Amazon has officially made its foray into India’s fast-growing quick commerce sector with the beta launch of its new service, Amazon Now, in select areas of Bengaluru. The service aims to deliver groceries, fresh produce, personal care items, snacks, beverages, and meat in under 60 minutes, targeting the increasingly time-conscious urban consumer.
The rollout, currently limited to three pin codes in Bengaluru, marks a strategic move by Amazon to tap into the burgeoning demand for hyperlocal deliveries. This comes at a time when urban India is witnessing a sharp shift towards instant commerce, especially in metros where convenience and speed are becoming key differentiators in online retail.
Dark Stores and Beta Launch Strategy
To power this new vertical, Amazon has already set up between 10 to 15 dark stores across the city. These stores, which act as localized inventory hubs, are designed to enable rapid last-mile fulfillment and reduce delivery turnaround times. The dark store model has been crucial to the success of quick commerce players, allowing them to promise and deliver on tight timelines.
For now, Amazon Now is accessible to a limited set of customers via the Amazon app, with the company expected to expand both serviceable locations and product categories as it gathers feedback and fine-tunes operations during the beta phase.
Competing in a Crowded Market
Amazon’s entry intensifies the battle in India’s quick commerce market, which already features entrenched players such as Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart, and Flipkart’s new delivery vertical. These companies have already built strong consumer bases and deep hyperlocal logistics networks. However, Amazon brings to the table its own extensive supply chain, warehousing expertise, and deep customer reach—advantages that could help it scale rapidly.
With consumer expectations evolving towards faster delivery, Amazon’s move into quick commerce underscores a broader industry trend. While Amazon Now’s initial focus is Bengaluru, a successful pilot could lead to expansion into other metro cities, making it a significant player in India’s $5 billion-and-growing quick commerce market.
As competition heats up, the next few months will reveal whether Amazon can disrupt an already crowded segment—and whether its late entry still offers room for meaningful growth.