Business
Myntra Joins The Que, In Line For Quick Commerce Race With M-Now. The Race To Quick Commerce Segment, The High Stakes. Another Bubble?
The race to win in the quick commerce game just got even more competitive, with Myntra stepping into the fray. Once dominated by platforms delivering groceries and daily essentials, the quick commerce space is now seeing a surge of e-commerce giants looking to push the boundaries of delivery speed. The goal? To outpace traditional same-day or next-day delivery with something even faster.
Myntra, the popular fashion marketplace owned by Flipkart, which is testing the waters with its latest pilot service, ‘M-Now is live in select Bengaluru pincodes, this service promises deliveries as fast as 30 minutes to two hours—a proposition that could redefine how shoppers experience online retail.
Talking about this new venture, a Myntra spokesperson shared, “We’re constantly striving to enhance our customer proposition. With M-Express already providing faster deliveries, we’ve been experimenting with an even quicker pilot in a few pincodes. Based on what we learn, we’ll expand and refine the service before rolling it out fully.”
For Myntra, speed isn’t entirely new territory. Its existing M-Express service already delivers products within 24-48 hours for specific categories. But M-Now takes it up a notch, featuring popular brands like Mochi, Wrangler, Being Human, Metro, and Lavie.
So, why this big push into instant delivery?
It seems to boil down to changing consumer behavior. More and more shoppers are combining purchases of fashion, accessories, and personal care items with their grocery orders. To stay relevant and keep customers loyal, innovation in delivery speed has become the name of the game.
But Myntra isn’t alone. Competitors like Nykaa are already in the mix with ‘Nykaa Now’ and plans for dark stores to speed up their operations. The big players in groceries and essentials—Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto—are setting high benchmarks, while e-commerce behemoths like Amazon, Flipkart, and Reliance Retail are entering the quick commerce battlefield with their own strategies.
Quick Commerce Vs Ecommerce
The online retail market is abuzz with a brewing rivalry between quick commerce and e-commerce platforms. What once seemed like distinct business models are now rapidly converging, with each side stepping into the other’s territory in an effort to expand and stay relevant.
Take quick commerce pioneers like Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, and Blinkit—originally celebrated for delivering groceries and essentials in minutes have today diversified into categories like clothing, beauty products, toys, and gifts. On the flip side, e-commerce giants like Amazon are gearing up to dive into quick commerce, while Flipkart has already entered the space, promising deliveries in under an hour.
This shift has reshaped consumer behavior. Shoppers now expect everything—from skincare products and gifts to dairy and toys—to arrive at their doorstep within minutes. The result? Convenience-hungry customers are emerging as the real winners in this competition.
As more players vie for dominance, six big names are setting their sights on this lucrative segment:
Zomato (Blinkit): Currently a dominant player in quick commerce, acquired Blinkit to solidify its presence.
Swiggy (Instamart): Another major player with a strong quick commerce offering.
Zepto: A fast-growing startup gaining significant market share.
Reliance Retail: Recently entered the quick commerce space with its JioMart platform, leveraging its extensive retail network.
Flipkart: Also actively developing its quick commerce capabilities to compete with other major players.
Amazon: Preparing to launch its own quick commerce service in India, aiming to capture a substantial market share.
Swiggy’s Ecommerce Move
Food and grocery delivery platform Swiggy has recruited at least a dozen of senior executives from Flipkart and Amazon in the past few months to expand its business and diversify its revenue streams.
To name a few, the company hired former Flipkart VP Shalabh Shrivastava as its SVP of Driver Organisation, former Flipkart SVP Amitesh Jha as Swiggy Instamart CEO, former Flipkart VP Hari Kumar G as Swiggy’s SVP and CBO for its Instamart segment.
Swiggy also hired former Performance Marketing Head of Amazon, Anirban Roy as its VP earlier this year. The company has roped in top executives with huge experience of ecommerce business models and is testing the waters in India’s $70 billion ecommerce market and compete with established brands like Amazon, Flipkart, JioMart and others.
Blinkit, Zepto Replicate Ecommerce Biz
It all started with the quick delivery of food, groceries, and other essential items in 2020. But the quick commerce giants like Blinkit and Zepto are venturing into ecommerce territory by adding various categories like fashion, beauty, electronics, toys, home appliances, kitchen products, and more. All these products are being delivered within few minutes at consumers’ doorsteps.
This strategy will strengthen the quick commerce platforms, giving a tough competition to ecommerce rivals Flipkart and Amazon as well as traditional kirana stores. Going beyond grocery and essential items require more muscle power to their logistics network and the availability of dark stores to store a large number of SKUs for faster last mile deliveries.
So far, Zepto and Blinkit have joined their hands with Lyra, Jockey, Mad Over Print, Pepe Jeans and other popular brands for apparel segment.
Reliance Retail Keen Too
Reliance Retail to recently entered the quick commerce space with its JioMart platform, leveraging its extensive retail network. Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani is mimicking the strategy of popular Indian grocery startups to drastically change how his retail empire operates: from home deliveries that can take a day or two, his business is now targeting a 10-30 minute service.
Amazon, Flipkart’s Quick Commerce Plans
Ecommerce giants like Amazon and Flipkart are entering the buzzing quick commerce space to snag a piece of the pie, while the existing players continue to strengthen their play with Swiggy went public and Zepto is planning to raise another $310 million funds soon.
Amazon will reportedly launch its offerings on quick commerce platform in the first quarter of the next year, while Flipkart has already introduced its quick delivery service called ‘Minutes’ and plans to operate around 100 dark stores to boost its quick commerce offerings, as per reports.
Reports also state that Amazon is reportedly exploring the possibility of acquiring a stake in Swiggy Instamart.
It is worth mentioning that the family office of Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan and Motilal Oswal Financial Services chairman Raamdeo Agrawal have acquired a small stake in Swiggy by purchasing shared held by the company’s employees and early investors. At the same time Agrawal has also picked up a stake in Zepto through its $665 million funding round.
What’s At Stake?
Datum Intelligence estimates quick commerce sales will hit $6 billion this year, up from just $100 million in 2020. A recent survey of 3,000 Indian quick commerce shoppers showed 36% had reduced shopping at supermarkets and 46% cut back purchases from mom-and-pop stores.
1) The Run For Market Dominance – The quick commerce market in India is rapidly expanding, and whoever captures the largest customer base will gain significant market share and influence.
2) Customer Loyalty – Providing fast, convenient delivery can build strong customer loyalty and potentially draw customers away from traditional grocery shopping.
3) Revenue Generation -The quick commerce market presents a massive opportunity for revenue growth, especially as consumer demand for instant delivery increases.
4) Brand Image – Successfully navigating the quick commerce space can enhance a company’s brand image and reputation for innovation.
However, there is no denying that with multiple large companies entering the market, the competition for customers is intense. Hence, a focus on logistics, efficient delivery infrastructure and network will be critical for success in quick commerce.
Many players are utilizing “dark stores” – dedicated warehouse facilities optimized for quick order fulfillment. At the same time, advanced technology like AI and data analytics will play a crucial role for optimizing operations and customer experience.
Quick Commerce, A Bubble?
Now, the rapid rise of quick commerce has sparked both excitement and skepticism. On one hand, it’s undeniably reshaping consumer behavior and expectations, with promises of delivery in minutes revolutionizing the way people shop. On the other, some question whether this surge represents a sustainable shift—or just another bubble in the ever-evolving digital economy.
Why it could be a bubble?
Firstly due to unsustainable burn rates.
Quick commerce companies rely heavily on discounts, subsidies, and aggressive expansions to capture market share. This “growth at all costs” approach often leads to sky-high operational costs, leaving profitability as a distant goal.
Secondly, due to intense competition.
With giants like Amazon, Reliance, Flipkart, and established players like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart in the mix, the market is increasingly crowded. The resulting price wars and razor-thin margins could make it difficult for players to sustain operations.
Thirdly, the logistical challenges.
Ultra-fast deliveries demand robust infrastructure, including dark stores, delivery personnel, and advanced technology. Scaling such operations nationwide is capital-intensive and logistically complex, thus, raising questions about long-term viability.
Fourth and perhaps more importantly, overestimating consumer demand.
While convenience is appealing, there’s a limit to how much consumers are willing to pay for speed. The novelty of 10-minute deliveries might wear off, especially if consumers feel they’re paying a premium for something they don’t always need.
Yet, quick commerce could also be the future why?
Changing Consumer Behavior – The modern consumer craves convenience, and quick commerce aligns perfectly with this demand. From groceries to gifts, instant delivery is quickly becoming a lifestyle choice for urban shoppers.
Secondly huge market potential, with sales projected to hit $6 billion in 2024, quick commerce isn’t just a fad—it’s a booming sector that’s attracting big investments and innovation.
Technological advancements such as AI-driven inventory management, data analytics, and optimized logistics are making ultra-fast deliveries more efficient. As these technologies evolve, the cost of operations could decrease, making the model more sustainable.
It could also pave the way for strategic collaborations and partnerships with brands and retailers are expanding product offerings and ensuring quick commerce platforms can cater to a broader audience. This diversification strengthens their appeal beyond just groceries.
The Last Bit, The Wave vs. the Bubble
Hence, quick commerce might feel like a wave of excitement, but the market fundamentals suggest it’s more than just a passing trend. However, not every player in the race will survive. As the dust settles, only those with sound strategies, robust logistics, and the ability to adapt to changing consumer demands will thrive.
The main questions – Can the promise of instant gratification translate into sustainable profits? Or will the weight of operational challenges and intense competition pop the bubble before it truly delivers? consumer wallets—time will tell.
