E-commerce giant Amazon is stepping into India’s fast-growing $6-billion quick commerce market, joining competitors like Zomato’s Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, Flipkart Minutes, and BigBasket.
Samir Kumar, Country Manager, Amazon India, confirmed the development on December 10.
The initiative will launch as a pilot later this month in Bengaluru. While reports suggested the service might be branded as “Tez,” Amazon has yet to finalize a name.
“We will be starting a pilot to give our customers a choice to get their everyday essentials in 15 minutes or less,” Kumar stated during Amazon’s flagship event, Smbhav, held in Delhi.
This marks a major move under Kumar’s leadership, just two months after he succeeded former head Manish Tiwary.
The quick commerce foray has reportedly been in the works for months and is rolling out at a time when Indian consumer preferences are shifting rapidly.
“Our strategy has always focused on ‘selection, value, and convenience,’ and our vision is to build a large profitable business in India,” Kumar said. He emphasized the company’s intent to deliver the “largest selection at the fastest speeds and greatest value” to customers in every pin code nationwide.
The quick commerce market has gained momentum as more customers turn to platforms offering deliveries within minutes, moving away from traditional one- or two-day services. Analysts note that the rise of companies like Blinkit and Zepto is eating into the market share of e-commerce giants, prompting Amazon and Flipkart to adapt to consumer demands.
Leveraging its existing base of millions of customers, including Prime Members, Amazon is well-positioned to enter the competitive space. “We already have millions of customers across India, including Prime Members, who trust us and will look forward to this convenience,” Kumar added.
