Amazon on Tuesday announced the planned expansion of its quick commerce business in India. According to the e-commerce giant, the Amazon Now service will be expanded to more than 300 cities across the country in the coming years. Amazon claims its ultra-fast delivery service is the fastest-growing business unit in Amazon India’s history. Additionally, it announced a new delivery associate welfare programme, which focuses on education, insurance coverage, safety, and financial inclusion for workers across its logistics network.
Amazon Now Expansion, Sammaan Programme Announced
On Wednesday, the e-commerce giant said that its Amazon Now service currently serves over 50 million customers across 15 Indian cities, including Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Kochi, and Amritsar. It is claimed to offer delivery of products within minutes or a few hours, depending on availability and location.
As part of the expansion plans, Amazon will scale up its network of micro fulfilment centres and urban fulfilment facilities to support a significantly larger product catalogue. Consequently, customers will be able to access products through ultra-fast delivery windows. Once implemented, Amazon says over one million products will be available for same-day delivery, while over four million products will be available through the next-day delivery option.
Currently, Amazon’s portfolio includes daily essentials such as groceries, fruits and vegetables, frozen food, personal care items, beauty products, fashion accessories, home and kitchen products, and small appliances. The company aims to expand both product selection and delivery coverage as it scales operations nationwide.
Commenting on the development, Samir Kumar, Country Manager, Amazon India, said, “Amazon Now is the fastest-growing ecommerce business unit in Amazon India’s history with orders having doubled every quarter since launch. We are seeing a great response from customers, especially Prime members, who triple their shopping frequency once they start using Amazon Now.”
In addition to quick commerce expansion plans, the e-commerce giant has introduced Sammaan, its dedicated welfare initiative for delivery associates. It will be partly funded through the recently announced $300 million (roughly Rs. 2,836 crore) investment towards operations and employee well-being in India.
Under this initiative, Amazon will provide scholarships for delivery associates’ children, facilitate access to government welfare schemes, and support financial inclusion programmes. It will also offer expanded insurance coverage and enhanced road safety measures for workers.
Lastly, the company announced plans to expand the number of its Ashray rest centres to 250 locations across India by the end of the year. These facilities, notably, provide delivery personnel with access to drinking water, charging points, washrooms, seating areas, and rest spaces.
The announcements come as Amazon CEO Andy Jassy visits India and meets employees, entrepreneurs, and business leaders.
