The following report was prepared and published by our sister platform SPEEDA—July 2024.

Ultra-Fast Delivery (UFD) aims to guarantee that e-commerce customers receive their orders the very same day they are placed, potentially within hours or even minutes, depending on the service provider. (‘Within-minutes’ delivery is more commonly known as quick-commerce, or Q-Commerce). UFD allows customers to enjoy the convenience of online shopping but without waiting long for delivery, blurring the lines between digital and physical retail experiences.

UFD was initially limited to food delivery, while the e-commerce/retail sector—the focus of this report—is also now embracing rapid delivery across numerous segments, including grocery, FMCG, and other consumer products such as furniture. The key elements UFD requires include 1. the placement of inventory close to consumers through localised fulfilment centres; 2. automation tech that enables efficient and accurate order fulfilment, from order receipt, routing, picking, and packing to dispatch, and 3. flexible last-mile delivery capabilities (explored in detail in the latter part of this report).