The 3rd Edition of HiveMinds Ecommerce Conclave 2025 concludes

The HiveMinds Ecommerce Conclave 2025 attracted industry stalwarts on the discussion of Niche to Nationwide, Winning Battles in Expanding frontiers. Sam Balsara, Chairman & MD of Madison Media, delivered the welcome note, emphasizing the need for brands, agencies, and publishers to stay ahead in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

Noopur Chaturvedi, CEO of NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd., delivered a powerful keynote, reflecting how payment systems have evolved in India. She remarked, “Ten years ago, Cash on Delivery (COD) was the preferred mode of payment due to trust issues. Today, we’ve revolutionized the payment system, thanks to smartphones and low cost data.” She also discussed NPCI’s ongoing efforts to disrupt the B2B payment systems, highlighting their ambition to become a global leader in the B2B payments ecosystem. “We’re not just looking at consumer payments; we are also working on transforming the B2B payment ecosystem to make it more seamless and efficient,” she explained.

Deepti Bhadauria, HiveMinds’ Chief Strategy Officer, introduced the agency’s annual playbook, noting that it serves as a collection of thoughts and case studies to address the lingering questions on marketers' minds. She shared, “This playbook is designed to tackle key topics like quick commerce, retail, performance vs. branding, and measurement, providing marketers with valuable insights to navigate these challenges.”

Quick commerce (Qcom) emerged as a central topic during the event, with discussions about how consumer demand for instant gratification is reshaping retail. Farooq Adam from Fynd noted, “Quick commerce is a customer need, not a choice anymore. Consumers now expect immediate fulfillment for both planned and impulse purchases.” Garima Singh from Godrej emphasized how Qcom has shifted unorganized trade to organized models, creating a faster, more efficient distribution system. Seshu Kumar Tirumala from Bigbasket explained that the rise of Qcom is largely attributed to adoption by certain demographics, but the trend is now shifting to family purchase decisions. “While the demand density is present, the average order value needs to improve but is justifiable. However, the economics of operating Qcom vary from region  to region,” he added.

Innovation in D2C brands was a critical topic, with Parampreet Singh Bhasin from ChrysCapital commenting, “Innovation is crucial for insurgent brands to carve their niche.” Vinay Singh from Fireside Ventures stressed that “The audience is the new moat for brands, not the distribution.” Anurag Kedia from Pilgrim shared how, during the early stages of a brand’s journey, every owned media—whether it’s packaging, website, or Instagram—becomes crucial for brand storytelling. “It may require significant time and effort, but it’s cost-effective and helps establish your brand presence across multiple touchpoints,” he explained.

Ajay Dang, President of Marketing at UltraTech Cement, shared insights during the fireside chat, emphasizing the role of digital strategies in building trust. When asked about where brands should invest between branding and performance, he used an agricultural analogy: “To say invest only in performance is like saying the only critical thing in agriculture is harvesting. You need time to build a brand, but without sowing, you cannot reap.” He also stated, “We had to be there when customers needed us. Our content strategy, focused on addressing real consumer needs, helped build trust and positioned UltraTech as a leader in the digital audiences’ mind.”

The final panel, “Online Commerce & BFSI: Can Convenience Replace the Need for Trust and Touch?”, examined how digital strategies are reshaping consumer behaviour in the BFSI sector. Souparno Bagchi from Balancehero India emphasized, “In fintech, brands have to stand out with their story. When the competition is just three clicks away, personalization becomes critical.” Aishwarya from Hyperface added, “It’s not ‘either or,’ it’s ‘and’—trust and touch. The challenge is convincing customers on process, especially in digital environments.” Francis Rodrigues from HDFC Life remarked, “As we move from T1 to T3, trust-seeking behaviour increases, and brands must differentiate their services and products to cater to these audiences effectively.”

The event concluded with HiveMinds CEO Jyothirmayee JT delivering the vote of thanks, acknowledging the contributions of the delegates, speakers, and guests. She also emphasized the event’s success as a significant networking opportunity for the attendees, offering a platform for valuable discussions, collaborations, and knowledge exchange.

This year’s conclave concluded with the speakers predicting some key trends to look forward to and a few strategies to stay ahead of competition. About two hundred marketing and strategy professionals attended the event, making it a great networking and idea sharing forum.