Is the next quick commerce boom coming from electronics? Reliance, Tata bet big on 30-minute deliveries

India’s quick commerce space may soon see a surge in electronics deliveries as major retailers, including Reliance Retail and the Tata Group, enter the segment with plans for nationwide rollouts, The Economic Times reported on Tuesday, citing industry executives.

Reliance Retail has enabled its entire “grab-and-go” range of electronics such as smartphones, laptops, and small appliances for delivery within 30 minutes via its online platform JioMart.

The country’s largest retailer has launched the service in the top ten cities.

“If you look at a normal quick commerce player, they have maybe a very few sets of (electronic) assortments, maybe an iPhone, new model launches, delivery, or something. In our big-box electronic store, the entire grab-and-go assortment is available for delivery within a 30-minute timeline,” Reliance Retail Chief Financial Officer Dinesh Taluja told analysts on Friday.

The Tata Group has linked its electronics chain Croma with its quick commerce venture BigBasket in Bengaluru, with plans to expand to other cities, ET said.

BigBasket recently became an Apple reseller to stock and sell Apple products with ten-minute deliveries.

In a filing with the Registrar of Companies, Croma said its partnership with BigBasket has shown good results and that it plans to build quick commerce into a “significant growth channel,” according to the report.

Other electronics retailers such as Vijay Sales and Sangeetha Mobiles are also offering quick delivery in select markets.

Vijay Sales provides two-hour deliveries even for large appliances like washing machines and refrigerators, while Sangeetha Mobiles offers 30-minute delivery where it has stores.

“For large appliances, we still believe consumers may not buy on an impulse. Quick commerce in electronics is still in a process of evolution,” ET quoted Vijay Sales director Nilesh Gupta as saying.

Ecommerce currently accounts for 48-50% of smartphone sales, 40-42% of laptops and tablets, 30% of televisions, and around 20% of refrigerators, according to industry estimates and researcher NielsenIQ cited by the newspaper.

Industry executives cited by ET said electronics could eventually surpass grocery as the largest category in quick commerce, given higher purchase value and growing demand for instant gratification.