India’s Flipkart said on Tuesday it plans to offer 90-minute deliveries for groceries and home accessories, as the Walmart-owned online retailer goes head to head with Amazon in a key growth market for e-commerce.
Flipkart said its hyperlocal service, dubbed Flipkart Quick, will also sell mobile phones and stationery items, taking it a step further than Amazon’s quick-delivery service that mainly offers just groceries.
Flipkart Quick will debut in select locations in Bengaluru, the company said, without specifying a launch date.
The grocery category as well as small grocers – mom-and-pop stores considered the backbone of the economy – have become the next battleground for India’s e-commerce firms, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has spurred more Indians to shop online.
“Halfway through the year of the pandemic, supply chains have transformed drastically,” Flipkart said in a statement. “The hyperlocal category, known for being a convenience for many, has now emerged to be a long-term essential service for the country.”
Flipkart, which is raising $1.2 billion in Walmart-led funding, recently acquired Walmart’s local cash-and-carry business to strengthen its wholesale offerings to mom-and-pop-stores.
Google-backed Dunzo and Naspers-backed Swiggy – firms much smaller than Amazon or Flipkart – also offer hyperlocal deliveries in India, including for groceries.
