery channel as it puts new products in front of consumers at the point of impulse beverage decision. Plant-based frozen dessert brand 1.5 Degree is in talks with Zepto to launch its kulfi, which would be its first listing on a QCom marketplace, timed around the festive gifting season. The festive catch game and memory challenge mechanics are particularly effective for beverage and specialty products, helping brands turn products into more memorable branded experiences.
