iPhone 16 in 10 minutes: Quick commerce firms take on e-commerce giants Amazon, Flipkart

iPhone 16 sales: Quick commerce platforms like Blinkit, BigBasket and Zepto have started delivering the latest iPhone 16 in minutes, challenging traditional e-commerce giants Amazon and Flipkart.

In Short

• Blinkit, Zepto, and BigBasket delivering the latest iPhone 16 in minutes
• Quick commerce firms challenge traditional e-commerce giants Flipkart and Amazon
• Availability of iPhones on quick commerce platforms limited

Quick commerce platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, and BigBasket are making waves by delivering iPhones in just minutes, posing a direct challenge to traditional e-commerce giants like Amazon and Flipkart. With the launch of the iPhone 16 series, these platforms have entered the premium tech market, reshaping the online shopping landscape.

On the first day of sales, Blinkit began offering 10-minute delivery of the iPhone 16, thanks to its partnership with Unicorn Stores, an authorised Apple reseller.

Customers in cities like Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru can now get the latest iPhones almost instantly—while Amazon and Flipkart typically offer a 1-2 day delivery window for such high-demand products.

Albinder Dhindsa, Founder and CEO of Blinkit, announced on social media, “We started delivering iPhones at 8 AM – and we're going to cross the 300 mark in a couple of minutes. Today is going to be one crazy day.” The huge demand, coupled with the convenience of quick delivery, underscores how these platforms are changing consumer expectations for shopping.

Zepto, another quick commerce competitor, has also joined the race, further intensifying the battle with traditional e-commerce platforms.

BigBasket, known for grocery deliveries, stunned customers when it fulfilled an iPhone 16 order in just seven minutes after launch in Bengaluru. The rapid service is made possible by hyperlocal deliveries from nearby warehouses, offering a speed edge over conventional logistics chains.

Hari Menon, co-founder of BigBasket, said, "Today’s the day! At 8:00 am, the first iPhone 16 order hit Bigbasket Now. By 8:07 am, it was in our customer’s hands. Yes, just 7 minutes from checkout to unboxing! We’re now serving more than groceries before you finish your morning coffee. Stay tuned, big things are on the way!"

While Amazon and Flipkart still dominate in terms of pricing, offers, and EMI options, the immediacy of quick commerce delivery could shift consumer preferences, especially for time-sensitive purchases like a new iPhone.

Quick commerce vs e-commerce

Urban buyers are increasingly prioritising speed and convenience, and quick commerce platforms are catering directly to this shift. Blinkit's move into tech aligns with the growing demand for faster access to the latest products, adding an element of excitement to the shopping experience.

However, it’s worth noting that the availability of iPhones on quick commerce platforms is currently limited to base variants of the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus. The Pro models and higher storage options are not yet available for instant delivery.

With quick commerce platforms reshaping the delivery landscape for high-demand products, Amazon and Flipkart may need to adapt to meet the rising expectations for faster service, signaling a new era of competition in e-commerce.