Dear Category Leader,
Indian e-commerce has always been dynamic. But in 2025, the ground beneath it is shifting in a way that is structural, not seasonal.
Quick commerce is no longer an add-on to e-commerce.
It is becoming the foundation of how India buys.
In FY25, India’s quick-commerce order value nearly doubled to ₹64,000 crore
(Source: The Economic Times, CareEdge Advisory Report, July 2025).
And it is projected to reach ₹2 lakh crore by FY28,
driven by Tier-2/3 expansion, denser fulfilment networks, and rising consumer expectations for speed
(Source: CareEdge Advisory, 2025).
Platforms are responding in kind—expanding dark stores, strengthening supply chains, and hiring heavily ahead of the festive season to avoid the stockouts and delivery delays the industry experienced last year
(Source: The Economic Times, September 2025).
If you connect these signals, the conclusion is simple:
Customers are ready for predictability. Rhythm. A recurring moment they can anticipate, plan for, and return to.
That is what builds brand memory.
That is what turns a one-time buyer into a repeat loyalist.
Your brand may not be Apple.
But your category is waiting for its own landmark moment—
the drop it remembers,
the event it expects,
the moment that turns into ritual.
Own your calendar.
Own your cadence.
Own your market.
A tentpole launch is not a sale, not a discount-led festival, and not a one-off campaign.
It is a brand’s signature moment—the kind of event your customer remembers and your category learns to expect.
Think Apple’s September event.
Think Amazon’s Prime Day.
Think Nike’s seasonal drops.
These moments don’t happen by accident.
They are engineered to create ritual.
Why Tentpoles Work
Predictability builds trust.
When customers know your “Summer Edit” or “Winter Reset” drops at the same time every year, they pause, pay attention, and plan.
Narrative builds anticipation.
Teasers, previews, behind-the-scenes content—this is CAC without paying for CAC.
Cadence builds memory.
A strong tentpole creates a peak.
Smaller drops throughout the year maintain presence.
Together, they build salience.
- Define your tentpole event.
Choose one moment this year to anchor your calendar.
Tie it to a seasonal shift, a festival, or even a geography.
Examples: Monsoon Edit, Tier-2 Carnival, The Winter Reset. - Build the pre-launch narrative.
Teasers, waitlists, influencer seeds, behind-the-scenes stories. - Use your full channel mix.
Social + Quick Commerce + Marketplaces. - Post-launch, extend the peak.
Remix your launch content, amplify reviews, push UGC, and run retention loops.
You don’t need Apple’s budget to build ritual.
You need Apple’s discipline.
Quick Commerce Surge
Quick commerce now accounts for over two-thirds of India’s e-grocery orders, up from nearly 35% in 2022
(Source: Bain & Company – How India Shops Online, 2025).
Export Rules May Shift
India is evaluating allowing marketplaces like Amazon to directly purchase goods from sellers for export, a move that could open new growth avenues for consumer brands
(Source: Reuters, 2025).
Margin Structures Are Changing
Take rates in quick commerce have risen to 14–18% in FY25, up from 7–9% in FY22
(Source: Economic Times, CareEdge Advisory Report, 2025).
Platforms are pursuing profitability; brands must balance cost, contribution margin, and customer expectations.
Define your tentpole event (date + theme)
Creates internal alignment and external anticipation.
Build the pre-launch narrative
Reduces CAC and builds controlled demand.
Plan amplification across channels
Ensures awareness meets intent at the right moment.
Prepare logistics and inventory early
Avoids stockouts and negative customer experience.
Execute post-launch remix and retention
Maximises LTV and repeat purchases.
Metrics to Track:
- Pre-launch traffic lift
- Launch-day conversion delta
- Repeat purchases in the first 30 days
- CAC: pre-launch vs steady-state
“Streak helped us listen to the market and respond with positioning that hit the mark. Buland became a hit from day one.”
At Streak, this is exactly what we build in our 30-Day Growth + LTV Audit: rapid creative resets tied to market shifts, and retention loops that convert opportunistic buyers into loyal customers.