Analysis · Commerce & Consumer Brands

Panel discusses India's omnichannel shopping patterns

By Startup Enthusiast · 19 August 2026

What they do

A panel at the Inc42 D2C & Retail Summit explored India's changing shopping patterns

Panelists said quick commerce is replacing kirana stores and consumers shift to discretionary spending

Brands need presence across quick commerce, ecommerce, D2C and offline to serve different behaviours

A panel discussion titled 'What Do India’s Shopping Patterns Reveal About The Next Growth Wave?' was held at the Inc42 D2C & Retail Summit in Gurugram on 19 August 2026.
The panel was moderated by Karan Saraf of PwC India.
Panelists included Kamal Lochan Das (business head, PhonePe Payment Gateway), Akash Agrawalla (cofounder, ZOFF Foods), and Ayush Bansal (director, Liberty Shoes).
Agrawalla said quick commerce platforms are becoming modern organised replacements for local kirana stores.
Das noted a consumer shift from utility payments to discretionary spending.
Bansal said consumers are willing to spend more only on products with true value.
Bansal explained premiumisation as adding features like comfort, GPS tracker, and lace-free school shoes, not just raising prices.
The panel concluded that brands need presence across quick commerce, ecommerce, D2C and offline retail to serve different behaviours.

The discussion reflects how Indian retail is moving from single-channel to omnichannel strategies.
Quick commerce is reshaping the traditional kirana store model.
Consumers are becoming more selective, spending extra only on products that offer real value or premium features.

The Inc42 D2C & Retail Summit is a conference focused on direct-to-consumer and retail trends in India.
The 7th edition was held in Gurugram in August 2026.
The panel brought together leaders from payment gateway, food, and footwear sectors.