Walmart’s Flipkart to offer 90-minute deliveries in India

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.

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.com Inc in a key growth market for e-commerce.

Flipkart Quick will debut in select locations in Bengaluru, the company said, without specifying a launch date. (Aniruddha Chowdhury/ Mint)

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.

Besides Amazon, Bengaluru-based Flipkart will also go up against Alibaba-backed e-commerce firm BigBasket and grocery delivery upstart JioMart, backed by Asia’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani.

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.