Flipkart, Amazon race in premium ecommerce with iPhones, fast delivery

Flipkart, Amazon and Bigbasket reported record festive sales of iPhones and premium devices, with fast deliveries and GST reforms boosting growth in metros and Tier-II cities

Flipkart’s ultra-fast delivery service recorded 4.5 million unique visitors and doubled order volumes during the opening hours of its flagship Big Billion Days sale, highlighting the country’s rapid shift towards instant commerce even for high-value purchases.

 

The Walmart-owned platform’s “Flipkart Minutes” service delivered its fastest iPhone order in under three minutes during the sale’s midnight launch, with premium electronics emerging as unexpected drivers of quick-commerce growth alongside traditional categories such as groceries and essentials, the company said on Tuesday.

 

“For the first time, millions of customers are celebrating the country’s biggest shopping festival not just online, but instantly, with Flipkart Minutes delivering everything from ice creams to iPhones in just 10 minutes,” said Hemant Badri, Senior Vice-President heading Minutes and supply chain at Flipkart.

 

Recent goods and services tax (GST) reforms have enhanced savings for consumers, he added, making the instant-delivery proposition more attractive during the crucial festive shopping season. The GST cut drove a 2.6x jump in new customers during Early Access programmes compared to the pre-festive period.

 

The surge extended beyond major cities, with Tier-II markets including Pune and the Chandigarh region posting four-fold increases in orders compared to regular days, while metros saw volumes double.

 

New customer acquisition on the Minutes platform jumped 160 per cent during the sale’s Early Access period, signalling broader consumer acceptance of rapid delivery across product categories.

 

“The momentum we are seeing across metros and Tier-II+ cities signals a cultural shift: shopping today is about immediacy, joy and trust,” said Badri.

 

Smartphones remained a festive favourite, with one in five shoppers opting for the smartphone exchange programme during peak hour, where the entire assessment was completed seamlessly at the doorstep in around 30 minutes.

 

The iPhone 16 emerged as the highest-selling item during the Early Access programme.

 

Electronic products such as boAt soundbars, trimmers, fitness bands, chargers and iPads also saw strong growth, with shoppers looking for both value and immediacy. This is driving demand for smart gadgets and accessories that support festive and gifting use cases.

 

Flipkart’s rival Amazon India reported a sharp uptick in demand for premium products across categories as the Great Indian Festival (AGIF) opened to all customers this week. The platform, which had earlier granted early access to Prime members, is witnessing strong sales momentum driven by high-end smartphones, televisions, consumer electronics and large appliances.

 

“Premium segments are performing exceptionally well, with smartphones, TVs, consumer electronics, large appliances, fashion and beauty products by popular brands such as Apple, Samsung, OnePlus, Sony, LG and Levi’s seeing strong demand,” said Saurabh Srivastava, Vice-President, Categories, Amazon India.

 

Srivastava said premium smartphones have registered high double-digit growth, with Samsung flagships seeing a four-fold increase led by the Galaxy S24 Ultra 5G.

 

In the TV segment, there is robust demand for premium display technologies such as QLEDs and Mini-LEDs, coupled with a growing preference for larger 55-inch and above screens.

 

Apple’s latest computing devices, including the MacBook Air M4 and iPad Air M3, are also performing well.

 

Notably, this rising demand for premium products is no longer confined to metro cities. Srivastava said the premiumisation trend has expanded into Tier-II and Tier-III cities. Here, premium appliances from brands such as Samsung, LG and Haier – including high-end refrigerators, washing machines and air-conditioners – have witnessed nearly two-fold growth following GST reductions.

 

“We expect this momentum to accelerate further as the Amazon Great Indian Festival continues till Diwali,” said Srivastava.

 

Last week, Tata-backed Bigbasket officially became an authorised Apple reseller and marked the iPhone 17 launch with record speed. Within the first 10 minutes of sales going live, Bigbasket delivered its first order, ensuring customers could access Apple’s latest device instantly, with unmatched convenience and savings.

 

Last year, Bigbasket introduced iPhone 16 deliveries in three cities. This year, the service has expanded to all Tier-I markets, making it easier than ever for customers nationwide to buy Apple’s flagship device without queues, delays or pre-bookings.