CARGOCONNECT-JUNE2026 - Flipbook - Page 64
FEATURE E-Commerce Supply Chain
“AI, automation, and quick
commerce are redefining the
foundation of e-commerce
supply chains.”
KAUSTAV BASU
Business Head, Klydo
Quick
commerce
runs through
4,000–5,000
dark stores
operating
simultaneously.
Delivery
windows
have shrunk
to just 10–20
minutes.
Nowadays, algorithms analyse shopper behaviour,
purchase history, and demographics to create custom
storefronts. Akshay Gangrade, Head– E-commerce
at Britannia, notes, “Quick commerce (q-com) today
is a network of thousands of micro-ful昀椀lment nodes,
often 4,000–5,000 dark stores operating in parallel.
The opportunity lies in treating each of these as a
dynamic decision unit. AI enables exactly that by layering
SKU availability, purchase order su昀케ciency, internal
manufacturing constraints, and depot inventory into
one integrated decision system.” The result, he says,
is a shift from reactive replenishment to proactive
execution. Therefore, decisions that were once manual
and lagging are now becoming real-time and predictive.
AI-enabled suggestion engines predict user needs,
whereas webpages and layouts adjust in real-time
based on visitor behaviour. Umesh Kumar, Head
of E-commerce, Springberry, asserts, “Today’s
consumer expects delivery within minutes or hours,
real-time order visibility, personalised product
recommendations, zero stock-outs, and seamless
returns. Automation is transforming supply chains
from traditional operational systems into real-time,
data-driven growth engines.”
Keeping the above in spotlight, it’s clear that building smarter e-commerce supply chains with AI means
shifting from reactive spreadsheets to predictive,
automated operations. By unifying inventory, tra昀케c
data, and demand trends, AI tools enable businesses
to optimise warehouse routing, minimise stockouts,
and predict delivery disruptions before they happen.
Decentralisation and
Hyper-localisation Serving
the Q-com Effect
Q-com has forced supply chains to evolve from
centralised, cost-efficient networks into decentralised, speed-focussed ecosystems. Companies
are shifting toward proximity-led logistics and
adopting advanced technology to push inventory
as close to the end-consumer as possible, turning
10-to-20-minute delivery promises into standard
expectations. Massive, out-of-town warehouses
are being supplemented and replaced by localised
Micro-Ful昀椀lment Centres (MFCs) and urban dark
stores are reshaping modern supply chain strategies.
64 | CARGOCONNECT JUNE 2026
“Supply chains are indeed becoming far more
decentralised,” Shruti emphasises. “Earlier, large
regional warehouses were su昀케cient, but now brands
are moving towards micro-ful昀椀lment centers and
dark stores closer to consumption hubs. Assortment
planning is also changing as only high-velocity SKUs
with predictable demand can sustain q-com economics.
Speed is no longer just a logistics problem; it starts
from sharper buying, tighter inventory planning,
and precise allocation at a pin-code level.”
According to Kumar, “The supply chain is moving
closer to the customer. Instead of one large warehouse
serving an entire city, brands now operate multiple
small fulfilment hubs strategically placed across
high-demand areas.” He also reviews q-com changing
consumer expectations forever and disrupting the
traditional delivery model. “Consumers now expect
10-minute delivery, same-day ful昀椀lment, and hyperlocal
inventory availability. This has led to the rise of dark
stores, micro-ful昀椀lment centers, hyperlocal warehousing, and AI-driven last-mile logistics,” he annotates.
Hyper-localisation is an important aspect of the
q-com ecosystem. “The rapid rise of q-com has forced
a complete rethink of traditional supply chain models.
Centralised warehousing is giving way to hyperlocal
ful昀椀lment through dark stores and micro-warehouses
located closer to consumption hubs,” points out
Basu. To support ultra-fast delivery, supply chain
strategies are evolving in three key ways, he noti昀椀es.
“Decentralised inventory placement to reduce lastmile latency, high-frequency replenishment cycles
driven by real-time demand signals, and tighter
integration between demand, supply, and logistics
systems,” he explains.
Therefore, as per Kumar, inventory is segmented
at the neighbourhood level, storing only high-velocity,
fast-moving SKUs that cater to immediate, localised
demand.
Resilience today is about
visibility and speed of response.
AI enables end-to-end visibility
across the supply chain.
