Amazon India’s quick commerce arm, Amazon Now, is accelerating its growth with plans to expand to over 300 dark stores by the end of 2025, supported by a hefty ₹2,000 crore investment in micro-fulfillment centers, sortation facilities, and delivery networks. Announced on September 19, 2025, ahead of the Great Indian Festival, this scaling targets 10-15 minute deliveries of groceries and essentials in key metros, positioning Amazon against rivals like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart in India’s booming ₹9,950 crore quick commerce sector (projected to hit $9.95 billion by 2029). For e-commerce shoppers and industry watchers searching Amazon Now dark stores 2025, quick commerce expansion India, or Amazon vs Blinkit, this move signals a full-throttle entry into ultrafast delivery, leveraging Amazon’s logistics muscle to capture urban demand.
With current operations in Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai, the expansion adds over 200 new stores, building on pilots that launched in early 2025. Let’s unpack the strategy, infrastructure push, and competitive landscape.
The Expansion Plan: From 100 to 300 Dark Stores
Dark stores—compact, inventory-focused warehouses optimized for online orders—form the backbone of quick commerce, enabling rapid picking and packing without in-store traffic. Amazon Now, rebranded for speed, started with a limited 100-store network in Q1 2025 and now eyes tripling that by year-end.
- Geographic Focus: Primarily Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, with potential spillover to Hyderabad and Chennai based on pilot success.
- Delivery Promise: 10-15 minute fulfillment for 5,000+ SKUs, including groceries, electronics, and daily essentials.
- Investment Breakdown: ₹2,000 crore allocated to 17 new fulfillment centers, six sortation hubs, and 75 delivery stations nationwide.
This follows a 2024 groundwork phase, with pilots in January-February validating the model. By December 2025, the network could process millions of daily orders, per internal targets.
| Milestone | Current (Q3 2025) | End-2025 Target | Investment (₹ Cr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Stores | ~100 | 300+ | 1,000 (Fulfillment) |
| Sortation Centers | Existing | +6 | 500 |
| Delivery Stations | Existing | +75 | 500 |
| Key Cities | Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, Mumbai | Same + Potential Expansion | Total: 2,000 |
Strategic Drivers: Capturing the Quick Commerce Boom
India’s quick commerce market has exploded, growing 150% YoY to ₹9,950 crore in 2024, driven by urban millennials craving instant gratification. Amazon, late to the party after focusing on Prime’s two-hour slots, sees dark stores as a low-capex entry (₹1.54 crore per store vs. ₹3.91 crore historically).
- Competitive Pressure: Flipkart Minutes plans 800 stores by 2025-end, Zepto operates 700, and Blinkit leads with cash-flow positive units.
- Logistics Synergies: Leverages Amazon’s 1,700+ sellers and 190 million GST-compliant products for seamless integration.
- Consumer Shift: 35% YoY growth in Amazon Business bulk orders signals demand for speed in essentials.
Manish Tiwary, VP and Country Manager, emphasized: “We’re investing to make quick commerce accessible and reliable.”
Challenges and Market Dynamics: Hurdles in the Race
Scaling dark stores isn’t without pitfalls:
- High Density Needs: Each store serves 2-3 km radii, requiring urban real estate in high-demand zones.
- Profitability Pressures: Initial losses from setup, though 70% of competitors’ stores are cash-positive.
- Regulatory Scrutiny: E-commerce policies on inventory ownership could evolve by 2026.
Despite this, Amazon’s ₹2,000 crore war chest positions it to capture 10-15% market share by 2026.
Implications for Shoppers and the Sector
For consumers, expect faster, cheaper deliveries—potentially undercutting rivals’ 10-minute promises. The sector’s growth could add 1 million jobs in logistics by 2029, but intensify price wars.
As Flipkart’s Krishnamurthy noted, costs have halved, making profitability viable.
Conclusion: Amazon’s Dark Store Sprint in Quick Commerce
Amazon Now’s push to 300 dark stores by 2025-end is a calculated blitz to conquer India’s quick commerce frontier, backed by ₹2,000 crore and laser-focused logistics. In a market racing toward $10 billion, this could redefine ultrafast shopping—or spark fiercer battles. For urban dwellers, it’s a win for speed; for investors, a bet on e-comm evolution. Track the Great Indian Festival for early glimpses—will Amazon outpace Blinkit? Deliveries will decide. Business Standard
