Decathlon India eyes 10-city qcom push, aims to double market share by 2030

Decathlon India is set to scale its Q-com offering to 10 more cities after successful pilots, while expanding large experience-led stores and targeting a doubling of its market share

French sports giant Decathlon’s domestic arm has shared its plans to push its own quick-commerce segment to 10 more Indian cities. Further, the company also noted that it aims to double its domestic market share, from the current 8 per cent in organised sports retail, by 2030, Sankar Chatterjee, chief executive officer (CEO), Decathlon India, told Business Standard.

 

Chatterjee added that the qcom service will be offered through Decathlon’s official website and app, which currently promises delivery within two hours, with scope to shorten that window. “This will significantly improve accessibility and convenience for customers. We are expanding it to 10 more cities where we have a long-standing presence. Technologically and operationally, we are fully set,” the spokesperson added.

 

Chatterjee further noted that Decathlon India is now prepared to scale its qcom service after testing it quietly in seven major cities. “We launched qcom in the top seven cities in silent mode to assess performance, and the response has been strong. We think we’re ready now,” he said.

 

Currently, 12 per cent of the company’s revenue is attributed to online services. Going forward, Decathlon India sees the share growing to 10 per cent from qcom solely. Gilles Gaudemard, India retail leader, Decathlon India, said: “India’s sports retail sector is evolving rapidly, driven by a new generation of users who expect accessibility, expertise, and immersive in-store experiences.”

 

On Thursday, Decathlon revamped its Whitefield in Bengaluru, store to become the largest store in the country spreading across 60,000 square feet. The new flagship replaces an older 1,700 sq metre store at the same location. It features a five-a-side football turf, a full basketball court, skating tracks, a jogging and cycling loop, and dedicated zones for kids’ gymnastics. The intent, said company leadership, is to shift from ‘transaction-led retail’ to ‘experience-led ecosystems’.

 

“Bengaluru is where everything started for us. We have 19 stores here and have learned the most from this city,” said Chatterjee.

 

Commenting on its Bengaluru foothold and expansion, Chatterjee told Business Standard, “In Bengaluru alone, we plan to invest around ₹30 crore in real estate expansion over the next two years. This will help us ramp up our presence with large, experience-led formats,” he said.

 

Nearly 60 per cent of Decathlon’s 136 stores in India already include a playground of some size. The company is now working with “affiliates”, trained coaches and academies who get commissions on product sales, to deepen sports participation around its stores. Decathlon also lists its playgrounds on its own booking platform, Decathlon Play, and on aggregator, Playo. However, the company said it is not building a formal ‘playground business vertical’ or seeking large institutional sports partnerships yet.

 

Looking ahead at its India road map, Decathlon said the scale and format of its new flagship will be replicated across the ‘big seven cities’ and select high-density regional markets, subject to real estate availability. “The Indian sports retail market is growing at 8 per cent annually. We will grow at double that over the next five years,” Chatterjee added.