Flipkart aims to reach up to 550 dark stores for quick commerce arm ‘Flipkart Minutes’ this year

E-commerce giant Flipkart plans to swiftly expand its quick commerce capabilities through its ‘Flipkart Minutes’ arm. The business aims to open between 500 and 550 dark stores to bolster Flipkart Minutes’ distribution network ahead of its flagship sale event in the autumn. 

“They [Flipkart] are on track to cross around 300 by March end,” an anonymous source close to the development told ET Tech. “The over 500 store target indicates the firm’s plan to be ready before its flagship sale which typically occurs during October to November.”

Dark stores are often located in busy metropolitan locales and, closed to the public, act as delivery hubs to enable drivers to bring e-commerce orders to nearby customers in just minutes. As demand for quick commerce grows in India, increasingly including fashion and beauty products, keeping up with the trend is becoming increasingly necessary for large scale e-commerce businesses. 

Flipkart debuted its quick commerce services at the end of last summer and currently counts between 120 and 150 dark stores in metro locations, ET Bureau reported. “In recent weeks, it [Flipkart Minutes] has expanded in pin codes across Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, and other cities,” a source told ET Tech. 

As quick commerce spreads across the country, competition is arising to enter new areas before other players in the industry. Flipkart’s flagship sale event ‘Big Billion Days’ coincides with the autumn festive season and is traditionally the retailer’s busiest time of the year.