Amazon’s quick-commerce playbook: density, selection and two hubs a day

Amazon is adding nearly two micro-fulfilment centres every day as it expands Amazon Now, stressing the company's aggressive push to build the operational backbone required to compete in India's fast-growing quick-commerce market.

The company, which launched Amazon Now in 2025, has already scaled the service to more than 300 micro-fulfilment centres and plans to continue expanding both within existing markets and new cities as customer demand for rapid deliveries grows.

Fortune India sat down with Karan Chugh, director of operations at Amazon India, and Srikant Sree Ram, director, Amazon Fresh at Amazon India, where they outlined how the company is approaching the next phase of quick-commerce growth, focusing on network density, wider product selection and operational efficiency.

Speaking about the expansion, Chugh said Amazon is currently adding nearly two micro-fulfilment centres every day as it builds out infrastructure capable of supporting rapid deliveries at scale.

He added that Amazon's quick-commerce strategy is centred on building network density rather than pursuing growth at any cost. "Our focus is on building density, improving service quality and expanding selection as the network scales," he said.

The company has previously outlined plans to expand Amazon Now to 100 cities through a network of more than 1,000 micro-fulfilment centres. However, executives indicated that the focus remains on building a sustainable operating model while improving customer experience and service reliability.

Building for different shopping missions

Amazon believes quick commerce is evolving into a distinct shopping mission rather than merely an extension of traditional e-commerce.

"We are building for customers who need products in minutes and hours, while continuing to serve customers who plan purchases over days," Srikant said during the interaction.

According to the company, customers increasingly use Amazon for different shopping occasions, ranging from planned purchases to immediate and urgent needs.

"Customers don't think in channels. They think about missions," Srikant said. "Some purchases are planned. Others are immediate. We want to be able to serve both."

That thinking is also shaping Amazon's infrastructure strategy. The company recently announced plans to introduce more than 100 urban fulfilment centres, a larger-format facility designed to complement its micro-fulfilment network and expand product assortment available for rapid delivery. The facilities are expected to offer categories such as electronics, apparel, footwear, jewellery, luggage and furniture alongside groceries and daily essentials.

Investing in infrastructure and operations

Amazon's quick-commerce expansion comes alongside a broader ₹2,800-crore investment announced earlier this year to strengthen its India operations network, technology capabilities and associate wellbeing initiatives.

"Since launching Amazon.in in 2013, we have built one of India's safest, fastest and most reliable operations networks," said Abhinav Singh, vice president, operations, Amazon India and Australia, in a recent statement.

The company said it will continue investing across fulfilment centres, sortation centres, delivery stations and Amazon Now infrastructure to improve delivery speeds and reliability across markets.

Amazon is also deploying artificial intelligence and machine learning tools across its logistics network to improve inventory planning, demand forecasting, route optimisation and delivery efficiency.

Beyond logistics infrastructure, the company is expanding Project Ashray, its delivery partner rest-stop initiative. Amazon currently operates 100 Ashray centres and plans to increase the network to 250 locations this year. The facilities offer air-conditioned seating, drinking water, charging points, washrooms and first-aid support, and are accessible to delivery workers across platforms.

The company is also growing its electric vehicle fleet. Chugh said Amazon has partnered to deploy 1,000 electric trucks for Amazon Now by 2028, with 50 vehicles already operational.