Indian e-commerce startup giant Flipkart has launched its hyperlocal 90-minute delivery service called Flipkart Quick in Bengaluru that plans to provide over 2000 products from different categories including electronics accessories, mobiles, meat, grocery, dairy, stationery items, and home accessories.
The e-commerce giant has forayed into fresh fruits and vegetables along with meat and milk in the grocery category on its platform.
This will allow the platform to function through its different verticals by partnering up with other businesses for operating. For example, Flipkart has partnered with Ninjacart for fresh fruits and vegetables.
Under Flipkart Quick, a user will be able to choose to order in the next 90 minutes or book a 2 hr slot as per their convenience with deliveries done from 6 am to midnight.
The service has been launched in Bengaluru in selected locations like Whitefield, Panathur, HSR Layout, BTM Layout, Banashankari, KR Puram, and Indiranagar presently. However, the company plans to six more cities in the coming few months.
The move from the company comes at a time when Reliance JioMart plans to leverage its telecom reach to propel online commerce.
As reported by ET (1), Sandeep Karwa, Vice President of Flipkart, said,
“Six months back the conversation was about convenience… Now it’s no longer about just convenience, this is the need of the hour…This is a great [hyperlocal delivery] model for India as households of all sizes are already used to their neighbourhood Kirana stores.”
Next expansion via kirana stores
The pandemic has led to faster convergence between online and offline commerce, with traditional businesses increasingly collaborating with online channels as a long-term strategy to generate demand.
The platform aims to integrate a whole network of nearby Kirana stores over its next phase of expansion.
A number of startups tried venturing into the hyperlocal delivery model but sadly failed due to poor unit economics. However, currently, it is the best time for offline and online retailers to tie up, given the lockdown situation and social distancing measures prevalent across the country.
