Digital Immediacy Adoption Framework (DiIA-F): Explaining Q-commerce Adoption in Indian Urban Centres

This study introduces the Digital Immediacy Adoption Framework (DiIA-F), a novel theoretical framework that explains the rapid adoption of quick commerce (Q-commerce) services in Indian urban markets. DiIA-F overcomes the critical limitation of technology adoption models that neglect immediacy-based digital products and services by integrating technological-temporal psychology, digital identity economics, algorithmic decision-making theory, instant gratification mechanics, and digital sustainability study. We uncover three mediating mechanisms—temporal value perceptions (TVPs), algorithmic shopping dependence (ASD) and digital authenticity perceptions (DAPs)—through structural equation modelling (SEM) of survey data from 487 consumers in urban Indian metropolitan cities. The study demonstrates paradoxical relationships such as the sustainability-immediacy paradox and the anxiety-based value-creating effects. The findings validate that cognitive-temporal and digital-psychological factors exert strong influences on Q-commerce adoption through complex psychological mechanisms that are not captured by conventional models. This framework has actionable implications for platform design, marketing, urban planning and sustainability efforts in rapidly digitalizing emerging markets.