India, July 25 -- Indian D2C brands today find themselves in the middle of a quick-commerce-versus-marketplace debate. While quick commerce offers speed and convenience, marketplaces still lead on discovery, brand storytelling, and customer experience. For many brands, both the channels serve distinct roles, rather than competing directly.

Quick commerce needs more time to mature, while marketplaces remain relevant, especially for storytelling and reaching customers at scale, believes Shivani Malik, director of Da Milano, a premium leather accessories brand.

"For us, brand equity is a priority. We are not willing to compromise on packaging and overall experience - just to deliver a product in 10 minutes. Marketplaces offer a more comple...