Why Hammer Prefers Cables Over Premium Headphones For Quick Commerce

In the realm of D2C consumer brand Hammer Lifestyle, quick commerce serves as a channel for catering to immediate needs rather than high-priority items, according to founder Rohit Nandwani. Speaking at Inc42’s 'The D2C & Retail Summit', Nandwani highlighted the brand's preference for cables over premium headphones. Nandwani noted his observation of a smartwatch being ordered on Blinkit as a Rakhi gift, indicating quick commerce's expansion beyond food and groceries into electronics accessories.

However, not all products are suitable for this channel due to limited shelf space in dark stores. The panel discussion 'Is Quick Commerce A Margin Trap?' featured Nitro Commerce’s Umair Mohammad, 4700BC's Chirag Gupta, and Longway's Ritish Garg, moderated by Commercify360's Renu Bisht. Gupta stated that consumers are drawn to quick commerce for its speed and convenience, especially for impulse purchases such as snacks.

Brands can benefit from this channel by removing distributors from the supply chain, potentially saving 8-10% margins traditionally paid to distributors. Mohammad emphasized the importance of assessing three metrics – availability, assortment, and advertising – on quick commerce platforms, as consumers frequently shift between platforms during their purchase journeys.

Supply chain efficiency also plays a crucial role, as brands that take over 15-20 days to replenish quick commerce darkstores risk losing availability and visibility.