Amazon pilots 15-min Q-comm service to challenge Zepto, Blinkit, Instamart

Amazon is all set to compete with the quick commerce prodigies Zepto, Blinkit and Instamart with its new pilot where everyday essentials will be delivered to customers in 15 minutes. While Amazon is hesitating to call it quick commerce, the bet is on convenience, value and the wide range of seller networks that Amazon boasts.

“We’re going to have our offering of every(day) essential in 15 minutes in the coming weeks,” Samir Kumar, Country Manager, Amazon India revealed at a media briefing on the sidelines of Amazon's Smbhav summit today.

Kumar outlined the company's broader strategy to provide a diverse range of products with varying delivery speeds.

“There will be things that we'll get for 15 minutes. There will be things that you will want the same day or sub the same day. There'll be things that you can wait for 2 days to get and there will be things that will maybe come from other parts of the countries like served by our Amazon carriers or small businesses,” Kumar said.

“Quick commerce is a play of convenience and what we are going to do is to have our own offering of what we call everyday essential selection, that you need every day. You don't need a nail to put your painting on the wall every day, you don't buy a TV every day. You don't buy your phone every day, but you buy your everyday essentials light or whether it's some groceries that you are going to consume or they're going to be some other essential item that you get," Kumar added.

While the name of the new offering is yet to be out, at the briefing it was hinted that the pilot would be called Amazon Tez. The new offering will be rolled within this month in December before 2025.

Kumar declined to reveal more details on the faster delivery offering, however, he confirmed that Amazon Fresh will not go anywhere, given the vertical is doing well. Yet, there may be plans to integrate the new pilot with Fresh.

“I think Fresh is doing quite well for us. We have seen tremendous work in fresh, both in what we do. We also have tied up with more retail stores and a number of places. I'm really happy with the project,” Kumar said.