India’s quick-commerce gold rush shifts to non-grocery goods

364

India’s quick-commerce sector is entering a new phase as major platforms broaden their focus from everyday groceries to higher-margin discretionary goods. Categories such as beauty, personal care, home essentials, small electronics, fashion accessories and gifting items are now taking a larger share of demand, reshaping both the economics and the positioning of the space.

According to industry estimates, non-grocery categories today contribute about 20–25% of Gross Order Value for leading players — a sharp rise from less than 10% two years ago. The shift reflects a deliberate push by platforms to improve margins, raise average order values and deepen engagement beyond routine purchases. Swiggy’s Instamart reported around ₹1,800 crore in non-grocery gross sales in the July–September quarter, while Zepto is generating an estimated ₹300–350 crore in monthly sales from similar categories.

Several factors underpin this expansion. Consumers are increasingly comfortable treating quick-commerce apps as broad convenience marketplaces rather than purely grocery-led services. Dark-store networks have become larger and more efficient, enabling faster movement of diverse inventory. Brands — particularly D2C companies — are also leaning into these platforms for visibility, sampling and rapid last-mile access.

The evolution has created a second revenue stream in the form of advertising. Analysts expect advertising income to rise from the current 4–5% of platform GOV to nearly 7% in the coming quarters, driven by competition among brands to surface offers and new launches within fast-moving app environments.

While groceries will remain the volume anchor, the pivot to discretionary categories indicates how the sector aims to strengthen its unit economics. As players widen their assortment, the distinction between quick commerce and mainstream e-commerce is narrowing, signalling a more competitive and diversified landscape ahead.