BigBasket Offers 10-Min iPhone 16 Delivery, Expands into Electronics

SUMMARY

BigBasket, owned by Tata Digital, has expanded into electronics delivery, offering 10-minute delivery of the iPhone 16 in partnership with Croma in Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai starting September 20.

This expansion is part of a broader move by BigBasket into the electronics sector, with plans to introduce a wide range of electronics products, leveraging their established quick delivery infrastructure.

BigBasket's entry into quick commerce for electronics aligns with market trends where firms like Blinkit and Swiggy are also diversifying their quick delivery services to include non-grocery items, intensifying competition in the sector.

Amid a rapid growth in demand for instant delivery services, Tata Digital-owned BigBasket has said that it will now offer 10-minute delivery of various electronic products, including the newly-launched iPhone 16, marking its venture into the electronics space.

The move comes on the back of BigBasket’s partnership with electronics products retail chain Croma.

As per BigBasket, starting tomorrow (September 20), BigBasket consumers from Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR and Mumbai can order the latest iPhone 16 with ultra-fast delivery to their doorstep.

Hari Menon, cofounder and CEO of BigBasket, said, “We are thrilled to bring the iPhone 16 to our platform, marking the beginning of our foray into the electronics space. This is just the start—very soon, we will be launching a wide range of top-tier electronics, all available with our lightning-fast delivery service.”

BigBasket, which reached the milestone of $1 Bn in annual revenues in 2020, has been expanding its operations across India. The company now operates in more than 400 cities, processing about 15 million customer orders per month. Its differentiation lies in its supply chain integration for fresh produce and groceries, along with strong private label brands.

This news follows its recent merger of Super Saver slotted delivery and BB Now quick delivery services into one interface. The company is targeting $1.5 billion to $2 billion in sales for the fiscal year and is increasing its SKUs from 10,000 to 30,000 while expanding its dark store network from 400 to 700.

The expansion into electronics quick commerce comes amid a booming market in India. Several players have been expanding their offerings beyond groceries and essentials. Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart are in talks with leading apparel and shoe manufacturers like Arvind Fashions, Fabindia, and Woodland to sell their products on their platforms.

Joining this, fashion e-tailer Myntra is testing a four-hour delivery service in four Indian cities, including Bengaluru and New Delhi. The company plans to expand this service to multiple cities by year-end.

BigBasket’s move also follows Flipkart’s recent expansion of its quick commerce service ‘Minutes’ to Delhi, after its initial launch in Bengaluru. Flipkart has added 11 new fulfilment centres in nine cities, bringing its total to 83, and enhanced its delivery capabilities with over 200,000 SKUs available for same-day delivery across more than 20 cities.

The quick commerce sector has seen significant investment in 2024. Zepto raised $1.05 Bn in funding over two months, while Zomato announced plans to invest INR 300 Cr in its quick commerce unit Blinkit. Blinkit reported revenues of INR 2,302 Cr in fiscal 2024, up from INR 1,064 Cr in FY23.

However, challenges remain in the quick commerce sector. The All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation (AICPDF) recently called on the government to increase scrutiny of the unchecked growth of quick commerce companies.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has also indicated that the government will consider safeguarding the interests of small traders if predatory pricing tactics by quick commerce and ecommerce players impact their businesses.