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Selling on the biggest marketplaces is about sustained growth that comes from continuously tracking and refining what works. Many sellers struggle because they aren’t clear on their key performance areas. For example, they’ll focus on impressions but ignore conversion rates, or chase ad clicks without knowing how it impacts total orders. Without defining KPIs properly and aligning them with business goals, sellers often hit plateau stages. 

A smart KPI tracker helps you monitor the right key performance indicators (KPIs), analyse performance at every level, and take timely action. This is where project management tools and structured reporting play a crucial role, making it easy to stay accountable and agile, especially in fast-moving categories.

In this blog, we’ll break down what KPIs to track monthly, real key performance indicators examples, and how to make them work for your business. Whether you’re new to selling or scaling an established brand, this guide will help you structure your growth, one metric at a time.

Daily Marketplace Performance Metrics to Track

While monthly growth is the goal, it’s built on the back of daily discipline. Monitoring the right metrics every day ensures you’re catching issues before they snowball whether it’s a dip in conversions, rising returns, or stock outs. Your KPI tracker should support this level of visibility across operational and sales fronts.

Inventory Tracker Metrics

From poor retail price management to delayed replenishment, missteps here can disrupt your entire supply chain. That’s why keeping a close eye on your inventory and fulfillment metrics  with the help of a robust inventory management system, order management system, or warehouse management system is critical. 

Sales Tracker Metrics

A robust sales tracker ensures you’re not just reacting to performance but proactively identifying opportunities and leaks. Using marketplace analytics and tools to track Amazon orders, evaluate pricing, and benchmark across platforms is essential.

Advertising Tracker Metrics

Marketplace advertising is no longer optional but throwing budgets at ads without monitoring performance can drain your profits fast. This is where a daily advertising tracker becomes crucial.

Customer Engagement & Satisfaction

For e-commerce growth, especially the marketplaces in India, your product might win the first sale but customer experience wins the next five. Yet, many sellers ignore post-purchase metrics that directly impact retention, reviews, and long-term profitability.

How to Build and Customise Your Own KPI Tracker?

Every marketplace business, be it growing e-commerce platforms like Etsy or established marketplaces like Myntra has unique growth levers which is why your KPI tracker shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all. A customised tracker gives you the flexibility to monitor what matters most to your brand, your category, and your team’s workflow.

Define Your Core KPIs

Start by listing down your core KPIs across daily, weekly, and monthly intervals  such as sales velocity, return rate, ad spend efficiency, or customer retention. From here, use the right tools to structure, automate, and visualise your data.

Choose Your Format

Decide whether your tracker will live in a spreadsheet, dashboard, or be built into your team’s existing tools. Many sellers embed trackers into project management software like Notion, Asana or Trello where team members can comment, tag owners, or link issues directly to KPI changes.

Set Up KPI Categories

Organise your sheet or dashboard into sections: Sales, Advertising, Inventory, Customer. Within each, list your chosen KPIs, define how they’re measured, and set a benchmark or target. Here, project tracking software comes in handy if you want to automate updates or plug in data from multiple sources.

Assign Ownership

Each KPI should have a responsible team member. Whether it’s the media buyer tracking ACoS or the ops lead monitoring return rates. Ownership ensures accountability and action. If you’re managing timelines around launches or seasonal spikes, use tools that support Gantt charts for visual clarity. Even a basic diagram Gantt layout can help teams map dependencies between campaign schedules and KPI shifts.

Set Check-In Routines

Daily inputs for critical metrics, weekly insights for tactical changes, and monthly reviews for strategic planning. Plug this review system into your team’s project planning software so updates don’t fall through the cracks.

Adapt as You Scale

As your business expands across marketplaces, geographies, or product lines, your tracker should evolve. Add filters for marketplaces, automate more inputs, or create visual dashboards for faster decision-making. If you’re using a static sheet today, consider shifting to a tool that offers API integrations or automated pull-ins.

Conclusion

Setting up a KPI tracker is the foundation but the real growth happens when you read the signals and respond in time. Whether it’s optimizing ad spends, improving return rates, or narrowing in on your most profitable products, daily and monthly performance reviews are what separate reactive sellers from strategic ones.

Quick commerce, alternatively known as QC or Q Commerce is revolutionizing ways people shop online. The pandemic pushed online sales and today, QC is pushing instant sales. The most affected by this rapidly booming industry are the local kirana stores and local markets, especially in urban areas. 

With platforms like Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto rapidly expanding their reach, it’s no surprise that QC appeals to the faced-paced lifestyles of metro cities and its inhabitants. This is further amplified in the emerging consumer behaviours amongst the younger generations. GenZ values time more than money which is in sharp contrast to 1st generation buyers who focus on traditional methods of physical shopping. 

In India, quick commerce is active across various pin codes, especially in metropolitan cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. This expansion is driven by the increasing demand for rapid delivery services in urban centers. 

However, there is a growing discussion whether quick commerce poses a serious threat to established traditional e-commerce giants like Amazon and Flipkart or does it serve a different purpose altogether? This blog will cover the key differences between the two marketplaces and which one overpowers the other when. 

Quick Commerce: What You Need to Know

Quick commerce is an extension of traditional e-commerce whose primary purpose is to give ultra fast delivery of goods, typically within 10 to 30 minutes of ordering. 

Brands selling on quick commerce platforms are mostly onboarded through an invite-only program. This selective onboarding process means that the availability of specific items or brands is limited in the QC space.

In India, some of the common Quick Commerce apps are Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart and Big Basket. ​​As of March 2025, Blinkit leads the market with a 40% share, followed by Zepto at 29% and Swiggy Instamart at 26%. The sector has grown rapidly, with a projected value of $35 billion by 2030. 

While all of the platforms run on a primary motive to give fast deliveries, models for each of them differ slightly. 

comparison of delivery models of major quick commerce platforms

Traditional E-commerce: What You Need to Know 

Electronic Commerce or E-commerce is a type of internet commerce to solve your offline shopping problems. When limited market size posed a problem, e-commerce provided a platform to sell and buy from across the globe. This exchange of products and services is facilitated through various online commerce websites and mobile applications of popular platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Meesho, AJIO, Etsy etc.  

Unlike QC, traditional e-commerce offers a vast selection of products ranging from electronics and fashion to home essentials and specialized items. Here, products are enlisted with detailed descriptions, user reviews and deals/discounts to attract buyers from various locations. These platforms  benefit from well-established supply chains, optimized warehousing solutions, and the ability to ship nationwide and internationally.

Key differences between quick commerce and traditional e-commerce platforms delivery, logistics, reviews ratings, trust and credibility

Why Quick Commerce Won’t Kill Traditional E-commerce?

While Quick Commerce is booming, it is still a part of E-commerce and does not have the power to overthrow traditional ecommerce. These platforms are designed to cater to a global audience, offering a wide range of products, bulk deals, and extensive logistics networks that QC simply cannot replicate.

Traditional E-commerce Connects You to the World

E-commerce websites like Amazon and Flipkart make the statement “the world is a small place” come true to its value. From anywhere and everywhere, you can list your products online and sell them globally as these e-commerce websites are designed for a seamless seller experience. This allows users to buy products of their choice that aren’t available in nearby stores and explore more to find what suits their needs best. Traditional E-commerce has eased their problem by providing them with convenient solutions to high demand and variety of supply. 

On the other hand, QC works on a hyper local delivery system. It has ‘dark stores’ which means mini-warehouses set up closer to its consumers’ residences that ensures products reach consumers within minutes. For example, if you reside in a Tier -1 city like Bangalore and Mumbai, there are high chances that Blinkit and Zepto have dark stores set up near your residence. Since these stores are much smaller compared to large warehouses, only limited shelf space is given to each brand with restricted product options. 

Logistical Challenges

Traditional E-commerce has a huge range of products stored at its warehouses. Logistics for them are already streamlined with advanced inventory management systems, efficient supply chains, and well-established delivery networks. 

On the other hand, QC, even if they tried to incorporate diversity in their inventories, would struggle logistically. To accommodate a larger inventory into its system, it will lose its core USP i.e. SPEED. 

Managing a wider variety of products calls for a much more complex supply chain than the quickly fulfilling limited-category orders. Increased inventory means increased investment in labor, infrastructure, and technology, thereby increasing operational expenses for these sites.

Longer Decision-Making Hurts Conversions

Hypothetically, if QC were to onboard multiple sellers for similar products, the natural tendency of Indian customers would be to spend more time comparing products, prices and reviews. 

The more time they spend, the longer they will ponder over the question “whether I should buy this or not” and second guess their decisions. 

User behavior shows, on QC, it is all about instant needs. Urgency triumphs over research and searches like “milk,” “chips,” or “toothpaste” scream “I need this, now!” Introducing more choices only complicates the decision-making process, elongating the purchase chain and hurting overall conversion rates.

Pricing and Discounts

Even within QC, platforms like Zepto attract customers with free delivery options for smaller order values (e.g., Zepto+ or Zepto offers free delivery on orders above ₹99). This tactic indicates that consumers are still price-sensitive, even when prioritizing speed. Moreover, for high valued goods and planned purchases, consumers will wait for the right time and the right deals. This is one of the reasons why over 200 million people globally have Amazon Prime membership.

Traditional E-commerce caters to this need effectively. They have the bandwidth to give larger discounts and deals on high value products like electronics, apparel, home essentials etc. Customers wait for peak sale periods like Amazon’s Republic Day Sales, Flipkart’s Big Billion Days, etc. so they can get maximum returns on their investments.  With bulk savings and free shipping options, ecommerce attracts customers who think finance before need. 

Traditional E-commerce Giants Have an Upper Hand with Their QC Extensions

Amazon quick commerce, Amazon Tez is an example of how traditional e-commerce giants are not competing with QC rather they’re integrating it into their existing ecosystems. By leveraging their expansive warehouse networks, they’ve solved 30-40% of the logistics problem already. All Amazon needs now is to enhance their network of Amazon dark stores. Likewise, Flipkart has also ventured into the quick commerce area with Flipkart Minutes, however, it is currently active only in limited cities in India. 

This integrated approach allows traditional e-commerce giants to offer ultra-fast deliveries without compromising their primary revenue streams. Meanwhile, existing QC platforms continue to face challenges with technology, finance, and efficiency. Frequent glitches on these platforms highlight the difficulty of scaling the model effectively.

Which platform is the key to growth for brands?

To thrive in this rapidly evolving market, brands must optimize their traditional e-commerce presence for sustained sales while tapping into quick commerce for immediate consumer needs. A balanced approach ensures that brands can cater to both planned and spontaneous purchases effectively.

Moreover, brands should leverage technology and data analytics to identify when their audience prefers QC over standard traditional e-commerce. This understanding can guide marketing strategies, inventory planning, and delivery models that best serve diverse consumer expectations. Here are some trends which we’ve observed on which category works best where.

category which performs well on quick commerce and marketplaces respectively

Final Thoughts

Quick commerce is a powerful tool but it is not a replacement for traditional e-commerce. Instead, it serves as a complementary model that enhances convenience for immediate needs. As long as platforms like Amazon and Flipkart continue to expand, they will remain dominant players in this space.

For brands looking to stay ahead, the secret is to adapt and leverage both platforms. Play on the strengths of Amazon for sustained revenue and experiment with Quick commerce to sell out your most popular products fast. 

For every business owner, the marketing funnel is a carefully designed roadmap to attract, engage, and convert potential customers. It is a step by step strategy to target and retarget your audience. The top section of this funnel is all about generating interest where users are actively researching, comparing, and exploring their options.

Google and Meta Advertising dominate the top of the funnel as they are used to create awareness around the brand and its products. These performance marketing channels are highly impactful due to their wider audience base. 

This blog explores how Meta and Google Ads are powerful performance marketing tools and how they effectively target users in the research phase to the next step in the funnel. 

What is Performance Marketing?

Performance marketing is a result based digital marketing strategy where advertisers only have to pay when specific tasks are completed. These actions include clicks, conversions, sales, or other desired outcomes that are directly intended by the advertiser. In simpler words, performance marketing is marketing based on performance of a product or ad. Meta and Google Ads are two of the most prominent performance marketing channels amongst these others: Affiliate Marketing, Native Advertising, Email Marketing etc. 

What are Meta Ads?

Meta Ads, previously known as Facebook ads, are the paid social media advertising techniques that businesses use to display their products and services to interested audiences. They appear in various formats including feed ads, video ads, right-column ads, and Marketplace ads (Facebook) and posts, reels, stories, and explore ads (Instagram).

These ads target users based on various factors such as demographics, interests, behavior, location, and even past interactions with similar content. With approximately 3.07 billion monthly active users on Facebook and 2 billion on Instagram (Statista, DataReportal), Meta Ads provide an expansive audience base for advertisers to engage effectively.

What are Google Ads? 

Google SEO marketing plays a crucial role in organic visibility, while Search Engine Marketing (SEM) through Google Ads allows brands to appear at the top of search results instantly. 

Google advertisements are displayed across Google search results, YouTube videos and Display network. These are customized paid search results based on user behavior, including search history, location, and interactions with previous content. This personalization ensures that users receive content most relevant to their interests and needs. This is why when you search the same keyword through different devices, your Google search results and rankings of those articles will be different across those devices.

To streamline advertising efforts, Google introduced Performance Max campaigns to access all Google Ads inventory from a single campaign. This approach helps deliver more conversions by optimizing ad performance in real-time across channels using Smart Bidding. 

How Meta/Google read your history to show ads?

The Meta ad account is connected to the brand’s website for tracking user interactions (clicks, page views, conversions) and optimizing ads. It does so through tools like the Meta Pixels and Conversion Applications Programming Interface (CAPI) that help Meta figure out who’s just clicking around and who’s actually buying. Think of Pixel as a tiny piece of code added to your website that tracks user interactions (clicks, page views, conversions) and sends that data back to Meta. Meanwhile, CAPI works from the server side, making sure the tracking is accurate even if users have ad blockers or privacy settings on.

Google, on the other hand, uses search algorithms and tracks what you do across Google’s ecosystem (search, youtube, maps, all of it). It continuously evolves through frequent algorithm updates and Google SEO updates, refining how search results and ads are displayed. This helps Google understand user intent and preferences, allowing it to display relevant ads aligned with users’ interests. For instance, if you’re browsing news on Inshorts after searching for t-shirts online, you might encounter related ads there.

Why Does Performance Marketing Help?

Performance marketing uses the pull marketing technique to attract researching shoppers before they reach e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart for buying. When your ads across e-commerce sites plateau, performance marketing helps retarget users and helps enhance brand awareness. 

Enhances brand awareness, strengthens identity, drives repeat purchases and increases brand recall

Performance marketing ensures your brand is visible where your audience spends most of their time i.e., Google and Meta platforms. Constant exposure through targeted ads initiates brand recall, making shoppers more likely to remember you when they’re ready to buy. Plus, by building a recognizable brand identity through consistent messaging, visuals, and offers, you nurture trust and when you repeatedly appear in front of the same audience, it drives not only conversions but also loyalty and repeat purchases. 

Advanced filters customize campaigns by generation, gender, and behavior

One of the biggest strengths of performance marketing is how specific you can get with targeting. Platforms like Google and Meta allow advertisers to filter audiences based on age, gender, location, interests, and even online behaviors. It’s easy to target Gen Z women interested in fitness apparel or middle-aged professionals researching office gadgets. This precision targeting lets your ads reach the most relevant audience, increasing the likelihood of conversions.

Sales & promo ads create urgency and drive conversions 

Sales and promotional ads are excellent for creating a sense of urgency. Flash sales, limited-time offers, and exclusive discounts all tap into the customer’s fear of missing out (FOMO). Performance marketing platforms excel at promoting these messages effectively that encourage shoppers to take immediate action. It’s like the online equivalent of a “Last Day of Sale” sign in a store window, just far more targeted and powerful.

Driving traffic to Amazon product listings

Meta Ads are great for sending traffic to your Amazon listings. If a particular product on Amazon is experiencing declining results, channelising users through Instagram and Facebook to Amazon products is the number one way to revive its performance. 

Additionally, Amazon’s latest algorithm rewards external traffic. So, when you direct users from Meta Ads to your Amazon listing and they interact with it, Amazon boosts your organic ranking. This offers dual benefits:  improving sales and enhancing visibility, making Meta Ads a powerful tool for listing health.

Indirect route to Amazon product listings

Even if your Google Ads bring people to your website, not everyone will hit the buy button immediately. Instead, they often hop over to Amazon to check if your brand is listed there. It’s simply because Amazon feels reliable. It’s familiar, offers quick shipping (especially if they have Prime), and has trusted reviews. For many customers, a solid Amazon presence reassures them that your brand is legitimate. So, while your website might be the starting point, Amazon often becomes the final destination for conversions. 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Should you drive traffic to Your Website or Amazon listings through Ads?

Google Ads are designed to drive traffic to your website. If you try running Google Ads targeting your Amazon listing, Google could flag your account, putting you at risk of suspension.

However, Meta Ads are highly effective for directing traffic to your Amazon listings, and Amazon’s algorithm even favours this external traffic. 

Is Performance Marketing good for small businesses?

Performance marketing is budget-friendly and measurable because you only pay when you achieve results. With the right strategy about where, how and when to target, this becomes suitable for businesses of every scale. Partnering with a performance marketing agency can further streamline this process, ensuring optimized campaigns, precise targeting, and maximum ROI.

How to become a performance marketing expert? 

Digital Marketing Courses and Certification help get a head start in this journey. However, hands-on experience teaches you real time campaign optimisation. At RB2F, we do exactly that. As a digital marketing and advertising agency, we create, test, and optimise campaigns on a daily basis to deliver required returns to our clients. If you’re serious about performance marketing and want to get real-world experience, drop us a mail with your resume. Who knows, we might be looking for someone like you!

Conclusion 

At the end of the day, performance marketing with Google and Meta Ads is all about staying in front of your audience until they’re ready to buy. This isn’t equivalent to merely throwing money at ads but it’s an understanding where your audience is in their buying journey. Consequently, you can show ads when they matter. If you’re aiming to boost Amazon sales, Meta Ads will be a solid bet. They drive traffic, improve organic rankings, and build awareness. Just keep optimising, stay consistent, and make sure the messaging in your creatives and campaigns actually speak to your audience. 

Amazon’s algorithm is smart and is actively monitoring everything about your product. 

There’s been quite some noise around how to get more good reviews on your Amazon product listings. While tempting your family and friends with free Amazon products and encouraging them to leave positive Amazon reviews sounds like a shortcut, Amazon might flag this comment for violating their reviewing policies. Only genuine product reviews and ratings that reflect true customer experiences are valued by Amazon. 

Sellers are beginning to understand the increasing importance of positive reviews because they can see the direct impact on sales. But why do your ratings and reviews hold so much power? How do they influence your Amazon sales, rankings, and listings?

In this blog, we’ll cover A-Z about Amazon product reviews and why focusing on them is essential for long term success. Whether you’re a new business owner, or an established brand selling on e-commerce, these reviews can significantly impact your Amazon journey.

Who can leave Amazon Reviews? 

Not all customers are eligible to write a review on every product. Amazon’s strict guidelines do not tolerate fake reviews and false claims that may increase or decrease the chances of buying your products. 

You can check whether you’re eligible through your order history. If you see buttons like ‘Write a product review,’ ‘Leave Seller Feedback,’ then you’re eligible to write the review for that particular product. 

Additionally, if you’ve bought an item from an external seller or website, you can still leave ratings/reviews on the equivalent product listing on Amazon, however, this rating does not count towards the overall rating that appears on the search page. Only verified purchases contribute to the overall rating unless unverified ones are backed by a comment, image or video. Amazon’s algorithm knows what to count and what to ignore. 

Why Positive Reviews & Ratings Are Essential?

With growing competition amongst the market, reviews help you leave a mark on your customers. More than just showing a number, four and above star ratings on your product listings instills trust in your customer’s minds. 

Reviews are product checks. 

Shoppers rarely make a purchase without checking reviews first. A user who is exposed to N number of products online will naturally rely on what others have to say before hitting that ‘Buy Now’ button.

Buyers are looking to see if the product matches what’s shown in the pictures, whether it really solves their problem or if others have faced issues like damaged or defective items, and overall, if it’s worth the money. Reviews from customers help them set their expectations straight before making a decision.

Amazon’s Algorithm favours positive reviews

The current Amazon A10 algorithm has doubled down on these trust signals and puts more weight on the customers’ experiences. While reviews may not be the sole factor for ranking, it definitely helps push your listings to the top. 

Amazon reads and analyses keywords in your reviews and crawls this data to build organic rankings. Higher ratings helps you secure top positions while lower ratings will push your products down in the search results. 

Amazon uses AI for review analysis

With Rufus AI, Amazon shows what majority of the customers are saying about your product under the ‘Customers Say’ section. This feature gives potential buyers an instant impression about your product for them to decide whether they need to scroll further or not. Positive pointers mentioned here can establish trust within buyers and can significantly impact your sales. 

In short, reviews are your Brand’s testimonies.

Reviews help reduce returns

Products with 3.5 star ratings or less find it most difficult to convince their buyers that their product is good. Low ratings immediately raise red flags, making shoppers hesitant to purchase. 

However, if you fall in the range 4-5, you are in a much better position. Potential buyers will thoroughly search amongst reviews, analyzing pros and cons to make an informed decision. The more time spent in this detailed research helps them set their expectations straight which also reduces the chances of returns or complaints. 

Reviews allow for product improvement 

Customers tend to leave more negative reviews than positives. This behaviour reveals that this section is used as a means to leave suggestions and highlight areas needing improvement.

For sellers, this presents a golden opportunity to identify flaws in their products or product descriptions and improvise accordingly. For example, if multiple customers mention issues like ‘size and fit problems,’ you can respond by including detailed measurement charts in your product images. 

Addressing these concerns promptly helps enhance product quality and reduce future negative feedback.

What Affects Reviews on Amazon?

There are some common factors that directly influence the volume and quality of reviews your product receives. 

Product Quality

In most cases, customers have issues with the quality of the product. They either received the product made of a different material or they did not find it up to their standards. In such cases, it is wise to accurately list details about the product in the descriptions to avoid confusion. 

Customer Experience

As a user what’s more frustrating is not receiving the product on time than meeting the right quality expectations. At one point, users can accept that the product did not suit them well, but they cannot forget the bad experience associated with it. Everything from fast delivery and quality packaging to responsive customer service plays a significant role in shaping customer satisfaction. 

Amazon’s Guidelines

Following ethical practices is crucial. Manipulating reviews through unethical methods can result in account suspension and long-term damage to your brand. Authentic reviews further establish a sense of trust within your buyers and convert them from happy customers into loyal ones. 

Any of the above factors are not only applicable on Amazon, but also on Flipkart. Read more about negative review management in this blog

How to Encourage More Reviews & Ratings?

Now that we’ve listed fair points as to why you should channelise your efforts into improving your product reviews, it comes down to how can we actually get more positive reviews? Follow these methods:

Amazon’s Request a Review Button

While Amazon sends notifications for successful delivery of the products, writing a review often slips out of customers’ minds. Use this built-in feature to request reviews directly through Amazon’s interface that serve as a reminder. 

Amazon Vine Voices

For products experiencing a halt on new reviews, resorting to Amazon review services through the Amazon Vine Program is the best option. This Amazon review program allows Vine Voices, who are reviewers trusted by Amazon, to receive free amazon products for review. Since these reviewers are onboarded through an invite-only basis, their reviews are extremely credible. Any user coming across a review under this special badge, has a higher chance of believing them over other random reviewers.

However, this program is currently active only in the United States. Indian sellers and users are yet to receive this update.   

Exceptional Customer Service

Sometimes, even with detailed listings, customers have extra queries that they ask through the Amazon Q and A section. Providing quick responses to these queries makes users believe the brand is committed to transparency and instills a feeling of ‘no-tension’ that if they face any problem, the brand’s customer care and services will be there to address it. 

Consider the Q and A section to be a pre-requisite for all that you may receive as Amazon complaints and reviews . It helps you prepare for what may come next. 

What Not to Do to get reviews?

While reviews and rating get boost your organic rank and help build credibility, attaining them from unverified sources can add potential risk to your account. Sellers need to ensure they avoid obtaining reviews from the following methods to ensure fair and ethical business practice. 

Talk good about your product in descriptions

While mentioning good points about your product is essential to highlight the benefits users will get, boasting about the product features and claiming “top quality” or “100% safe” or “best product online,” will only let Amazon flag your listing. To be one of the best Amazon sellers, you need to avoid over exaggerating about yourself.

Further, if your product doesn’t prove true to its descriptions, it will attract negative reviews with dissatisfied customer experiences. 

Product Inserts

Including polite notes in your packaging requesting positive feedback in exchange for a free sample or discounted offer sounds like a safe option but isn’t. If Amazon notices these tactics that you’re playing, your account is at a higher risk of being flagged. 

Buying yourself

You may think if I can’t influence others’ decisions, I might just buy a few quantities of the products myself and ask my friends and families to leave a positive review on them. This again may be picked up by Amazon’s algorithm as it is actively checking every account history, location, previous buying habits. This can be detected that they are people in your vicinity lured by you into putting in a good word for your brand. Additionally, beware of any Amazon review agencies who claim to leave positive reviews in exchange for money. 

Final Thoughts

In the Amazon marketplace where competition is extremely high, reviews and ratings are a clear way to set yourself apart. This is a powerful method to influence your product’s rankings, brand’s reputation and overall business success. It is essential to understand the importance of any feature Amazon is providing sellers and how to correctly use it to your advantage. 

With many fakes and duplicates out there, maintaining integrity of your brand is crucial and that is where genuine reviews by users help you. It quickly becomes a point other users can fall back to while planning to make a purchase from your brand. 

At RB2F, we specialize in scaling your business on e-commerce places end to end that includes problems faced regarding reviews and ratings. Contact us today to discover how we can assist you in building a successful Amazon business. 

In India’s quickly changing startup scene, being seen is everything. Even with the rise of AI-driven discovery through AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), the way people find and trust businesses online still begins—more often than not—with a search.

SEO is a must-have for any Indian startup that wants to stand out online. If your business isn’t visible on the first page of search results, you’re missing out on most of your potential customers. High search rankings don’t just bring in visitors; they also build trust and credibility, which are important for new brands in a market where digital trust is still being built.

SEO gives you more and more results over time. Once your website gets a good spot in search results, it keeps getting relevant visitors without having to pay for them. This is why SEO is so appealing to startups with few resources: it lets them grow naturally and sustainably.

Without the right digital footprint, even the best product or service can go unnoticed. This is where Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) comes in. SEO isn’t just a way to market your business; it’s a way to help startups get found, build trust, and turn visitors into loyal customers.In this complete guide, we’ll look at the best SEO tools and strategies that can be used in the Indian startup scene.

Keyword Research: Aligning with Search Intent

Knowing how to speak to your audience is the first step in SEO. The right keywords link your product or service to what people are looking for right now. But good keyword research goes beyond just looking at the number of searches; it also looks at intent, competition, and timing.

Ahrefs is one of the best SEO tools for finding keywords, analysing competitors, and keeping track of SERPs. Ahrefs gives you detailed insights into which keywords your rivals rank for, where their backlinks come from, and which of their pages are performing best. Its keyword research capabilities are unmatched, and its Ahrefs Webmaster Tools are free to get started with. 

Semrush is a full-stack SEO and digital marketing platform. From technical site audits and keyword analysis to content planning, Semrush covers it all. You can track competitors, monitor keyword movements, and analyze SERP changes over time all under a single roof using Semrush’s intuitive dashboards. Whether you’re new to the platform or exploring advanced features like Semrush SEO tools, tutorials, and pricing, it scales with you.

Google Ads Keyword Planner gives keyword suggestions, estimates of search volume, and competition metrics to startups that are on a tight budget. It’s great for trying out ideas without having to pay a subscription fee.

Google Trends adds a time element to these tools, making them even better. Startups can keep an eye on seasonal interest, look into new topics, and plan their content calendar around how people search. For example, a wellness brand can plan its content about immunity to come out in the winter, when searches for it go up.

These keyword insights help you make content that is not only optimised but also relevant to your audience in the right way.

Content Optimization: Creating Value at Every Click

If users leave right away, being high on the list doesn’t mean anything. Content optimization makes sure that your blogs, landing pages, and product descriptions are not only good for SEO but also interesting and convincing. Search trends evolve. Keywords gain and lose popularity. And what ranked yesterday might be buried today. That’s why regular content updates are a non-negotiable part of SEO. Your blogs, landing pages, and product descriptions need to be relevant, engaging, and up to date.

WordPress sites work well with tools like Yoast SEO and Rank Math. They give you feedback in real time on things like keyword density, metadata, internal linking, and how easy it is to read. They also help you add structured data, which makes your site more visible in rich search results.

But optimisation isn’t only about technology. Content must be clear, credible, and interesting, with the user in mind. Put value up front, use subheadings to direct the eye, and make sure that each paragraph builds on the one before it. In India’s market, which has many languages and cultures, simple and clear language is often better than jargon and fluff.

Technical SEO: Strengthening the Infrastructure

A smooth and functioning technical foundation is what makes a website rank high. Technical SEO makes sure that your site is quick, safe, easy to crawl, and works well on mobile devices.

PageSpeed Insights is an SEO checker tool for finding and fixing performance problems. A slow site can be a dealbreaker in a country where mobile data speeds are very different. PageSpeed Insights gives you useful tips on things like compressing images and minifying code.

Screaming Frog is another important SEO optimization tool. It acts like a search engine bot and goes through your website, marking problems like broken links, duplicate content, missing alt tags, or pages that can’t be indexed. Screaming Frog helps Indian startups keep their search engines clean on a large scale when they run websites with a lot of content or eCommerce.

Fast loading times, HTTPS security, and mobile responsiveness are no longer optional; they directly affect your search engine rankings and how many people stay on your site. Google considers page speed, mobile responsiveness, and site security (HTTPS) as direct ranking factors. To stay competitive, Indian startups need to ensure their sites meet these technical benchmarks. Startups should use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to analyze site performance and get actionable recommendations. 

Local SEO & Reputation – Winning Your Local Market

Local SEO is very important for Indian startups that serve local or regional customers, like restaurants, service providers, or stores. It makes sure that your business shows up at the top of the list when someone types in “best yoga studio in Indore” or “pet groomer near me.”

Google Business Profile is the most important part. A full and up-to-date profile with hours, pictures, directions, and posts makes it easier to find in local map packs and on mobile search. Get happy customers to write reviews, because businesses with high ratings get more clicks and sales.

BrightLocal and Moz Local help new businesses keep track of their listings in many local directories. They also keep an eye on reviews, build citations, and keep an eye on competitors. These tools make sure that brands with more than one location follow NAP (Name, Address, Phone) standards and help scale your google business site presence.

It’s not just about algorithms when it comes to local SEO; it’s also about trust. Users are more likely to choose you over a faceless competitor if they see consistent listings, real reviews, and helpful updates.

Using Backlink Strategy to Earn Authority, Not Just Attention

When trustworthy websites link back to yours, backlinks are still a strong sign of trust in Google’s algorithm. A good backlink strategy can help Indian startups go from being unknown to being an authority in their field.

Focus on getting links from sources that are high-quality and relevant to your content. This could mean writing guest posts on niche blogs, getting listed in startup directories, or making strategic partnerships with businesses that offer similar services.

You can use tools like Ahrefs and Semrush to look at your backlink profile, check for bad links, and find out who is linking to your competitors. A good rule of thumb is to get fewer but more authoritative backlinks instead of a lot from sites you don’t trust.

The SEO Starter Guide from Google stresses the importance of linking in a fair way. Don’t use paid links, link exchanges, or directories that aren’t worth much. Instead, make content that is really useful, like industry reports, how-to guides, or toolkits that other people will want to use.

Enhancing Your SEO With Performance Analytics

It’s important to know where you stand and understand whether your strategies are working or not. Website analytics let you see how people use your site, find performance problems, and see what’s working and what’s not.

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the best tool for keeping track of what users do online. It gives you more than just traffic numbers; it also gives you detailed information about user journeys, conversion events, device usage, and geographic distribution. The segmentation features in GA4 are very helpful for Indian startups that want to know how far they can reach in their regional or tier-2/3 markets.

Google Search Console works with GA4 to show you how well your site does on Google search engine. It shows the rankings of keywords, problems with indexing, errors in mobile usability, and click-through rates. It’s especially helpful for finding SEO problems before they get worse, like links that don’t work or rankings that drop suddenly.

Microsoft Clarity adds a visual layer to data about performance. Startups can literally see how people use their site with free heatmaps, scroll tracking, and session recordings. This is great for finding UX problems that people might not notice, like CTAs that are in the wrong place or navigation that is hard to understand.

These tools work together to make a reliable feedback loop. They make sure that your SEO isn’t a guess but a planned effort based on how real users behave.

SEO as a Scalable Investment

SEO is more than just a marketing tool for Indian startups; it’s a way to grow their businesses. A good SEO plan will give you returns that grow over time. While you may run out of money for paid ads, the traffic you get from SEO doesn’t stop.

The end goal isn’t just to get a higher ranking; it’s to be found, trusted, and remembered.

Amazon Prime Day 2025 is scheduled from July 12 to 14 and is expected to be one of the biggest shopping events of the year. With a surge in platform traffic and intent-led browsing, this is a critical window for brands to drive Prime Day sales and boost their presence across categories. It is not just about discounts; it is about visibility, timing, and making sure your products are discoverable when customers are ready to buy.

Some of the top selling products on amazon.in during previous Prime Day events have been discretionary, high-ticket items, showing that shoppers come with a strong purchase mindset. They often treat Prime Day as a moment to score planned, high-value purchases. This makes early brand recall and awareness essential to winning conversions once the sale begins.

While most sellers focus only on Amazon ads and listings, the real journey often starts elsewhere. A Link-In Strategy brings external traffic from platforms like Meta, email, and influencer channels into Amazon, boosting your chances of converting before competition peaks. In this blog, we break down how to use this strategy effectively for Amazon Prime Day 2025, along with a performance checklist to keep your full-funnel marketing aligned. 

What is Link In Strategy on Amazon?

A Link-In Strategy is the method of driving external traffic into Amazon using platforms where your potential customers are already active. Instead of waiting for them to discover your brand on Amazon organically, this strategy brings them to your Amazon listings or a dedicated section on Amazon Brand Storefront from outside sources.

These sources include high-reach platforms like Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Amazon affiliate advertising program, influencer-led content, and brand-owned email campaigns. Performance-driven Meta ads, creator shoutouts, or even a simple newsletter can guide the user from a discovery moment into a purchase funnel, right on Amazon.

This strategy works because the shopper’s journey is no longer confined to Amazon itself. It begins on social media, video content, or email, and ends with a conversion on your Amazon listing. For brands using Amazon DSP ads, this strategy further strengthens cross-channel reach by targeting audiences both on and off Amazon, seamlessly integrating with your broader advertising Amazon campaigns.

Why is Link In Strategy important for Amazon Prime Day?

As an Amazon seller, focusing only on in-platform campaigns during Prime Day 2025 is no longer enough. Shoppers are scattered across platforms, engaging with content long before they ever search for a product on Amazon. A well-executed Link-In strategy helps you meet them where they already are and lead them into Amazon primed to convert.

Shoppers don’t start on Amazon anymore

During major events like Amazon Prime Day 2025, shoppers actively browse across channels for reviews, recommendations, and early signals of what’s trending. Many non-Prime users also sign up for Amazon Prime membership to access these deals. If your brand is visible in this phase, you’re building early familiarity before they reach the Amazon prime sale environment. 

Amazon serves as a conversion-first platform

Amazon is designed for transactions, not for awareness or discovery. A Link-In strategy helps create that top-of-funnel layer by engaging users outside and warming them up. When they finally land on your Amazon listing, or your brand store on Amazon the chances of converting are much higher.

Higher likelihood of conversion

If a customer has already seen your product or brand on Instagram, YouTube, or via email, they are more likely to trust and buy when they reach Amazon. This is especially useful during Amazon prime deals during Prime day, when buying decisions happen fast and often impulsively.

Freedom to communicate Prime Day urgency off-Amazon

Amazon’s advertising policies don’t allow explicit mention of “Prime Day,” “Amazon Prime sale,” or urgency-related language in Sponsored Ads or product listings. With a Link-In strategy, you can freely create urgency in external content such as social ads, influencer posts, and email newsletters. You can talk about limited-time offers, exclusives, and Prime membership perks without policy restrictions.

External traffic boosts your Best Seller Rank (BSR)

The more traffic and sales your listing gets during Prime Day, the better your best seller ranking on Amazon. Amazon’s algorithm favours listings that gain traction from both internal and external sources. By using platforms like Meta or email to drive external traffic, you’re improving your organic visibility inside Amazon as well.

Best Link In Channels for Prime Day 2025

To maximise visibility and conversions during Prime Day for Amazon, brands need to go beyond in-platform efforts. Some of the most popular channels to drive external traffic to Amazon’s product pages are given below. 

Amazon DSP (Demand Side Platform)

Amazon DSP allows you to run programmatic display, video, and audio ads both on Amazon-owned properties and across third-party sites. It is ideal for reaching upper-funnel audiences as well as retargeting high-intent visitors who may have browsed but not purchased. You can launch DSP advertising weeks before Prime Day for Amazon, adjusting creatives and bids in real time based on performance. Amazon DSP belongs to the broader list of demand side platforms, but its access to Amazon’s proprietary shopper data makes it uniquely powerful for e-commerce campaigns.

Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram)

One of the most effective tools for awareness-level reach and engagement. Use Meta ads to target interest-based, lookalike, or custom audiences with precision. Creative formats like carousels, reels, and stories help deliver product narratives in high-attention spaces. Ensure all ad links direct to your Amazon product page or Storefront using tracking parameters.

Influencer Marketing

Collaborate with trusted creators to build credibility and relatability. Influencers can authentically promote Prime Day for Amazon offers through stories, reels, and product roundups. Use the Amazon affiliate advertising program to equip them with unique affiliate links that track traffic and sales. This not only drives Link-In traffic but also creates rich user-generated content for reuse.

Email Marketing

Email is one of the most cost-efficient channels to build hype around Prime Day for Amazon. Structure your campaign with teaser mails, early access alerts, and last-minute reminders. Link directly to your Amazon listing or Storefront using trackable links. Use segmentation to tailor messaging based on past purchase behaviour or product interest.

Amazon Prime Day Checklist

A well-timed Link-In campaign is only effective if your Amazon backend is fully retail-ready. From listings to logistics, this checklist ensures your store is primed to convert the traffic you drive during Prime Day 2025.

In the face of a saturated beauty and skincare market, where we see a multitude of cosmetic products brands compete, brand storytelling has become the most powerful differentiator. The focus has shifted from the efficacy of a product to the story that surrounds it; the offerings of a cosmetic brand are becoming more about their journey, values, and the emotional connection behind them.

From brands championing ingredient transparency to those weaving founder-led tales of passion and perseverance; strategic storytelling is the key to successful beauty branding. In this guide we explore how to craft a cohesive brand story and maintain it across touchpoints. This blog offers insights for skincare startups, beauty entrepreneurs, and personal brands aiming to captivate and retain audiences.

The Power of Storytelling in Branding

Storytelling transforms your brand from just another product line into a relatable entity. 

It Creates Emotional Connections 

People remember how you made them feel, not what you sold. A brand story evokes emotions,creating a connection that leads to emotional stickiness. Whether it’s nostalgia, hope, confidence, or relief, emotions build memory. And memory builds loyalty.

It Builds Trust 

Trust is the bridge between browsing and buying. Consumers these days are far more informed, skeptical, and looking for brands that stand for a little more than profit. These consumers are more likely to trust brands that share their journey and values.

It Differentiates Your Brand

A unique narrative sets you apart in a saturated market. A clear and cohesive brand story gives the audience a reason to choose your brand. A distinct narrative—anchored in truth and delivered with confidence—makes your brand instantly recognizable and relatable in a crowded market.

Consider The Ordinary. This brand didn’t just sell skincare; it created a brand identity. While most beauty brands leaned into lush visuals and abstract promises, The Ordinary stripped everything back. Product names read like ingredient lists – Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution and the messaging was matter-of-fact, almost clinical. 

This wasn’t accidental. It was a deliberate brand narrative built around trust, clarity, and education and it hit home.

But what happens when the narrative created turns into inconsistent storytelling which not only confuses customers but also weakens brand awareness.

Imagine a brand that’s playful on Instagram, minimalist on Nykaa, and overly formal on its website. It feels scattered and insincere.

In India, where brands operate across D2C platforms, marketplaces like Amazon and Nykaa, and physical retail, a fractured voice leads to lost trust and sales.

How Brands Build Trust Through Storytelling

Different brands adopt varied storytelling approaches to connect with their audiences.

What these brands get right: They’re not all saying the same thing. They’ve picked a lane and they own it, everywhere. Let’s break down how exactly these brands do it.

Transparency 

Brands like The Ordinary and CeraVe explain their ingredients in simple terms like The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% . No jargon, no magic. Just clear, empowering communication that helps consumers understand what they’re putting on their skin. 

Community and User Stories

Glossier and COSRX highlight real customers through testimonials, UGC (user-generated content), and before-and-after stories. It’s not a brand telling its story, it’s people telling their stories through the brand.

Founder Narratives

Alitura Naturals and Glossier shine when their founders talk about why the brand exists in the first place. Sharing personal journeys creates relatability and builds a human connection.

Blending Tradition with Modern Appeal

Kama Ayurveda and Forest Essentials blend centuries-old Ayurvedic formulas with luxury packaging and global aesthetics, catering to modern consumers’ needs for results, convenience, and credibility, while maintaining the soul of their origins.

How to Build an Authentic Brand Story

Building a Brand Story from scratch is a step by step process that begins at aligning your vision with your audience’s requirements. 

Define your Brand’s Core Purpose

Every great brand story begins not with what you sell – but why you exist.

Ask yourself: What change are you trying to create in the world? Why does your skincare brand matter beyond the shelf?

This foundational clarity doesn’t just shape your vision; it fuels decisions, marketing, and trust. A compelling brand story that starts with why creates emotional alignment and gives consumers a reason to believe.

Know Your Audience

A story only lands if it’s told to the right people and in the right way. 

Modern beauty audiences aren’t one-size-fits-all. Understanding their mindset is just as important as knowing their age or region.

Gen Z gravitates towards science-first messaging, visible results, and brands that stand for something real.

Millennials and Gen X tend to look for authenticity, safety, and a sense of cultural familiarity especially in the cosmetic business where wellness overlaps with trust.

Tailoring your narrative to match what your audience values makes your brand story relatable, memorable, and most importantly, relevant.

Define Your Voice

Your voice conveys your individuality in every engagement, not just your words.

Is your brand calm and rooted in tradition? Or bold, direct, and ingredient-focused? Your voice becomes the thread that ties all your messaging together from social captions to product labels to web content.

Structure Your Narrative

Behind every successful brand story lies a simple narrative arc. When you organize your message around these four points, you create a storyline that resonates:

  • Origin: What inspired your brand’s creation? Maybe it began with a parent’s need for safe products like Mamaearth or a personal skin struggle, a cultural ritual, or a market need. Your “why” is where trust begins. 
  • Conflict: What gap or problem were you trying to solve? It could be harmful ingredients, overpriced formulas, or the lack of inclusive skincare.
  • Solution: How does your product or philosophy address this gap? This is your moment to communicate your value; be it clean formulations, transparent pricing, or ethical sourcing.
  • Impact: Show the real-world difference. Highlight product results, community impact, or even awards and recognitions. If customers see that your story ends in transformation, they’re more likely to start theirs with you.

Show, Don’t Just Tell

A powerful brand story is backed by evidence, not just good writing.

Today’s consumers, especially in the beauty and skincare space, do their homework. They want to see your values in action. Use proof points to reinforce your messaging:

  • Customer testimonials
  • Founder videos
  • Before-and-after photos
  • Behind-the-scenes content
Stay Consistent

Audit every brand touchpoint; social media, Nykaa listings, packaging, emails, to ensure alignment in tone, messaging, and visuals.

Avoiding the Trap of Imitation

Brands need to be authentic; while it may seem inconsequential to draw inspiration from successful brands; it could be considered fake. Instead,

Highlight what makes you you

Brands that lean into their uniqueness (and own it across platforms) build stronger brand equity and deeper loyalty. Ask yourself : Do you use heirloom ingredients? Backed by science? Are you proudly regional? Our differentiation isn’t always loud; it’s in the details.

Share your founders’ journey

Today’s consumer cares more for what risks you took, what didn’t work at first than what you actually sell. Founders who share their journey create a sense of honesty and vulnerability that people connect with. The more relatable your story feels, the more trustworthy your cosmetic business becomes.

Stick to your values especially when trends shift

There is a rise in rapidly changing trends in the skincare industry. A must in such a situation is to stay true to your values. If the focus of your brand is sustainability, don’t compromise that because something glittery is trending on Instagram.

Looking Ahead: The Role of AI and Founders in Storytelling

The future of brand storytelling is poised to be influenced by the following factors.

AI Integration

Smart branding is now being amplified by smarter tools. These tools can help personalize customer experiences and maintain consistent messaging across platforms.

Founder Visibility

There is a rise in people’s interest in the face behind the brand. It is highly lauded by the people when founders share their journey adding a personal touch that resonates with the general populace.

Your Story is Your Strength

Brand Storytelling isn’t optional, it is the foundation that sets you apart in a crowd of skincare startups. Your narrative defines how consumers perceive, trust, and interact with your skincare brand. When your brand leads with authenticity, consistency, and credible storytelling; your brand story becomes your greatest asset

Quick Commerce is changing the way users shop online. Unlike traditional e-commerce platforms that have a longer delivery window, QC aims to fulfill orders within the shortest time span, sometimes as quick as 10 minutes. Now, everything is available at your fingertips, almost instantly.

While some consumers still prefer the traditional in-store shopping experience, a vast majority have adapted to the convenience of online shopping. This is because when shopping becomes quicker, it requires less focus and effort. E-commerce made it convenient to shop online, and now, QC has taken that convenience to a whole new level. 

Interestingly, even the Food & Beverage (F&B) industry is tapping into this ultra-fast delivery trend. Take, for example, Zepto Café and Blinkit’s Bistro attempting to deliver ‘freshly made food’ in less than 10 minutes. While many consumers are skeptical about the quality and freshness of such rapidly prepared food, younger generations who are often running late and busy with their hectic schedule don’t mind this much. They are the real target audience for QC platforms. 

In this blog, we will cover how QC operates from planning inventories to finding delivery executives. Understanding these basics is essential for all sellers and businesses to set their expectations straight and align their product listings with these platforms. 

Types of Quick Commerce Operating Models


Image Credits: Gemini

For users, the first point of contact when placing an order online is usually the mobile application/website of the platform. The basic process appears simple, however, underneath lies a complex network of supply chain logistics. To better understand how QC functions, it’s essential to explore the different Q-commerce business operating models that exist.

  • Inventory Model

In this model, Q commerce companies like Zepto/Blinkit/Swiggy Instamart own dark stores and warehouses to have control over their supply chains. They source products at the start of each day and ship them to a central or ‘mother’ warehouse. From there, they are transported to distribution centers, which then supply products to dark stores near you based on real-time demand and supply.

The level of inventory per brand or owner is set based on ordering behaviors in a particular location. Since there is limited shelf space, QC platforms only provide these spaces selectively to brands according to seasonality, niche strength, and performance. This whole system is integrated into one through online and offline inventory checks to ensure stocks are available. 

This model is especially beneficial for QC platforms expecting rapid growth, as it offers greater control over inventory management and customer experience. However, this involves manpower, warehouse space, transportation facilities that can be high investments for QC platforms. Another quick commerce company using this model is BigBasket. 

  • Hyper-local Model

This type focuses more on the last mile delivery of the products as that is a crucial factor in delivering fast. Unlike owning warehouses, QC platforms partner with multiple vendors and delivery agents within a locality to deliver efficiently. 

Through collaboration with local stores and markets, these platforms broaden their product range to include various products from various sellers. This benefits them to serve as a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) model without juggling with the complexities of inventory management and high infrastructure costs.

For sellers, this model is advantageous as they can continue operating their offline stores while managing online orders. They simply need to differentiate between products meant for online sales and those intended for offline retail. 

Dunzo, Porter, Uber Parcel, Ola Parcel, and Swiggy Genie, rely heavily on hyperlocal partnerships to ensure rapid delivery within targeted geographical areas.

  • Multi-Vendor Model

This model is slightly different from the hyper-local delivery model. It loses the ‘hyper’ part and expands the reach of delivery beyond immediate localities. This strategy lets QC platforms significantly broaden their product offerings, providing customers with more options than what is typically available in local-vendor models.

It is good for both vendors and platforms. For vendors, this channel gives them access to more customers and sales opportunities without the need to operate their own online marketplace.

For platforms, this channel provides greater diversity of products without the inventory or large storage facilities. 

Examples of this model are Swiggy Instamart and Amazon Fresh (Amazon quick commerce), which utilize a combination of hyperlocal partnerships and third-party vendors to deliver their orders efficiently.

  • Multi Revenue Channel Model

Here, the QC platforms diversify their income sources beyond mere sales commissions. They earn revenues through multiple streams, including merchandising, membership fees, service fees, advertisements and promotions. 

  • Omnichannel Models

This is a QC model which uses a combination of all the above model types including brick-and-mortar stores, online platforms, distribution and storage centres, the sales team in stores, websites, and mobile applications. 

Consider Big Basket with its offline stores in some metropolitan cities, BBinstant vending machines etc.

  • Other models

There are few other models as well like the multi-store marketplaces where one single platform manages multiple websites under one domain, or the B2B2C hybrid marketplace model, which serves both retail customers as well as wholesale buyers. 

Models used by Top QC players

The top players have revised and optimised their models which are effective for high-frequency, low value orders that make up the bulk of QC demand. Zepto+ or Zepto plus has now also introduced bulk ordering that caters to users who are financially skeptical. 

The 10-minute Delivery Process

From the moment an order is placed to its delivery within a 10-minute window, QC platforms have a finely tuned process dependent on technological innovation, strategic infrastructure, and effective human resources. 

Order Management System 

OMS ensures that your inventory data is integrated with your customer purchase orders and delivery logistics in real time. After an order confirmation, OMS immediately verifies stock availability and assigns it to the fulfilment center. 

Dark Store Layout

The mini warehouses where QC platforms store the inventory are called Dark stores. An average dark store works with 15-20 workers present during a given time spread over 10,000 to 20,000 sq. ft space.  These outlets are not open to the public for distribution and are optimised for rapid order fulfilment. Unlike conventional supermarkets, dark stores have smaller aisles and strategically place high-demand goods closer to the packaging stations to reduce picking time.

Delivery Partner Assignment

After order packaging, the OMS promptly assigns the nearest available delivery partner to ensure swift dispatch. Companies like Swiggy have enhanced their delivery efficiency and reduced delivery times from 17 to 12.5 minutes. 

Based on demand and cost considerations, the platform, for example Blinkit and Zepto, decides the type of delivery partner to be hired. These jobs offer competitive incentives and flexible schedules (Blinkit allows delivery partners to choose how much they want to work: 4, 8 or 10 hours) to maintain a continuous fleet of delivery executives. This helps in maintaining an adequate number of staff during peak periods and avoid burning money during low sales periods. 

Buyers who are environmentally conscious prefer deliveries without bags to reduce wastage. To cater to this preference, platforms may employ delivery executives trained to handle bag-free deliveries. For example, Big Basket provides only bag-free delivery, where the executives carry things in bulk containers and verify them against the purchase order when they deliver. 

Glitches and Unserviceable Orders

High demand surges, often seen during morning (for daily groceries), evening (snack cravings), festivals (Holi, Diwali, etc. ) can sometimes disrupt the delivery process. To set the customer’s expectations straight from the beginning, the platforms provide an estimated delivery time usually visible below your delivery address. If the surge is exceptionally high, the platform may even display an “Unserviceable” message, indicating temporary unavailability.

Why is Quick Commerce the New Trend? 

QC is rapidly growing. India’s Quick Commerce market is expected to reach US$5 billion by 2025 and US$9.94 billion by 2029 according to some estimates. This is changing how customers shop on a fundamental level and will be a trend in future because of a number of reasons.

Marketing and Sales Strategies

There is a strong brand recall when it comes to Zepto/Blinkit/Instamart. These businesses have established a reputed image in our minds with their exceptional marketing strategies. 

Zomato’s quick commerce platform, Blinkit (previously known as Grofers) runs on the catchy tagline, “Just Blink It.” The message is clear: it’s simple, convenient, and saves precious time that users can invest elsewhere.

Swiggy Instamart campaigns like “Name it, we’ll get it” highlight their quick delivery promise while tapping into the emotional appeal of having comfort food readily available. 

Zepto was the first to tap into Quick Commerce in India, and its branding has been so effective that people still remember to ‘Zepto it’ rather than ‘Blink It.’

Influencer partnerships online, collaborative partnerships, and high-profile promotions during high-visibility events such as cricket matches further boost brand recall and customer trust. Also, special offers and season-specific promotions are utilized to trigger impulse buying and enhance sales.

Customer Service and Complaint Resolution

QC is directly competing with traditional e-commerce to enhance their customer support system. Returns for eligible products are generally simpler and quicker on QC platforms due to their localized operations and shorter delivery distances. This efficiency helps in building customer trust and loyalty.

Moreover, most QC platforms have extensive FAQs that efficiently handle common queries related to orders, payments, refunds, and delivery issues. Despite this, direct customer support through helplines remains a challenge. QC platforms struggle to maintain adequate manpower for phone support, leading to longer waiting times and customer frustration. This area needs improvement, especially when compared to established e-commerce giants that offer seamless phone and chat support.

Integration of Artificial Intelligence

QC platforms are keeping up with new launches and trending technology. They are actively integrating AI into their management systems to predict consumer demand, optimize inventory management and route delivery executives better. 

In addition to logistical improvements, AI enhances marketing and customer engagement. By analyzing customer data, AI systems can customize marketing campaigns and product recommendations that have a higher chance of conversion. 

Challenges of Quick Commerce

With quick services comes quicker challenges. Though the platforms are rapidly evolving and adapting to the changing landscape, there are certain challenges that they are currently facing. 

Sustainability and Eco-Friendliness

Rapid deliveries for one single person N number of times a day means increased fuel consumption and larger carbon footprint. Additionally, the use of excessive packaging materials to ensure quick and safe deliveries contributes to environmental waste, challenging the eco-friendliness of the sector.

Financial Viability

While the QC market in India surged to a $7.1 billion share in the fiscal year 2025, up from $300 million in 2022, sustainable profit is still uncertain. QC platforms are burning huge money up to Rs. 1500 crores a month. The primary reason for this lack of profitability is their heavy reliance on deep discounting strategies to attract and retain users. 

Companies like Dunzo have faced financial pressures despite initial success due to high operational expenses and stiff competition.  Gopal Srinivasan, Chairman of TVS Capital Funds, referred to the rapid growth in India’s QC sector as a passing fad,  highlighting concerns over its sustainability.

Market Saturation and Competition

QC’s rapid expansion has led to market saturation, especially in metropolitan areas. Major players like Blinkit, Swiggy, and Zepto dominate the market which creates it difficult for new players to gain traction. 

Additionally, traditional e-commerce giants such as Flipkart, Amazon, and Reliance are venturing into the quick commerce space integrating them into their space and possibly affecting the profitability of established QC platforms. 

Future of Quick Commerce

Ecommerce became traditional e-commerce when quick commerce got into the picture. Despite all the challenges, there is scope for improvement.

Profitability Mechanisms

To achieve profitability, Q-commerce platforms will need to diversify their revenue streams. Some common ways to do this is through sponsored advertisements, commissions, platform fees, surge fee etc.

Consumer Preferences

Q-Commerce has spoiled people so much that anything beyond 20 minutes sounds slow, says Arvind Singhal, chair of India retail-focused consultancy Technopak Advisors. In India, the q-commerce market expanded massively in the past couple of years, indicating a significant shift in consumer preferences, especially among the Gen Z who prefer instant gratification.

Emphasis on Sustainability

Consumers are increasingly considering the environmental impact of rapid deliveries, prompting the platforms to explore eco-friendly practices such as: 

  • Deploying electric bikes and scooters for last-mile delivery.
  • Encouraging no-bag deliveries to reduce plastic waste.
  • Partnering with brands offering sustainable products.

Quick Commerce Regional Reach

QC will be everywhere. As of now Zepto, Instamart and Blinkit are available in Tier-1 cities, where the demand for quick delivery is highest. However, with changing consumer behavior and improving logistics infrastructure, they are gradually expanding into Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. These markets present new growth opportunities, especially as internet penetration and digital payments continue to rise in these areas.

Concluding thoughts

QC is reshaping customer expectations and pushing businesses to rethink their models. Despite the challenges it faces, there’s high scope for growth as more consumers demand quick deliveries. In the coming years, we can expect to see more innovative models, better technology integration, and improved customer experiences as QC players continue to refine their approaches.

Zepto has made a bold move in India’s quick commerce space with the launch of Zepto Atom, a subscription based analytics tool for advertisers and brand partners. Built as an add-on to the existing Zepto Brand Portal, Atom marks the platform’s first step toward monetizing its rich consumer and performance data.

Launched on May 16, 2025, Atom was rolled out in just three weeks showcasing Zepto’s aggressive roadmap as it gears up for an IPO. With a $5 billion+ valuation and over 850 dark stores across India, Zepto is shifting from pure-play delivery to becoming a retail media and insights powerhouse. This launch signals Zepto’s intent to enter the ₹1,000 crore consumer analytics market, traditionally dominated by global players like Nielsen and Kantar. 

With this shift, advertisers are now being asked to pay for insights that were once either unavailable or significantly delayed. Which raises the core question this blog aims to answer: Is Zepto Atom worth the investment brands and business leaders in the Q-comm ecosystem?

How is Zepto Atom Advantageous?

In a recent webinar led by Zepto’s Founder and CEO Aadit Palicha, the platform unveiled the core components of Zepto Atom, outlining features such as:

  • Live Monitor
  • Geo Insights
  • Vendor App
  • Zepto GPT

While each feature has merit, the Live Monitor stands out as the most impactful for advertisers.

  • Earlier, platforms shared performance data on a D-1 or D-7 basis, which delayed timely decision-making. Zepto Atom changes that with minute-by-minute data refreshes, enabling advertisers to optimise campaigns in near real-time. 
  • This level of temporal detail reveals when and where your campaigns are hitting or missing. 
  • It also makes it easier to map seasonal trends and adjust SKU-level strategies quickly across different time blocks in the day.

Another key upgrade is Geo Insights. 

  • With Atom, brands can compare regional performance vs national benchmarks, pinpointing where they’re over or under-indexing. 
  • The tool goes as deep as PIN code-level analysis, helping marketers identify if only a handful of dark stores are disproportionately driving conversions in a city. 
  • This allows teams to fine-tune supply, pricing, and promotional strategy down to the SKU level with precision.

But what truly shifts the scene is Zepto GPT, an in-built AI tool using Zepto’s platform data and inspired by large language models like ChatGPT and Google Gemini. 

  • It interprets platform data through the lens of category-level benchmarks, offering both high-level strategic recommendations and granular insights. For example, it can highlight:
    • Funnel drop-offs with visual charts
    • Underperforming geographies or SKUs
    • Missed opportunities in retention or repeat purchase behavior
    • Strategic answers to questions like, “What’s leaking in my funnel?” or “Which product should I push next week?” or “Am I above or below category average this month?”

A Seller’s Guide to Using Zepto Atom

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help brands, advertisers, and business teams get the most out of their subscription: 

  • Download the Relevant Data

Start by exporting your campaign and product performance data directly from Zepto Atom’s dashboard. Choose data portions that align with your current objectives. These could be impression-to-purchase funnel stats, geographic performance, repeat rates, or product-level metrics. 

  • Feed the Data into Zepto GPT

Once you have your dataset, input it into Zepto GPT trained on performance benchmarks, SKU trends, and buyer behaviour across the platform.

  • Use Targeted Prompts to Identify Loopholes

Prompt engineering matters. To reveal weak links in your performance funnel, use a detailed input like, 

Analyse this data to identify stages where the funnel breaks, especially in low-converting SKUs, and compare with category median performance. Highlight statistically significant anomalies.

  • Request a Custom Optimisation Strategy

Follow up with a prompt like:

Based on this data, suggest an optimisation plan to increase conversions in the top 3 underperforming cities and improve retention among first-time buyers.

The AI will recommend geo-specific interventions, category-based bid adjustments and also pricing tweaks. 

  • Blend AI Insight with Human Context

This is where human judgment becomes crucial. Use your knowledge of seasonality, stock availability, product margins, and historical Zepto trends to validate and refine the AI’s suggestions. Not every AI-generated action is viable from an operational or financial standpoint.

  • Test a New Campaign Using Zepto GPT

Beyond improving current campaigns, use Zepto GPT to ideate and launch entirely new ones. Feed in a target goal like:

Help me launch a city-specific campaign for a low-velocity product in the snacks category with a X% conversion target.

The tool can structure a targeting plan, suggest creatives, timing, and budget splits, all grounded in Zepto’s data universe.

  • Conclude and Reflect

Finally, interpret the insights holistically. It’s best used as a strategic supporter, not a final decision-maker. Trust it for data interpretation, benchmarking, and hypothesis generation but rely on human teams for executional nuance and brand context.

What to Expect from Zepto Atom in the Coming Weeks?

Zepto’s ambition with Atom goes far beyond its current release. The company has committed to weekly product updates and here’s what’s on the immediate roadmap:

  • Post-Purchase Insights

Zepto Atom will soon offer data on retention, repeat purchases, and drop-offs, helping brands track long-term value, not just one-time sales.

  • Share of Voice Benchmarks

Advertisers will see how often their products show up across search, homepage, and carousel placements compared to competitors.

  • Zepto Surveys

Zepto plans to use its cohorts of people to run micro-surveys, delivering qualitative and quantitative insights within 48 hours. 

  • AI Buyer Personas 

A new AI tool will build detailed customer profiles using browsing and purchase data. This will improve targeting with more precision.

  • Dark-Store Level Visibility 

Currently, inventory visibility is available at the city level (e.g., Pune-wide). In upcoming updates, Zepto will also offer dark store-level stock insights. 

  • SKU-Store Matching Ads

Brands will soon be able to promote specific SKUs based on actual store inventory. This will boost both operational efficiency and campaign performance.

What Does Zepto Atom Bring to the Quick Commerce Space?

Historically, the biggest obstacle for brands in quick commerce has been data opacity. Until now, real-time insights, geo-specific analysis, and customer behavior data were either unavailable or scattered across systems.

Zepto Atom closes that gap. This is precisely why Zepto Atom is a game changer in the Q Commerce landscape. With this rollout, data becomes transparent and is left in the hands of brands/sellers/advertisers. Teams can now monitor performance, refine messaging, and reallocate budgets with precision and immediacy. This shift empowers teams to optimise faster and strategise smarter.

Enhanced Brand Content (EBC) or A plus content on Amazon is a feature that allows brand registered sellers and vendors on Amazon to upgrade their product detail pages. It allows them to create rich visuals, comparison charts, modules, and custom text layouts that appeal to the eyes of the viewers and increases the chances of conversion. 

According to Amazon, “Adding A+ Content to product detail pages can help increase sales by an average of 5.6%.” This can further be upgraded to A++ content that increases the chances of conversion up to 20%

In this blog, we cover the basic point of differentiation between A+ and A++ content, elaborating on why A++ is more efficient. Further, we point out what most sellers miss in their product descriptions and how they can add what they missed.  

A+ vs Premium A+

Amazon clearly defines the difference between A+ and Premium A+ content. However, some notable features that differentiate them vastly are the difference between image dimensions that allows for full screen coverage in Premium A+. There are more modules in Premium A+ with permission to use carousel images, videos and better-looking comparison charts with Premium A++. 

Note: For Amazon eKindle books i.e., KDP, only A+ content is currently supported.

How to Unlock A++?

For Premium A+ content eligibility, you need to ensure that, 

  1. Your Amazon Brand Story module is published on all your brand-owned ASINs
  2. You have at least 5 A+ Content submissions approved within the past 12 months.

Once these criteria are met, you should see a banner notification in your Amazon A+ Content Manager indicating your eligibility. Premium A+ Content is available for a limited time after you publish your Brand Story, so be sure to make the most of this opportunity by creating engaging content that resonates with potential buyers. 

How is A++ more efficient?

Brands should consider Premium A+ as their landing page within Amazon’s ecosystem. It is more efficient than basic A+ content because of the following reasons:

  1. More Modules means any potential customer will spend more time on your product listing. This significantly reduces the chance of them bouncing from your page as it becomes attractive to them. With the right messaging in your listing, your chances of conversion are higher. 
  2. A++ covers the full screen. It gives a cinematic experience to the viewers, boosting the likelihood of a purchase by making the product more compelling. 
  3. Seamless content flow with no white line gap between modules. Unlike standard A+, A++ removes the white line gaps between modules, allowing for a smooth narrative flow. Here’s a tip, use a single-color background across your images that feels like parts of a storybook flowing from one to another.

What is still missing in A++?

Despite the advanced modules Premium A+ offers, many brands fail to use it to its full potential. They simply fill in the templates without thinking creatively about how to enhance the experience.However, the base starts at capturing your products. Study our guide on Mastering Product Imaging for Amazon Listings in this blog.

When you’re catering to a specific market, your images should speak the same language. For example, in India, most consumers buy because of their heightened emotions. Your products and your taglines should entice that emotion in them and connect with their feelings. That’s what most brands miss. 

To truly stand out, use A++ as a canvas for emotional connection.

  • Include the ‘human’ touch. 

As mentioned before, humans sit on their emotions every time they have to make a decision, there’s a conflict between ‘should I do this’ or ‘should I not do this,’ before any financial decision they make which is not convinced through the product descriptions on Amazon. While they are surfing Amazon with a purchase intent, that feeling of ‘doubt’ and also ‘fear’ still persists. 

To curb this, add a ‘personal’ face that your viewers can instantly resonate to. It may be a well renowned influencer, a leadership from your organisation or people using your products (User Generated Content) can instantly connect with your audience showing your credibility and trust. Alternatively, you can show this ‘trust’ through reviews from your loyal customers, or highlight your legacy in numbers.

  • Talk to your customers the way they talk to each other. 

India is home to diversity and your products should cater to this diverse region. Especially when it comes to our kitchen masters, they don’t speak ‘spice’ in everyday language, they use ‘masala.’ You can take it even further by adding the ‘hinglish’ version of your tagline in the images, as Catch does, “Catch ka Koi Match Nahi”  or Navranta writes,  “thanda thanda cool cool.

However, a word of caution: Words may have that impact, but full sentences may divide customers by language. Ensure you are using the most widely recognised languages (Eng/Hin) if using full sentences and that it also fits well under Amazon’s guidelines and policies. A good practice is to include both versions of your word, i.e., English and Hindi in your listing to cater to both kinds of audiences. 

  • View your products from the customer’s POV to connect better. 

To truly resonate with your customers, it’s essential to step into their shoes. Viewing your product listings from their perspective allows you to identify what truly matters to them and tailor your content accordingly.

This connection is your real USP. Don’t go for generic copies, it is easily forgettable. Invest in the thought – ‘why should a customer care about your product’ and frame your content accordingly. 

For example, if you sell travel luggage, showcase real-world scenarios such as business trips, family vacations, etc. This builds an emotional connection and shows how your product fits into their daily life. Moreover, instead of just listing technical specs, explain how those features will improve the customer’s life whether it’s saving time, enhancing comfort, or solving a problem. Like how Aristocrat simply doesn’t say “Spacious Bags” but “Extra Space for Long Journey.”

  • Engage your audience through drama and Bollywood. 

One of the most powerful ways to captivate your audience is through drama and Bollywood-inspired content. Indians live on emotions and buy on emotion. So, if you spot your products in the hands of a popular influencer, incorporate that ‘image’ into your banners.

Or if products can find a connection with any ongoing trend or a currently released Bollywood movie, or a popular character, capitalise on it to create FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) within your buyers. This taps into the social pressure to keep up with the latest trends and encourages immediate action from your buyers.

Since, updating your A+ is a day’s process, it is easy to bring ‘Sale,’ ‘festival,’ and ‘Seasonality’ specific phrases to enhance that ‘FOMO’ emotion and push conversions. Utilize this for upcoming Amazon sales like ‘Amazon Prime Day’ or more. 

Pro Tip: 

Ensure your content follows a good ratio of 20% text for 80% image. That small margin of visual breathing room can be the difference between a customer scrolling past and stopping to click.

How to further optimise A+ and A++?

  • Adding keywords to improve Amazon SEO. 

Use the product description and text modules in A+ Content to naturally incorporate keywords. Focus on highlighting key features, benefits, and unique selling points, while weaving in targeted keywords related to your product. This helps Amazon’s algorithm better understand what your product is about and match it to relevant customer searches.

  • Utilising the Alt text 

Many A+ Content modules allow you to add image captions. Use this space wisely by adding relevant keywords. You can also optimize alt text for images if it’s available in the module. This helps not only with Amazon SEO but also ensures your content is more accessible.

  • Text and Comparison Charts

Utilise the comparison charts and additional text sections to place keywords that differentiate your product from competitors. Make sure these sections highlight important details like size, features, and benefits, using phrases that your target customers are searching for.

Concluding Thoughts

Premium A+ window is limited-time access. This feature allows you to go beyond basic product descriptions by adding rich media elements like videos, carousels, hover effects, and advanced image modules to capture attention and build trust within buyers. Leverage this marketing strategy to increase sales because if you’re skipping Premium A+, you’re walking away from up to 20% more in sales.