Aggregators vs. Community Stores: Who Really Wins in Q-Commerce?

It’s not a level playing field. Aggregators dominate the narrative, but neighborhood stores deliver the goods, literally and metaphorically. Let’s compare them across 5 key factors.

1. Profitability: Aggregator Take Rate: 25–35% of merchant revenue. Baqala Direct Model (e.g., via Qarrib): <10% effective cost.Net result? Merchants keep more and customers still pay less.

2. Identity - Aggregators mask store names, replace logos, and impose standard layouts. - Baqalas, when empowered, retain full brand identity. Familiarity wins.

3. Proximity - Aggregator dark stores: 3–7km average distance. - Baqalas: Often within 200–500m.

4. Customer Loyalty - Aggregators depend on app-level loyalty. - Baqalas already have trust relationships that span years.

5. Fulfillment Cost - Aggregators: AED 18+ per order. - Baqalas: AED 4–6 using walkable or bike-based delivery

Verdict: Aggregators scale, but baqalas sustain. The future is hyper-local, not hyper-capitalized.