In the ever-evolving landscape of quick commerce, the surge in orders delivered daily by leading players—Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart—has been remarkable. Recent industry statistics reveal that these three companies doubled their daily order volumes in March 2023 compared to the same month in 2022. This growth highlights the increasing popularity of rapid delivery services among consumers.

Explosive Growth in Quick Commerce

Data indicates that the average daily orders on these platforms skyrocketed to approximately 4.5 million in March, a significant leap from around 2.2 million in March of the previous year. The dominance of the top three firms is evident, as they collectively accounted for over 85% of all orders during this period, leaving competitors like BBNow and Flipkart Minutes trailing behind.

• Blinkit: 1.7-1.8 million daily orders
• Zepto: Approximately 1.5 million daily orders
• Swiggy Instamart: 1-1.1 million daily orders

Competitive Landscape

Among the leaders, Blinkit maintains its position as the front-runner in daily order volume, but Zepto is rapidly closing the gap. An industry analyst noted that Zepto’s growth trajectory is impressive, with significant enhancements in product assortment and aggressive discount strategies. However, this approach comes at a cost, as Zepto is currently experiencing a cash burn of around ₹200 crore each month.

In contrast, Blinkit has been focusing on enhancing customer experience and expanding its network of dark stores. Their order growth, while substantial at 80-90%, still lags behind Zepto’s explosive 170-180% increase.

Swiggy Instamart’s Strategy Shift

Swiggy Instamart has seen a more modest growth rate of 50-60%, largely due to its increased emphasis on its 10-minute food delivery service, Bolt. The company has successfully scaled this service to 500 cities while discontinuing its hyperlocal delivery offering, Genie.

Rising Contenders in Quick Commerce

The next tier of competitors, BBNow and Flipkart Minutes, combined, account for around 0.8 million daily orders. BBNow, owned by Tata, has transitioned from a traditional slotted delivery model to quick commerce, capturing about 0.5 million of those orders. Conversely, Flipkart Minutes is still in its infancy, gradually expanding its reach.

Amazon Joins the Race

In a notable move, Amazon has launched its quick commerce service, Amazon Now, in Bengaluru, indicating that the competition is heating up in this sector. During a recent analyst call, Akshant Goyal, the CFO of Eternal (the parent company of Blinkit), acknowledged the intensifying rivalry but expressed confidence in their strategy to capture greater market share.

As quick commerce continues to transform the retail landscape, the battle among these companies will be fascinating to watch, with innovation and customer satisfaction at the forefront of their strategies.