Flipkart is set to introduce ‘Flipkart Minutes’ in July, propelling it into the realm of expedited commerce.

The massive online retailer Flipkart, sponsored by Walmart, is about to take a big step into the fast-fashion industry with the launch of its new “Flipkart Minutes” program. This is Flipkart’s third attempt to enter the rapidly expanding industry for extremely quick delivery services; the debut is scheduled for mid-July. Prior initiatives, such as Flipkart Quick, which promised deliveries in 90 minutes, fell short of expectations. With Flipkart Minutes, the company is now aggressively aiming for a 15-minute delivery window.

Insiders claim that Flipkart intends to use its strong supply chain to guarantee quick delivery times while providing a large selection of goods. Flipkart Minutes will feature electronics, FMCG, fashion, and other necessities in addition to groceries and daily necessities. While the corporation has not yet released an official statement, the launch is anticipated to occur on or around July 15.

This action is being taken as Mordor Intelligence projects that the Indian fast commerce industry will reach $9.95 billion by 2029, up from $3.34 billion in 2024. In addition to joining the rapid commerce market, Flipkart is improving its grocery fulfillment centers (FC) to enable scheduled deliveries in order to guarantee the success of Flipkart Minutes. In Jaipur, Rajasthan, Flipkart has built a new food store with the capacity to ship more than 6,500 orders per day to places including Kota, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, and Jodhpur. This is a component of a larger plan to build a network of dark stores in major cities like Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Delhi NCR, allowing for deliveries in as little as ten to fifteen minutes in at least twelve cities over the course of the next six to eight weeks.

Flipkart Minutes is set to join a field currently dominated by well-known players like as Zepto, Swiggy’s Instamart, and Blinkit, which is supported by Zomato. About 600,000 orders are processed by Blinkit per day, compared to roughly 500,000 orders processed by Swiggy Instamart and 300,000 orders handled by Zepto. With Blinkit’s average revenue run rate at ₹12,000 crore and Swiggy Instamart’s ARR ranging from ₹8,500 to ₹28,000 crore, both companies have demonstrated notable growth. Zepto’s GMV is getting close to ₹7,000 crore.

The spike in demand for ultra-fast deliveries, especially post-Covid, can be linked to Flipkart’s renewed focus on speedy commerce, despite past unsuccessful attempts and a failed partnership with Zepto over stake allocation concerns. Industry observers observe a change in the dynamics of the business, with rapid commerce perhaps surpassing traditional e-commerce in India given that the entire addressable market is estimated to be worth close to $45 billion, based on a Redseer report from 2022.

Flipkart has demonstrated its commitment to meeting evolving customer expectations by providing value, selection, and speed through significant investments in improving its delivery capabilities. Notable initiatives include the introduction of same-day delivery in 20 cities and special delivery services for holidays like Valentine’s Day. With the launch of Flipkart Minutes, the company is attempting to take advantage of the burgeoning market for expedited commerce by competing with the industry’s leading competitors and snatching up a sizeable portion of it.

The industry is keeping a careful eye on Flipkart as it gets ready for launch to determine if this move will make the company a strong participant in the rapid commerce space, competing with established titans and satisfying the needs of a customer base that is becoming more and more time-sensitive.