 "laptops, laptop imports")
While the fast delivery trend is quickly gaining momentum, most of the current demand is for accessories and smaller PC components | Photo: Bloomberg
Bengaluru-based Sunny Gupta had been looking to purchase a laptop for months. In August this year, while sitting at a coffee shop, he decided to order an Acer Predator laptop—typically priced between Rs 95,000 and Rs 2,50,000 online—via the quick commerce (q-com) platform Flipkart Minutes.
“It took exactly 13 minutes from payment success to receiving it at the Starbucks I ordered it to,” he wrote in a now-viral post on the social media platform X.
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Now that q-com has become a mainstay for groceries in many urban households, companies operating in this space are expanding their offerings to include more big-ticket “aspirational” products.
Platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, and Big Basket are already witnessing unprecedented demand for smartphones, particularly the Apple iPhone.
As the average selling price (ASP) for products purchased through these platforms rises, and more consumers opt to buy electronics, personal computer (PC) manufacturers are looking to hop on the bandwagon.
“Laptops are the next logical step in this progression. As consumer expectations for rapid delivery continue to grow, we see quick commerce becoming a crucial avenue to meet these demands and enhance sales,” says Sooraj Balakrishnan, associate director and head of marketing, Acer India.
According to Balakrishnan, Acer—currently the fourth-largest PC maker in India—is “actively discussing with leading quick commerce platforms” to list a broader range of their products.
Currently, Flipkart is the only player selling laptops via its q-com service Minutes in Bengaluru and Delhi NCR. However, with several PC makers assessing the opportunity this new channel presents, incumbents like Blinkit and Zepto may soon start listing laptops as well.
“At this moment, it (q-com) is in its very initial stages for PC or laptop sales, but this is quickly becoming a new trend,” says Arnold Su, vice president – consumer and gaming PC, System Business Group, Asus India.
While the fast delivery trend is quickly gaining momentum, most of the current demand is for accessories and smaller PC components.
“Asus sells a lot of keyboards, mice, adaptors, and other components. For instance, we are selling around 20,000 mice a month. So, for these kinds of products, quick commerce can definitely help. For small-value items, quick commerce will become a very important business for us,” says Su.
However, analysts caution that it might be a while before PCs become mainstay quick delivery products.
“Although the potential is there, scaling up sales of hardware devices like laptops requires a lot of effort. The bigger penetration for quick commerce right now is in grocery, beauty and personal care, and mobile phone and PC accessories,” says Karan Taurani, senior vice president – research analyst, Elara Capital.
“Laptop sales via quick commerce at scale—over 10 per cent—are unlikely as of now. We will likely see sub-two or three per cent sales over the medium term,” he adds.
Regardless, as consumers become more comfortable purchasing higher-value items on these platforms, demand for PCs might soon balloon.
“We believe the potential extends beyond just smaller products. Laptops are becoming increasingly popular in the quick commerce sector as consumer expectations evolve towards quick delivery times, even for larger purchases,” says Balakrishnan.
First Published: Oct 06 2024 | 1:59 PM IST
