India’s rapid commerce sector is experiencing significant growth, with demand more than doubling for certain participants. However, the aggressive delivery initiatives by Flipkart and Amazon are increasing competition in an already saturated market where profitability is still a challenge.

Flipkart, a major player in India’s e-commerce landscape, entered the quick commerce arena later than local competitors like Blinkit, Swiggy, and Zepto. Yet, it has surpassed 800 dark stores (online shopping distribution centers) this week, according to information obtained by TechCrunch, and aims to double that figure by the close of 2026, as per UBS.

This expansion aligns with the intensified competitive phase of India’s quick commerce sector. Noteworthy recent events include the resignation of a co-founder at Swiggy this week. Companies in the sector are also reassessing their strategies in light of increasing competition and costs.

The Walmart-owned business made its quick commerce debut with Flipkart Minutes in August 2024, providing delivery services across various categories in as little as 10 minutes. Since then, the sector has grown quickly. More than 6,000 dark stores are now operational, resulting in considerable overlap among competitors in major urban areas and heightening competition, according to a Bernstein report released earlier this week.

Beyond major cities

Flipkart’s footprint in India is still smaller than that of market leader Blinkit, which boasts over 2,200 dark stores, according to Bernstein. Nonetheless, Flipkart is focusing on expanding beyond major cities to stimulate growth. This contrasts with Blinkit’s plan to scale to 3,000 dark stores by 2027 while concentrating on its leading 10 cities.

“Flipkart embodies the Walmart ethos,” stated Satish Meena, founder of Gurugram-based consumer insights firm Datum Intelligence. “Walmart’s approach is always about enlarging the overall market potential to dominate by expanding the market.”

Flipkart is already observing traction outside major urban centers, with sources informing TechCrunch that 25–30% of its quick commerce orders are now originating from smaller towns. Orders per dark store have also increased by approximately 25% month-over-month, the source revealed.

However, the expansion in quick commerce remains predominantly centered in larger cities. According to Bernstein, most demand still stems from major urban areas, where denser populations foster quicker deliveries and better utilization of dark stores, even as growth into smaller towns accelerates.

This dynamic is also crucial for profitability. The eight largest cities in India account for over 3,800 dark stores managed by the top five players, with around 3,600 of them having the capability to be profitable, as reported by Bernstein.

“Metro areas clearly offer superior return ratios and profitability due to enhanced throughput,” remarked Karan Taurani, executive vice president at Elara Capital, a London-based investment bank and brokerage. “This business thrives on higher throughput, and for the moment, that largely comes from metro regions.”

Nonetheless, some analysts perceive a long-term opportunity beyond metropolitan areas. “Non-metros (smaller towns) can provide a boost if businesses broaden their offerings beyond groceries and present a wider selection of products at quicker speeds,” stated Datum’s Satish Meena. “Flipkart is placing its bets on that.”

Nonetheless, scaling up outside urban hubs will require time. Currently, quick commerce is feasible in roughly 125 cities, with dark stores typically needing six to twelve months to achieve maturity and profitability, as mentioned by Aditya Soman, a senior research analyst at CLSA, a Hong Kong-based brokerage. Many of the newer stores in smaller towns are still in a ramp-up phase, he emphasized.

Amazon, which entered India’s quick commerce sector in late 2024 shortly after Flipkart’s launch, is also accelerating its footprint. The e-commerce giant has established around 450–500 dark stores to date, with between 330–370 currently operational, according to UBS, as it seeks to capitalize on the growing demand for quicker deliveries.

Pressure mounting on incumbents

Flipkart is not solely dependent on dark-store expansion to stay competitive but is also implementing aggressive pricing strategies. The company is providing some of the most substantial discounts in the sector — about 23–24% across various categories, based on an analyzed sample basket by Jefferies last month — as it aims to draw customers in a market where pricing and convenience are key demand factors.

The impact of such strategies appears to be effective. The brokerage firm JM Financial recently cautioned that Swiggy’s quick commerce operation is trapped in a “growth-versus-profitability predicament” and risks undermining shareholder value, suggesting that a takeover by a larger, well-capitalized entity may be the optimal resolution for investors.

Eternal, the parent company of Blinkit, has seen its shares drop by about 15% this year, while Swiggy’s shares have declined over 29%, even as Zepto gears up for an IPO on Indian stock exchanges later this year.

The arrival and growth of major players like Flipkart and Amazon are transforming the competitive environment. “Quick commerce has transitioned out of a startup phase — it has evolved into a game for major players,” commented Ankur Bisen, a senior partner at retail consultancy Technopak Advisors.

He added that the sector’s financial dynamics and limited differentiation may eventually lead to consolidation, as companies vie for the same customer base in a heavily discount-driven market.

Requests for comments from Amazon, Flipkart, and Swiggy went unanswered. Eternal opted not to provide a statement, while Zepto indicated it could not comment due to a silent period following its IPO application.