BigBasket pivots to quick commerce as competition heightens 

BigBasket, India’s leading e-grocery giant, is stepping up its game by embracing the quick commerce wave, a sector that’s rapidly transforming the way people shop online. Known for its traditional slotted deliveries, BigBasket is now pivoting to meet the growing demand for lightning-fast deliveries, a move that blurs the lines between conventional grocery services and broader e-commerce platforms. 

The story of BigBasket, which began in 2011, is one of continuous evolution in the grocery delivery space. After years of fine-tuning its business model, the company is now making a bold transition into quick commerce, led by its BB Now vertical. Though BB Now has been around for about two and a half years, it’s only in the past year that BigBasket has shifted gears, pouring its focus into the quick commerce segment to stay ahead in a fiercely competitive market.                                                    

This strategic pivot is driven by a surge in consumer demand, spurred by rivals like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart, all backed by substantial investments. Starting next month, BigBasket aims to derive $1 billion of its projected $1.5 billion sales for this fiscal year from BB Now’s quick commerce operations alone.                                          

Earlier this year, BigBasket began testing the waters with faster delivery times, initially rolling out two-hour delivery slots under its Supersaver service. The company is now pushing the envelope, planning to shrink this to a mere one hour as it fully embraces quick commerce. Central to this strategy is the deployment of 500-600 dark stores across the country, which will complement its existing network of large warehouses, ensuring rapid delivery while retaining its user base. 

 As the competition heats up, Blinkit and Zepto are gearing up to expand their networks of dark stores significantly, while Swiggy Instamart is also in talks with real estate experts to boost its footprint across key markets.    

Meanwhile, Flipkart, a relatively new player in the quick commerce arena, is expanding its ‘Minutes’ service to major cities like New Delhi and Mumbai after a successful launch in Bengaluru. Unlike traditional quick commerce services, Flipkart’s offering includes a wider array of products, from groceries to gadgets like smartphones and laptops, making it a versatile option for consumers. 

The battle for dominance in India’s quick commerce market is intensifying. Amazon, the US-based e-commerce titan, is preparing to make its own entrance into the sector. Quietly working behind the scenes for months, Amazon plans to launch its quick commerce service in India by the first quarter of 2025, targeting the increasingly popular 20-30 minute delivery window that has become the hallmark of the industry.