Smartphone makers hop on quick commerce bandwagon amid offline retailer pushback

On January 22, Blinkit announced a partnership with Xiaomi and Nokia, broadening its smartphone offerings beyond Apple iPhones, and its CEO Albinder Dhindsa then said it plans to add more phones and brands to this list very soon.

“We have iPhones available on the platform since the 16 series was launched; we now also have Vivo, Samsung, Motorola, itel, Lava, POCO, and Redmi that went live this Republic Day on Zepto. Our average delivery time remains consistent at 10 minutes,” Abhimanyu Singh, Business Head, Electronics, Zepto, told Moneycontrol.

Singh emphasized that these partnerships extend beyond Republic Day sales, and Zepto is in talks with smartphone brands to list more models and onboard additional brands.

“In terms of scope and scale of these partnerships, we are their quick-commerce partners. Regarding expanding partner brands, we are actively seeking more brands based on user needs,” he added.

Blinkit did not respond to Moneycontrol’s queries.

Retailers Push Back

While quick commerce platforms rapidly add smartphone brands to their offerings, offline mobile retailers are voicing strong opposition. They argue that quick commerce disrupts the traditional retail structure and fuels the grey market.

“With these partnerships, brands, including Vivo, are trying to create new competitors to retailers. These short-term sales tactics risk undermining the long-term stability of the retail network,” Kailash Lakhyani, founder and chairman of AIMRA, told Moneycontrol.

In a letter to Vivo India CEO Jerome Chen, AIMRA urged the company to reconsider its engagement with quick commerce platforms and instead strengthen its commitment to mainline retailers.

“Strengthening this bond will not only protect the brand’s integrity but also fortify the trust of your dedicated retail partners, ensuring continued growth and success,” AIMRA stated in the letter.

Industry analysts predict that quick commerce platforms will expand their smartphone offerings, but only fast-selling models are likely to be listed.

“Quick commerce in India is currently more of a marketing tool than a volume driver for smartphones. While it helps boost visibility and impulse purchases, particularly for new launches, it is not yet a primary sales channel. In the near future, quick commerce could play a larger role in the sale of iPhones, entry-level smartphones, and accessories,” said Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint, to Moneycontrol.

Upsna Joshi, Research Manager at IDC, noted that one of the leading quick commerce players had already listed the iPhone 16 during last year’s festive season, and now more players are entering the space.

“This indicates the growing importance of this channel, which is expected to witness multifold growth this year as more models are stocked up,” she said.

Analysts anticipate that 2025 will see a broader lineup of electronic devices on quick commerce platforms, including smartwatches, TWS earbuds, and accessories, with smartphones inevitably following suit. “As quick commerce expands beyond urban conglomerates, it is bound to redefine consumer experiences with convenience and competitive pricing,” Joshi added.

Despite the concerns of offline retailers, analysts believe quick commerce’s impact on smartphone sales will remain limited due to low order volumes. Instead, they see established e-commerce giants like Flipkart and Amazon as the bigger competitive threat.

“In terms of offers, quick commerce platforms provide similar card-based discounts as offline channels. However, the absence of exchange programs limits their appeal for smartphone buyers, especially those looking for affordability through trade-ins,” Pathak explained.

Joshi agreed, adding that mainstream retail—both offline and traditional e-commerce—will remain dominant, as most consumers still prefer to research devices, compare features, experience them physically, and seek the best possible pricing before making a purchase.

“Stocking high-value devices like smartphones will also restrict market entry, with only the largest quick commerce players participating initially. As volume grows, legacy e-commerce players like Flipkart and Amazon cannot be ignored, given their extensive reach and infrastructure. They pose a bigger long-term challenge to quick commerce,” she noted.

Faisal Kawoosa, an analyst at TechArc, however, cautioned smartphone brands not to explore quick commerce as it can hurt the interests of mainline retailers the most. "This is because it ‘snatches’ their USP of fulfilling sales instantly after a customer decides to buy. This is something quick commerce platforms dilute by delivering in minutes. For e-commerce marketplaces, this is not possible; it does not hurt offline USP."

Kawoosa added that quick commerce doesn’t add any significant sales contribution to handset brands. "At any point, it’s not more than 0.5 percent of total sales. It’s mainly to accrue marketing benefits rather than sales numbers. So it is better not to ride this channel hurting other significant contributors"

Notably, India’s largest personal computer (PC) brands—including HP, Lenovo, Acer, and Asus—have also begun listing products on major quick commerce platforms.

Market leader HP recently announced a partnership with Blinkit to sell laptops, monitors, printers, and accessories on the platform. Acer has listed a limited range of its products, including laptops, on platforms like Flipkart Minutes and Zepto in select locations.

With both smartphone and PC makers entering the quick commerce space, the segment is poised for rapid growth—but whether it will evolve into a major sales channel or remain a niche market driver remains to be seen.