The discounts are deep, the shopping carts are full, and India’s festival retail juggernaut is on an overdrive. Yet, behind the scenes, a quieter crisis is playing out as e-commerce and quick commerce companies are scrambling for gig workers, with high attrition leaving dark stores and delivery fleets short-staffed just when demand is at its highest.

Dark stores are running half-staffed, warehouses are seeing higher-than-usual churn, and delivery fleets are running on empty. Recruiters and staffing agencies say the crunch is sharper than last year, forcing companies to opt for stop-gap fixes even as their flagship sales are underway.

“Despite planning, disruptions in supply chains, higher demand, and logistical bottlenecks have intensified the shortages this year. Unlike last year’s mode

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