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Business Standard
6 hours ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Ascendas Firstspace looking to enter qcom logistics warehousing mkt
Warehouses or dark stores larger than 3,000 sq ft would lead to longer time durations for quick commerce deliveries, affecting the business cases for players like Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart and others premium Gulveen Aulakh New Delhi Listen to This Article Singapore-based CapitaLand-backed Ascendas Firstspace is aggressively looking to gain a foothold in the quick commerce logistics warehousing market, where dark stores ranging between 2,000-3,000 sq ft sporadically located across urban centers are in high demand. 'We don't have any in-city developments right now but we're actively looking out. We haven't found the right piece of land for the right price for us to invest, which made sense for us from a return perspective, but we're definitely keen,' Aloke Bhuniya, chief executive officer at Ascendas Firstspace Development Management, told Business Standard. The company has nearly $6 billion in assets under management
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Pop-ups, ads, banners and games: How quick commerce app designs have changed
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The app screens of quick commerce platforms are increasingly resembling those of today's TV news channels: crowded with ads, pop-ups and banners. And, it doesn't seem to be going well with site X is flooded with user complaints about the clutter they need to negotiate while placing orders on these ran a survey to gauge user reactions to these changes, and 62% of the respondents said they have noticed many more visual elements on quick commerce apps than before. ET also spoke with some users, and almost all of them said the apps look cluttered and that navigation has become a challenge. Most now just use the search bar to type what they need.'Instamart has more pop-ups and animations coming up now, which is a distraction for someone like me who just wants to order something quickly,' said a Bengaluru-based user.'I use quick commerce apps regularly and I think Zepto and Instamart have more graphics on their apps than others. Zepto especially seems to have increased pop-up ads on its interface,' said another leader Blinkit's user interface, according to respondents to the survey, is less cluttered than the nearest users said they prefer apps that have a simpler user interface (UI) and offer a less taxing user experience (UX).Zepto, Blinkit and Instamart did not respond to ET's queries on their changing UI/UX designs and consumer commerce apps are pulling out all the stops to retain consumers amid intense competition, while also under pressure to turn to industry experts, these companies seem to believe that apps with fast-moving graphics, interactive games and banners, as well as sponsored content, are the best way to achieve this instance, two weeks back, Zepto integrated mini games such as 'blow the candles' and 'release the balloons' on the app. These games appear on the screen as soon as a user opens the app.'These apps have ads and banners on the first half of the page and also on the bottom right corner which is the area where the user's thumb can easily access,' said Tushar Shahi, a Bengaluru-based software engineer. 'Usually companies try to fit ads, important information and sponsored content in these areas because there are more chances of interaction. However, from a user's perspective, it could make the app feel cluttered and difficult to use.'UI/UX designers and software developers say the front page of the app is the key to retain a user. 'It is important that the front page of the app loads within seconds. It must have all the necessary options like search bar, category section, etc., within the top half of the page because that's where the users' eyes first go,' said to Chandan Mishra, chief technology officer as quick commerce companies increase their assortment of products and have more direct-to-consumer brands on board, it becomes essential to have videos and banners on the app informing users about the new brand and its products. provides AI solutions for digital marketplaces such as Amazon Myntra and Swiggy 'Platforms are onboarding more D2C brands and increasing the assortment because they need to increase the margins on their earnings,' Mishra said. 'Customers need to know about the new brands and what they offer before making a purchase. This is why you will see short videos of some products on these apps. This is helping the customers make informed decisions. Platforms are still figuring out how to make the UI/UX work on top of this.'Furthermore, to stand out from the pack, quick commerce apps have been trying to build brand recall value through UI/UX tweaks. For instance, last month Zepto introduced a search prompt, 'Monday', which throws up results for coffee, tea, massagers, chocolates, etc. This happened after a LinkedIn user suggested this would be a good way for Zepto to drive away customers' Monday number of discounts and segments such as 'super saver' and 'maxxsaver' on the apps has also increased significantly. ET reported on June 16 that across quick commerce platforms, the average discounts in various categories rose to 20–25% on maximum retail price compared with below 10% two years the number of sponsored products and brands on the apps has increased significantly. Revenue from advertising has been a key margin driver for consumer internet fiscal 2025, top quick commerce companies, including Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart, together posted ad revenues of more than Rs 3,000 crore. According to industry executives, more than 90% of the revenue from these ads flows directly to a company's bottom average monthly transacting users in the fourth quarter of FY25 increased to 13.7 million from 6.4 million reported a year before. For Instamart, this number increased to 9.8 million from 4.7 native advertising — ads run by brands that sell their products on the platform — has picked up, the rapid user growth has meant that non-native advertising has also gained momentum. Non-native advertisers include companies in the financial services, automobile, and media and entertainment spaces, which don't directly sell on quick commerce ecommerce platforms have also seen a spurt in their advertising revenue, but quick commerce companies have seen faster growth. Amazon Seller Services , the Indian marketplace arm of global ecommerce platform Amazon, reported that revenue from advertising increased 24% to Rs 6,649 crore for the fiscal year ended March 2024. Flipkart Internet , the marketplace arm of Flipkart , generated nearly Rs 5,000 crore from advertising in the last six months, quick commerce has broadened its footprint, even going into tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Instamart touched the 100-city mark in March. Flipkart Minutes , which has 400 dark stores in 19 cities, is seeing increasing traction from customers across metros, tier-1, and tier-II regions, Kanchan Mishra, vice president at Flipkart Minutes, told ET in an earlier conversation To cater to this demand, apps are launching local recommendations that users in these cities can relate to. 'Most apps are localised in the sense of region, religion, celebrations, etc. An app's look and feel is modified so that it's relevant to the users of that region,' said Anirudh Kotgire, cofounder of food delivery app Waayu. 'However, these modifications do not elevate the user experience every time.'Quick commerce apps started as last-minute purchase platforms but are now turning into marketplaces as they fight to become profitable, according to Kiran Ramakrishna, chief executive of marketplaces, he means an online platform that connects sellers and customers of various products, like Amazon or Flipkart. 'The platforms are trying to find a balance between assortments and clean UI/UX,' Ramakrishna Meena, founder of Datum Intelligence , an ecommerce and quick commerce consultancy firm, believes the motivation is to simply make sure that the customers open the apps more frequently and place orders. 'Ultimately, high-frequency orders are placed on quick commerce — like groceries. Through these games and deals, platforms want to increase the time spent on the app and convert some of these users to buyers of non-need-based items.'Some users and industry experts, however, have flagged this approach, warning of the Qcommerce brigade's reliance on ' dark patterns ' to make their customers buy non-essential items. Dark patterns are deceptive UI design techniques digital platforms rely on to trick customers into a purchase they wouldn't have made otherwise. ET wrote about the government's move to clamp down on the 'dark patterns' used by consumer internet companies on June 21.
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Business Standard
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Prosus bets on India as its creates number 1 lifestyle ecom company
Dutch investor Prosus is betting big on India as it builds the number one lifestyle ecommerce company, including in Europe and Latin America. This bet is being built on the ecosystem it has created in every region. This lifestyle ecommerce company in India is built on the ecosystem powered by food services (Swiggy), fintech (PayU), commerce (Meesho) and experiences (Urban). 'We are sure that focusing on a few ecosystems and in a few regions, the synergies generate a lot of value to our company in terms of cross-sell and sharing best practices,' said Fabricio Bloisi, chief executive officer, in an analyst call. The investor in FY25 clocked revenues of $6.2 billion, a 21 per cent consolidated increase from $5.5 billion in FY24. More than 50 per cent of its India investment has given a healthy internal rate of return (IRR) for the company. PayU PayU India has reorganised its payments business while tightening underwriting after losses in its consumer loan portfolio, according to Prosus. Prosus added it aimed to restore the fintech's profitability after it recorded a trading loss or a negative aEBIT despite an improvement in revenue and margins. In a report published Monday, Prosus said, fintech firm PayU India's payments business broke even in the second half of FY25, with a revenue growth rate of 12 per cent to $498 million in 2024-25. PayU Finance, the credit arm of the company, saw its revenue grow to $171 million, taking the firm's consolidated revenue for FY25 to $669 million. 'To accelerate business growth, we have reorganised the payments business with dedicated teams focusing on key account management, acquiring new customers in existing segments as well as forging new partnerships,' Prosus said. Food delivery Prosus noted the growth that Swiggy has brought in its quick commerce arm, Instamart, had come at the cost of profitability challenges due to expansion in its network and intense competition. 'Swiggy's Q125 results showcased a year-on-year GOV growth of approximately 40 per cent led by a food delivery GOV increase of 18 per cent year on year, and quick commerce (Instamart) GOV growth of 101 per cent year on year, with 316 new dark stores added in the quarter,' it said in a report. Swiggy was aiming contribution breakeven in the quick commerce segment in the next three to five quarters, it noted. It added the food-delivery company's adjusted Ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) loss reduced to $182 million during January-December 2024 from $261 million in the same period the previous year.
NDTV
6 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
Swiggy Launches New Travel And Lifestyle App 'Crew': What It Does And How It Works
From ordering food on the Swiggy app to getting groceries and daily essentials via Instamart, Swiggy is now expanding its services with a new app called Crew. The app is currently available for download but remains in beta mode, accessible only through invitations. So, what can users expect from this new platform? Crew aims to assist with everyday tasks across travel, food and lifestyle - like "landing an impossible dinner reservation, crafting the perfect anniversary surprise, or effortlessly organising your next vacation," according to its description. Crew features an interactive interface where users can assign and manage tasks. The app description adds, "Blending intuitive technology with genuine human care, Crew makes every interaction delightful and every task feel seamlessly taken care of." Screenshots on the app showcase examples of such tasks, including: " Plan a trip for me to Paris!", "Please book a table for 2 at Naru", and "Help me find a gift for Sonal's housewarming party." Another screenshot confirms that each of these tasks has been completed. Previously, in May, Instamart dropped parent Swiggy from its name, in a strategic move aimed at carving out a standalone brand identity. Quick commerce is becoming a significant driver for the firm beyond its food delivery businesses. Swiggy Group CEO Sriharsha Majety has spoken at multiple instances about how the company expects Instamart to surpass food delivery in terms of both penetration and scale.
Hindustan Times
20-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Men in ads need more nuanced portrayal
Brands riding on Father's Day celebrations last Sunday launched their print and digital campaigns to capitalize on emotions linked to the occasion to influence customers. Companies, across categories, that released special communication marking Father's Day included SBI Life, Instamart, Niva Bupa Health Insurance, Myntra, De Beers and Zomato among others. The Zomato campaign stood out for its storytelling and collaboration with other leading digital brands, said communications strategy consultant Karthik Srinivasan. While Zomato, Blinkit and District are part of the same company, other apps which collaborated on the ad included Urban Company, Uber and Spotify. Its quintessential message was that 'Appa' (dad) works harder than all these apps put together as he repairs home appliances, sings lullabies and transports his child on his two-wheeler. 'The caring father evokes the sentiment that before you used apps to do things, there was only 'Appa,' Srinivasan said. Diamond company De Beers' print ad was a hand-written note of appreciation from a GenZ daughter to her dad thanking him for starting to understand her lingo, binge-watching K-dramas with her and accepting her fashion sense. 'Not just in Father's Day campaigns, but usually brands showcase only the ideal version of men in ads. Unlike in films, there is no place for a hero or a villain in advertising,' Srinivasan said. Toxic masculinity may be on display in films like 'Kabir Singh' or 'Animal' since movies reflect at least some reality while ads are aspirational, he added. Lately though, the depiction of men in advertising and films has become a subject of great debate. Based on research by Kantar, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) Academy released a report in March titled 'Manifest: Masculinities Beyond the Mask, in collaboration with the Unstereotype Alliance and Religious Brands. 'Today, masculinity -- and the patriarchal structures that organise society -- are facing a crisis… Simultaneously, women are rising as equals and competitors,' the report said. In certain categories like e-commerce, tech, and menswear, there's a more evolved depiction of men -- softer, more caring, and less driven by ego. 'However, this seems to be a re-working of the traditional gentleman role, rather than a substantial challenge to the predictable man script. Some of these narratives that, at first glance, seem progressive, may also create more pressure by asking men to live up to both the protector and the caregiver, instead of un-stereotyping masculinity,' it said. Srinivas noted that the nearly 30 Father's Day ads he saw, pitched dad as the caregiver and provider, with no new thought. Ekta Relan, chief strategy officer, Saatchi & Saatchi India, agreed that the archetypical father ads, except Zomato, were underwhelming. The ASCI Academy report focused on the 'crisis' in traditional masculinity, with men feeling increasingly alienated, insecure and confused owing to societal changes and rise in gender equality. It sought a nuanced approach to depicting men in ads given the pressures they are facing. At a webinar organised by the Market Research Society of India (MRSI) on the same theme, Ekta Relan said that the reasons for men's identity crisis are rooted in women's empowerment journey over decades. 'In redefining the role of a woman, a man's role at home, in the family and society also got redefined. And they aren't conditioned for it,' she said. One response to this identity crisis was the resurgence of the alpha male seen in films like 'Animal'. 'The other was masculinity taking pride in sharing the load,' Relan said. For decades, there was a hero who never died, a father who never changed diapers and a professional who never failed. 'But now we see a father tearing up at his daughter's graduation ceremony and a CEO posting about his anxiety on social media,' she said. When 'Animal' succeeds, it raises questions about their real identity. But Relan said the future of masculinity isn't singular. 'Variations will co-exist which is an opportunity for brands. They must choose and sharply project the core of masculinity they want to represent because a male consumer today is not choosing a product, but an identity,' she said.
