The online grocery retailer BigBasket and e-commerce giant Flipkart have both accelerated their delivery schedules in response to the growing competition from rapid commerce companies like Blinkit and Zepto, as well as the increasing demand for swift delivery, even in smaller cities.

BigBasket, owned by Tata Digital, rebranded its slotted delivery service as “Supersaver” in January, guaranteeing delivery within two hours. Meanwhile, Flipkart, owned by Walmart, has introduced same-day delivery across various categories in 20 cities at no additional cost.

BigBasket has transitioned all delivery vans to bikes and now operates solely from its dark stores. It has also enhanced its carrying baskets’ capacity and expanded its stock-keeping items (SKUs) to over 30,000. Similarly, Flipkart has meticulously planned its same-day delivery to ensure efficiency across 20 cities, leveraging technology and proximity to fulfillment centers.

This focus on faster delivery extends to tier-2 markets, where both companies enjoy a significant consumer base. Ashish Dhir of consulting firm 1 Lattice notes that improved e-commerce services could give them an edge over offline stores in these markets, meeting consumer aspirations for wider product ranges.

BigBasket’s CEO, Hari Menon, plans to further reduce delivery times to one hour and expand coverage to all 70 cities. Despite concerns about potential cannibalization, BigBasket aims to maintain its competitive pricing while enhancing delivery speed.

By transitioning to a bike-only fleet, BigBasket has maintained its average order value (AOV), ensuring continued efficiency and customer satisfaction.