Quick commerce, also known as “Q-commerce”, is changing how the urban consumer in India shops for their day-to-day necessities. With a promise of under 10–20 minutes for delivery, this business model has gone from a novelty to the dominant player in e-retail in metro cities. The quick commerce sub-segment is experiencing unprecedented growth in the mid-2025 timeframe—not without obstacles. Let’s dive into the landscape of quick commerce in India.
Rapid Expansion & Market Trends
Quick commerce is not limited to only groceries anymore. The players have broadened apace, expanding into electronic gadgets, fashion, pharmacy, ready-to-eat meals, and beyond. As we enter 2025, the market is estimated to grow to ₹1.5 lakh crore plus and is expected to triple by 2027 at an expansive pace of just over 70% CAGR. Such rapid growth is also driven by augmenting urban demand, consumer behavior changes post-pandemic, and the convenience-first orientation of Gen Z and millennial consumer shoppers.
Key Players and Strategies
1. Blinkit (Zomato)
- Currently the largest market share and already in the front.
- They operate in most of the major Indian cities with a few hundred
- dark stores.
- They remain focused on 10 min delivery of groceries and daily essentials.
2. Swiggy Instamart
- Rapidly expanding its dark store network.
- Developing a wider SKU range and commencing trial of 15-minute pharmacy deliveries.
- Growth continues to be positive, but profitability concerns remain.
3. Zepto
- A newer but rapidly scaling operator.
- Valued at > $5b, it aims to develop operationally efficient micro-warehouses.
- They state recurrent purchase behaviour is strong with high order frequency.
4. BigBasket Now (Tata Group)
- They announced their 10-minute delivery position and entry.
- They leverage owned food brands and outlets including Starbucks and Qmin allowing for exclusivity on deliveries.
5. Myntra M‑Now
- Quick Commerce arm launched and management explained that it will provide a 30-minute delivery option of select fashion and beauty items in select cities (e.g. Delhi-NCR and Mumbai.)
- Clearly an attempt to combine fashion e-commerce with Q-commerce logistics.
Infrastructure: Emerging of Dark Stores
The platform upon which rapid commerce sits upon is what is referred to as a “dark-store”, or mini-warehouse, which can locate in cities to ensure a fast fulfilment model. India has an estimated 5,000+ dark stores currently with an upwards trajectory for future growth as brands expand into tier 2 cities. This all begs the question of how real estate is utilized, urban zoning is structured and whether it can be built to be a long-term commercial entity.
Challenges Ahead
- Low profit margins: Delivery within 10 minutes comes at a logistics cost, especially as fuel and labor costs increase.
- Delivery workforce fatigue: The high-speed intention behind the speed of delivery expectations requires that gig workers must cover a lot of ground in a short period, leading to safety and pay concerns.
- Market oversaturation: Having too many players in geographic (serviceable) areas have resulted in war-like competition.
- Impact on small retailers: Since kiranas represent the majority of retail in India’s metros, they are seeing some succumbing to big players and rapid commerce.
Consumer Behavior & Change in Trends
Interestingly, Indian consumers have now adapted to thinking of rapid commerce as not just emergency shopping, but for regular replenishment—milk, bread, personal care etc. This is largely due to app-based old habits changing to led consumer behaviors through promotions, subscription models, and easy payments via UPI. Furthermore, bundling strategies (ex. food + grocery) is producing a greater number of orders and improving consumer clusters.
What’s Next?
- Tier 2 & Tier 3 cities: Whereas metropolitan areas are reaching peak consumption, there exist opportunities to capture market share in smaller, feeder markets, which are yet to be tapped.
- Diversification: Companies are stepping into new categories: books, electronics, ready to eat meals, etc.
- The sustainability push: With recent public outcry of the excessive waste of cardboard and plastic packaging and carbon emissions on the roads, some platforms using ride-sharing, e.g., Swiggy genie are exploring sustainable packaging and e-vehicles.
- AI & automation: Many platforms are experimenting with artificial intelligence to streamline their warehouse operations and boost forecast accuracy.
Final Thoughts
Quick commerce in India is no longer just about speed, but also about convenience, personalization and lifestyle. Though growth trajectories have far exceeded expectations, the sector is at its defining moment, given the importance of shifting repeat purchase behavior to profitability. As consumers begin to expect increasingly premium services, the long-term victors in this space will be the platforms that have learned how to harmonize operational efficiency with customer satisfaction.
Written by Pranjal Data
