71% of quick-commerce users prioritise value over speed for Diwali shopping; Amazon Now leads festive preference: LocalCircles

As quick-commerce platforms compete for a larger share of India's festive spending, price, product quality and transparent charges are emerging as more important factors for consumers than delivery speed. A new LocalCircles study found that 71% of users would choose a platform offering the best prices or overall value for festive shopping, while 65% prioritise product quality and 43% prefer platforms charging little or no additional fees.

The findings come as urban households are projected to spend around ₹1.97 lakh crore on festive purchases this year, according to LocalCircles. The study received over 204,000 responses from quick-commerce users across 130 districts and included 11,275 consumer ratings covering seven major platforms.

Extra charges remain a key consumer concern

The survey found that 60% of users said delivery, handling, small-cart or other charges often pushed their final bill above expectations. Of these, 42% said this happened very often and 18% often. Only 26% said such charges rarely or never increased their final bill unexpectedly.

Product availability was another important consideration, cited by 46% of respondents, followed by offers and discounts at 38%, a wide range of festive products at 31%, reliable delivery at 28% and fast delivery at 22%.

Order values remain relatively modest, with 69% of users typically spending between ₹200 and ₹999 per transaction. The survey found that 20% usually spend ₹200–₹399, 27% spend ₹400–₹599 and 22% spend ₹600–₹999. Only 16% typically spend ₹1,000 or more.

Amazon Now leads last-minute festive shopping

Amazon Now emerged as the most preferred platform for last-minute festive shopping, selected by 22% of respondents, followed by Blinkit at 19%, Zepto at 14% and BigBasket at 12%. Swiggy Instamart secured 9%, Flipkart Minutes 8% and JioMart Quick 4%, while 12% were undecided.

Blinkit, however, remained the most-used platform for everyday purchases, with 31% of respondents selecting it, ahead of Amazon Now at 25%. BigBasket accounted for 12%, while Flipkart Minutes and Zepto each received 11%.

In the consumer ratings exercise, Amazon Now and Zepto shared the highest overall score of 27.5 out of 35. BigBasket followed with 26, while Blinkit and Flipkart Minutes scored 23.5 each. Swiggy Instamart received 22 and JioMart Quick 19.5.

Blinkit achieved the highest score for speed, at five out of five, but scored 2.5 each for value and transparency of charges. Amazon Now and Zepto scored 4.5 for transparency, while BigBasket led on product exclusivity with 4.5.

Festive demand fuels platform expansion

The findings arrive amid rapid expansion across the sector. Blinkit's net order value rose 79% year-on-year to ₹20,940 crore in the July-September 2026 quarter, while Swiggy Instamart reported gross order value of ₹9,230 crore, up 31%.

LocalCircles said consumers increasingly expect quick delivery as standard, placing greater emphasis on value, reliable product quality and the final amount payable. The study suggests platforms that disclose charges upfront and maintain product availability could be better positioned to capture last-minute festive demand.