Myntra, India’s leading fashion e-commerce platform, is testing a four-hour delivery service in four Indian cities, significantly reducing its standard delivery window of 2-3 days, according to sources familiar with the development. This shift aligns with the growing trend of quick commerce that is reshaping consumer expectations.
The Flipkart-owned company is piloting the faster delivery in cities like Bengaluru and New Delhi, with plans to expand to more locations across India by the end of the year, according to anonymous sources. The move reflects Myntra’s response to the rising demand for quicker deliveries, a trend driven by firms offering ultra-fast services, particularly in groceries and office supplies, with deliveries as quick as 10-15 minutes.
Myntra’s initiative also highlights Flipkart’s adaptability in India’s highly competitive e-commerce landscape. With the growing popularity of quick commerce, Flipkart, owned by Walmart, has recently entered the fast delivery arena, while its chief competitor, Amazon, has yet to join this race.
Myntra has been gradually reducing its delivery times over the past two years. The company’s Express service, for instance, has been providing 24-48 hour deliveries in select cities. An internal study showed that customers are more likely to complete purchases when offered faster delivery options.
The fashion category poses unique challenges in the Indian e-commerce market due to the wide variety of products and high return rates. Last year, Myntra reported having around 40 million annual transacting users, according to data shared with the Economic Times.
During the trial phase of its quick commerce service, Myntra is offering a limited range of items to customers. Quick commerce startups like BlinkIt (owned by Zomato), BigBasket’s BB Now (under Tata), Zepto (backed by StepStone), and Swiggy’s Instamart are gaining traction in India, collectively operating at an annual gross merchandise value (GMV) of over $6 billion, a significant jump from last year’s $2.5 billion.
Industry experts believe that the rise of quick commerce could have a lasting impact on the broader e-commerce sector in India, which recorded approximately $50 billion in sales last year. According to JPMorgan analysts, quick commerce companies have been rapidly gaining market share from traditional retailers, modern trade outlets, and other e-commerce platforms.
