Andrei Manea (Glovo): We are a marketplace platform offering access to hundreds of stores

A speaker at Business Review’s upcoming re:FOCUS on Retail, Couriers & Logistics 2024, we sat down with Andrei Manea, Head of Q-Commerce at Glovo Romania, to preface the event and talk about the evolution and trends of the q-commerce sector in Romania.

How did the q-commerce segment evolve in 2023 and what are your estimates for 2024?

Firstly, I would like to start by defining the q-commerce segment as it is represented within the Glovo platform. Thus, in the q-commerce portfolio, we include three main directions: Glovo Express (commercial spaces specially designed for proximity shopping, offering a wide range of products, with ultra-fast delivery in under 30 minutes, and whose product offerings are exclusively listed virtually in the app), grocery retail, and non-food specialized retail, where we’re talking about a varied selection of stores including toys, cosmetics, flowers, fashion, pet accessories, appliances, drugstores, pharmacies, etc.

Within Glovo, Q-commerce, or the third generation of commerce, after traditional and e-commerce, is defined by three main elements: experience, translated through easy accessibility to a vast array of city stores, alongside the possibility of direct purchase via smartphone, assortment – we are a marketplace platform offering access to hundreds of stores – from major grocery retailers to those specialized in non-food categories, and last but not least, availability, meaning fast and ultra-fast delivery.

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In the past year, Glovo has seen significant growth in the quick-commerce sector. We are already in the third generation of online commerce, where the delivery happens in just a few minutes. Thus, we are talking about a 60% increase compared to the previous year if we refer to the entire segment.

In 2023, we significantly expanded our offerings by launching the pet shops category, thus meeting the needs of pet lovers who are looking for a quick and convenient way to purchase necessary products for their furry friends. Additionally, we developed the flower category, offering customers the opportunity to send flowers for any occasion in just a few minutes. Furthermore, we placed special emphasis on diversifying the range of products by developing the specialties category, which includes specialty stores, bakeries, delis, and other local businesses.

What are the main development trends in q-commerce in 2024?

As the Quick-commerce vertical becomes a norm for our consumers, we observe an acceleration in the adoption of multi-category orders. Among consumers, this accelerated trend towards ordering from more and more categories, not only from supermarkets but also from other available categories within the app, is expected to persist in 2024.

To meet these expectations, we are focusing our efforts on improving the user experience. Our focus includes both the integration of new partners and the diversification and expansion of the range of available products. Thus, we aim to provide a superior shopping experience that encourages customer loyalty and stimulates continuous growth in the Quick-commerce sector.

About Andrei Manea, Head of Q-commerce Glovo Romania

With over 10 years of experience in business development, Andrei Manea has been serving as the Head of Q-commerce at Glovo Romania for almost a year, with a mission to develop the third generation of commerce, which is based on the ultra-fast and accessible delivery of a wide variety of products available in a city.

His professional journey includes various positions within companies such as Booking.com and Adecco. Before joining Glovo, he led operations at Bolt Food Romania as Country Manager, and later as the Regional Manager for Central and Eastern Europe.