e-commerce
Quick Commerce Goes Full Speed Ahead as Meta–WPP Map India’s New Cart
MUMBAI: If impulse had an address, it would now be India’s quick commerce cart. With nearly two-thirds of all online grocery orders coming from the rapid-delivery aisle and adoption in smaller cities racing ahead at 8–9 per cent growth India’s shopping behaviour has officially shifted from “plan-and-purchase” to “see, want, buy”.
WPP India and Meta’s newly launched CPAS Playbook for Retail & Quick Commerce captures this cultural gearshift, decoding how discovery on social feeds is now fuelling real-time purchases on retailer apps. And with 91 per cent of internet users aware of quick commerce services and more than half having used them in the week before the survey the shift is neither niche nor nascent. It’s mainstream, massive and moving fast.
The Playbook reveals a new national habit: turning idle scrolling into a shopping sprint. With 75 per cent of shoppers reporting more unplanned purchases, Meta’s discovery ecosystem is increasingly becoming the trigger point for high-intent buying whether for groceries, fashion, kitchen essentials, beauty, or health products.
Some categories are racing ahead:
. Fashion accessories and bags have crossed Rs 40 crore per month, more than doubling in just six months.
. Quick commerce is now responsible for 45 per cent of all festive shopping, upending the old model of long lists and advance planning.
As WPP Media synthesised retailer inputs, brand data, consumer insights, and Meta’s platform signals, a pattern emerged, commerce is no longer a lower-funnel event. It is the funnel.
Meta’s Collaborative Ads (CPAS) allow brands to plug directly into a retailer’s catalogue, reaching high-intent audiences at the very moment demand takes shape. And results across India show how powerful this integration can be.
Coca-cola used CPAS to supercharge its sugar-free portfolio:
. 39 per cent improvement in ROAS
. 2.5x higher conversion rates
. 40 per cent lower acquisition costs
All achieved by targeting shoppers already showing intent, thanks to retailer-linked catalogue signals.
Britannia’s full-funnel CPAS strategy stitched together Dynamic Product Ads, live catalogue sync, geo-optimisation and partner integration across Blinkit, Swiggy, Zepto and more. The results:
. 45 per cent reduction in Cost Per Purchase quarter-on-quarter
. ROAS rising from 0.6 to 1.0, with some campaigns hitting up to 5x ROAS
. 60 per cent lower CPP in certain bursts
The magic mix? Real-time product accuracy, sales-based bidding and relentless A/B testing, all pulling performance upwards while scaling reach.
WPP Media COO for South Asia Ashwin Padmanabhan summed it up, “The meteoric rise of quick commerce has compressed the purchase journey like never before… ROAS as high as 2x proves the power of this model.”
WPP Media, CEO for South Asia Prasanth Kumar added, “India’s commerce shift is seismic from a linear journey to an instant, intent-driven ecosystem. CPAS helps brands drive accountable, measurable outcomes at scale.”
And from Meta, Gaurav Jeet Singh said, “Discovery and commerce are converging in real time. CPAS allows brands to meet consumers at the moment of inspiration and carry that intent seamlessly to purchase.”
The CPAS Playbook: Key Takeaways
1. Quick Commerce Has Rewired Behaviour:
Two-thirds of grocery orders now come from this channel; small cities are growing at 8–9 per cent.
2. Meta Discovery Now Converts to Purchase:
75 per cent consumers make more unplanned buys discovery and conversion now sit in the same session.
3. High-Growth Categories Are Surging:
Fashion accessories and bags have crossed Rs 40 crore per month doubling in six months.
4. Commerce Is a Full-Funnel Engine:
Awareness, consideration and conversion now move together.
5. Adoption Is Widespread:
91 per cent awareness and strong weekly usage.
6. Opportunity Beyond Grocery Is Huge:
Kitchen essentials, health staples and home products are underleveraged but rising fast.
Quick commerce has turned India into a nation of “instant shoppers”, and the new CPAS Playbook shows how brands can now ride that momentum connecting discovery to delivery in minutes, sometimes moments. In an age where culture moves at swipe speed, Meta and WPP have mapped the new retail playbook and it’s built for a country that loves to shop as fast as it scrolls.
e-commerce
Flipkart rolls out 105 per cent bonus for 20,000 employees
Strong FY25 performance drives payouts even as layoffs and shifts unfold.
MUMBAI: In a year where belts were tightened and rewards loosened, Flipkart seems to be playing both offence and defence trimming roles on one hand while handing out a generous 105 per cent bonus on the other. The Walmart owned e commerce major has rolled out a 105 per cent bonus payout for 2025, covering nearly 20,000 employees, signalling a year of steady operational momentum even as the company navigates restructuring pressures. The payout, communicated internally by chief human resources officer Seema Nair, is tied to performance across key metrics including growth, operational efficiency, financial outcomes and people indicators, a combination that suggests the company is inching closer to its long stated goal of sustainable profitability.
Employees at SD level and below are set to receive their bonuses in March, while payouts for senior leadership, including vice presidents and senior vice presidents, will follow after the close of the performance cycle. The elevated 105 per cent multiplier stands out in a sector where cautious payouts have increasingly become the norm, pointing to what appears to be a relatively strong internal scorecard for FY25.
Yet, the announcement arrives with a noticeable contrast. Earlier this year, Flipkart reduced its workforce by around 300 roles as part of its annual performance review process. While officially framed as performance driven, the juxtaposition of layoffs alongside above target bonuses reflects a more nuanced balancing act, one that prioritises cost discipline while continuing to reward and retain high performing talent.
This dual approach is becoming increasingly common across the technology and e commerce landscape, where companies are navigating an uneven hiring environment while under pressure to deliver profitability. Rewarding top contributors, even amid selective workforce reductions, allows firms to maintain morale and retain critical talent without losing sight of financial prudence.
At the same time, Flipkart is also undergoing leadership shifts that hint at a broader strategic recalibration. Nishant Verman has been appointed senior vice president for corporate development and partnerships, while group chief financial officer Sriram Venkataraman is set to step down. Ravi Iyer will take on expanded responsibilities within the finance function, marking a reshuffle at the top as the company gears up for its next phase.
These changes come amid reports that Flipkart is planning to shift its holding structure back to India, a move widely interpreted as groundwork for a potential public listing. While timelines remain fluid, the combination of stronger financial discipline, leadership restructuring and employee incentivisation suggests a company preparing itself for greater scrutiny and scale.
For employees, the 105 per cent payout offers a welcome boost in what has otherwise been a period of adjustment. For Flipkart, it is a signal that even as it cuts where necessary, it is willing to spend where it counts. In the high stakes game of growth versus profitability, the company appears to be hedging its bets carefully, rewarding performance while reshaping itself for what could be its most defining chapter yet.
