| Pub. Date | : Sep 2022 |
|---|---|
| Product Name | : The IUP Journal of Supply Chain Management |
| Product Type | : Article |
| Product Code | : IJSCM030922 |
| Author Name | : Gilles Pache |
| Availability | : YES |
| Subject/Domain | : Strategic |
| Download Format | : PDF Format |
| No. of Pages | : 12 |
Their names are Gorillas, Getir, Gopuff and Blinkit, and from their home countries of Germany, Turkey, US and India, respectively, they may be building the electronic commerce (e-commerce) logistics of the future, aided by fundraising that now exceeds $1 bn. These startups are at the origin of a business model that is attracting the attention of the traditional players in retailing, such as the French company Casino, which has joined forces with Gorillas to develop a network of dark stores to serve its quick commerce (q-commerce) activity. Dark stores? The concept has become very popular, but also very controversial, especially in Europe.
These are small distribution warehouses whose aim is to offer ultrafast delivery, in just a few minutes, of products ordered online via applications, what Dablanc et al. (2017) call "instant deliveries". These logistical centers take the form of a "shadow" shop, with shelves where products are stored, but unlike a traditional shop, they are not accessible to customers, but only to order pickers who select items that are then transported by delivery drivers.