Decision Dilemma- Quick Commerce & Impulse
Introduction
In the recent past and even more in now, there is sudden increase of commentary and number of players in the segment of instant deliveries, or quick commerce as we refer to it.
Quick commerce is transforming convenience on its head, delivering groceries, meals, and essentials in10 minutes.
While this efficiency feels like a marvel of our times, But underneath all this lies a critical questions -
Do we really need this convenience?
Is there a demand for this service being created?
Is there a larger Group-Nudge in play?
In this article I’ll explore how the forces of impulse, intentionality, and external forces interact in the realm of quick commerce.
By understanding these dynamics, we will uncover how a simple concept—Decision Lag—could reshape the way we engage with this growing ecosystem of instant gratification.
The Decision-Making Troika
1. Impulse: The Immediate Pull
Impulse is the raw, reflexive drive to act on immediate desires. It is based on
Cognitive Shortcuts
Quick decisions save mental energy but prioritize immediate rewards over long-term goals.
The act of instant gratification activates reward centres in our brain, making the act not so easy to resistible.
This is in fact the basis of all of social media, but more on that probably later.
In quick commerce, this translates to ordering snacks, last-minute groceries, or indulgences at the tap of a button.
Cues, like “Only 3 left!” or limited-time discounts, only increases this impulsive behaviour
2. Intentionality: A Deliberate Pause
Unlike Impulse, intentionality is the cure to impulse. It involves aligning decisions with personal values, goals and long-term objectives.
Quick commerce tries to undermines intentionality by removing the friction with one-click purchases, personalised ads, and speedy delivery! It leaves little room for reflection.
Without intentionality in play or with limited influence, convenience dictates the choices.
And it often happens at the cost of health, budget, or even sustainability!
3. External Forces at Play
This brings us to the 3rd element, it is how external systems like platform designs, nudges, and environments influences, shape our decisions, which seem logical but are subtly influenced by these elements.
In the case of Quick Commerce platforms use the choice architecture to influence consumer decisions.
By, Recommendation Models
Platforms like Amazon, Netflix, and Swiggy rely heavily on recommendation systems powered by machine learning.
According to a study, personalized recommendations help increase sales by up to 30%.
Recommendations often exploit the anchoring effect, where initial suggestions create a baseline, influencing subsequent choices.
For example, suggesting premium products early leads to higher spending on average.
Mechanism
Algorithms analyse user behaviour (browsing, past purchases, ratings) and optimize for metrics like click-through rate (CTR) or conversion rate.
These systems utilize collaborative filtering (what similar users liked) and content-based filtering (what matches your preferences) to curate options that feel personalized, subtly steering choices.
Urgency Triggers
Platforms like Booking.com use phrases like "Only 1 room left!" or "Booked 10 times today!" to create urgency. This technique significantly reduces cart abandonment rates.
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
We are wired to avoid losses more than seek gains (loss aversion).
These urgency cues increases our emotional response, making the decision to purchase feel time-sensitive.
Temporal Discounting
The immediate reward of securing a deal, overshadows the long-term consequences, such as overspending.
Framing Effects
Tversky and Kahneman’s work on framing showed us how a different way of presentation of options (90% lean VS 10% fat) significantly impacts decision-making.
Platforms like Swiggy or Zomato use frames like “Most Popular Choice” or “Bestseller” to create social proof, nudging users toward certain options.
With Choice Architecture, the layout of assortments, pricing, and product rankings influences perceptions of value and quality.
Decoy Effect: Introducing a slightly less desirable option makes another choice feel more rational.
The Quick Commerce Dilemma
Quick commerce promises unconventional convenience, doubling down on E-Commerce with their 10 minute delivery service.
It offers endless and seamless purchase options that require no low cognitive load.
Low-Involvement Purchases: A Core Driver
Quick commerce primarily operates within low-involvement product categories—items that require little thought or emotional investment.
These include snacks, beverages, personal care products, and other everyday essentials. Their appeal lies in their perceived simplicity, yet this very simplicity drives a cycle of frequent, impulsive spending.
However, While each purchase may seem trivial, the cumulative impact can be substantial
Cumulative Impacts of Convenience
On the Wallet
Frequent reliance on small, impulsive purchases undermines budgeting and planning
On the Environment
Increased delivery frequency leads to packaging waste and higher carbon emissions
On the Culture
This normalization can shift societal values, prioritizing instant gratification over mindful consumption, potentially influencing future consumer behaviour moving into an even bigger phase of consumerism!
With these possible consequences, Can we regain some control over our consumption habits?
This is where the concept of decision lag offers a simple yet powerful solution
The Decision Design Lab Solution – A Decision Lag
Decision Lag: A Nuanced Understanding
“By Definition, decision lag refers to a deliberate pause or interval introduced in the decision-making process.
This pause disrupts impulsive behaviours by allowing time for reflection and alignment with long-term goals.
Unlike procrastination, which delays decision-making without intention, decision lag is purposeful and strategic, fostering clarity and intentionality.”
Behavioural Science of Decision Lag
Cooling-Off Effect
A pause diminishes emotional arousal and urgency, which are primary drivers of impulsive decisions.
This is particularly effective for high-stakes or emotionally charged decisions, such as financial or lifestyle choices.
Reflection Opportunity
The lag provides a window to evaluate whether a choice aligns with personal values, goals, and priorities.
This intentionality shifts the decision-making framework from "What feels good now?" to "What serves me best?"
How It Can Works in Quick Commerce
It works with me and it can work for you too, just take a pause, to add to the irony, I would suggest 10 Min pause.
This pause isn't about delaying gratification for its own sake but about reclaiming the ability to make choices that truly serve us
If after 10 minutes, you still need the product in the same urgency, then definitely order. However, in my experience, this lag defers my impulsive decision b to an extent of 80%
Why It Works
Interrupts Impulse
The pause disrupts the dopamine surge tied to immediate rewards.
Invites Intentionality
It creates a window for evaluating whether the choice aligns with your goals. By pausing, users are less susceptible to platform-driven nudges.
In Conclusion
Quick commerce has undoubtedly revolutionized convenience, but its success shouldn’t come at the cost of mindful consumption.
By introducing small interventions like decision lag and embracing intentionality, we can balance the speed of modern technology with the thoughtfulness of deliberate living.
In fact this technique not novel but has been used from days of yore. Like count till 10, pause before responding. And Decision Lag can work in other purchasing decisions as well.
The purpose of Decision Design Lab is to help us use basic decision making tools, that can help us improve our lifestyle and overall impact due to choices we make, without taking a pause.
Reflect
How many of your recent orders were intentional vs. impulsive.
Would a deliberate pause change your buying decisions?
Share your thoughts and strategies below, and let’s rethink the way we engage with convenience!
Reference
Daniel Kahneman & A Tversky. "The framing of decisions and the psychology of choice."
Quick commerce last mile delivery: Indispensable or superfluous: https://www.iimb.ac.in/sites/default/files/2022-12/Quick-commerce-last-mile-delivery_%20Indispensable.pdf
https://digitalworks.union.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2076&context=theses
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/14707853241229671
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165176513000797