Amazon to take ‘Now’ service to 100 cities, ramps up quick commerce bet

Amazon is sharply scaling up its quick commerce play in India, betting on ultra-fast deliveries to drive higher customer engagement and deepen its presence beyond metros.

The company said today it will expand its “Amazon Now” service to 100 cities, supported by more than 1,000 micro-fulfilment centres, as it looks to tap rising demand for rapid delivery of daily essentials. The rollout will cover a mix of large and smaller cities including Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Jaipur and Lucknow, along with existing markets such as Mumbai, Delhi NCR and Bengaluru.

The move signals Amazon’s intent to compete more aggressively in India’s fast-growing quick commerce segment, where speed of delivery is increasingly becoming a key differentiator.

India's quick commerce market is experiencing explosive growth, projected to reach over $10 billion in revenue by 2031. It is also the world's third-largest market behind China and the US, and is expected to grow at 12-15% annually. 

“Customers continue to enjoy Amazon Now, appreciating our delivery speed, value and selection, especially the quality of fresh produce sourced directly from farmers,” said Harsh Goyal, vice president for everyday essentials at Amazon India. “Encouraged by this success, we have further accelerated our expansion plans and will scale Amazon Now to 100 cities, fueled by a network of more than 1,000 micro-fulfilment centres.”

A decade ago, structural barriers that once held back e-commerce adoption are easing. Affordable 5G data, the widespread use of UPI, and better road connectivity are making the push into smaller cities more accessible and commercially viable for large platforms.

Quick commerce players such as Blinkit and Zepto that pioneered the concept of near-instant delivery, prompted incumbents such as Flipkart and Amazon to respond more aggressively, despite being late to the game.

Betting on speed and scale

Amazon Now offers delivery of thousands of products, ranging from groceries and fresh produce to personal care, beauty, small appliances and pet supplies, within minutes. The company said it is building a layered delivery promise, with thousands of items delivered in minutes, over a million products available for same-day delivery and another 4 million for next-day delivery.

The company is also tying the service to its Prime ecosystem. It said Prime members have tripled their shopping frequency after starting to use Amazon Now, and will continue to get unlimited free deliveries within minutes.

Beyond consumer convenience, Amazon is positioning the expansion as a way to strengthen its supply ecosystem. The company said over 16,000 farmers will be able to sell fresh produce through the platform, leveraging its logistics and technology network to reach customers directly.

The expansion is part of a broader investment push. Amazon said it is investing more than ₹2,800 crore to strengthen its operations network, with a focus on associate safety, health and financial wellbeing, alongside building infrastructure for faster deliveries.