In a bold move, Amazon is all set to make its presence felt in the growing quick commerce sector of India, with an intention to give a severe jolt to the market presently dominated by BlinkIt and Zepto. According to a report from Economic Times, the e-commerce giant will foray into this fast-selling delivery section in the first quarter of 2025.
PC: The Economic Times
According to Economic Times, Nishant Sardana, an efficient category leader who heads the business of smartphones and accessories at Amazon has now been saddled with the responsibility to helm the quick commerce vertical at the firm. This move reflects the growing focus of Amazon to expand its offerings across categories while tapping into the soaring demand for quick and efficient delivery services in the Indian market.
In this regard, the strategic move of Amazon is reported in quick succession to its local competitor, Flipkart’s foray into quick commerce through Flipkart Minutes. Moreover, BigBasket as a part of Tata Digital has also announced a complete movement into the quick delivery space, with the competition only set to intensify more in this fast-evolving space.
While Amazon has been offering grocery delivery through Amazon Fresh on a scheduled basis, this foray of the firm into quick commerce is expected to set off ripples in market dynamics, thereby making life tough for BlinkIt, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart.
Rumors have been doing rounds on Amazon’s acquisition of Swiggy Instamart, while the truth about the details of any probable deal is not so certain. The Economic Times has reported that talks between Amazon and Swiggy are in progress, which hints at the possibility of a strategic move to cement its positions even further in the quick commerce space.
According to a detailed report by the brokerage firm UBS, BlinkIt has the leading position in the quick commerce sector, with as much as 40-45% market share under the wing of Zomato. It closely followed Instamart with 20-25%, while Zepto and BigBasket stand at 15-20% and 10-15% share, respectively.
Amazon’s strategic foray into quick commerce comes at a time when Manish Tiwary, one of the highly respected country managers of Amazon India, recently announced his resignation after an illustrious eight-year-long career with the company. Tiwary will continue in his current role until October this year, before Amit Agarwal, a highly respected vice-president of Amazon India and emerging markets, takes over, as Amazon navigates its ambitious expansion plans in quick commerce.
So, in summary, Amazon plans to enter India’s quick commerce market, challenging leaders like BlinkIt and Zepto, with strategic acquisitions and expansions.