Delhivery launches rapid commerce with 2-hr delivery service in Bengaluru

Delhivery has introduced its new service, Rapid Commerce, designed to offer sub-2-hour deliveries in response to the rising demand for ultra-fast shipping. The service, akin to quick-commerce (q-commerce), which completes deliveries within 10-15 minutes, debuted in Bengaluru and is already handling more than 300 orders daily.

“For D2C brands, retailers and e-commerce brands – the service enables them to offer significantly faster delivery times, thereby improving customer experience on their own platform,” the company said in an exchange filing.

Targeted at Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) brands, retailers, and e-commerce platforms, rapid commerce allows businesses to significantly shorten delivery times, enhancing customer satisfaction. This service beats traditional e-commerce delivery, which typically takes several days, by offering brands in sectors like Beauty and Personal Care, Apparel and Fashion, and Electronics the ability to reach consumers within hours.

Ajith Pai, chief operating officer (COO) at Delhivery, said, “With Rapid Commerce, leading D2C brands can create a superior direct experience and greater control over customer loyalty. Brands can provide consumers faster access to a vast catalogue of products at efficient costs by using our network of shared in-city rapid stores.”

After its successful Bengaluru launch, Delhivery plans to expand Rapid Commerce to other major cities, including Hyderabad, Chennai, NCR, Mumbai, Pune, and Ahmedabad, over the coming months. “The service addresses needs of brands across categories such as beauty and personal care, apparel and fashion, electronics and accessories etc., which were traditionally reliant on standard e-commerce delivery timelines, to reach consumers within hours of the order being placed on their platform,” the company mentioned in its statement.

Velocity’s ‘Shipfast’ for D2C brands

Meanwhile, Velocity, the fintech firm supported by tech mogul Peter Thiel’s Valar Ventures, has introduced Shipfast, a platform aimed at enabling direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands to offer faster deliveries via their own websites. With options for four-hour, same-day, and next-day shipping, Shipfast helps streamline order fulfillment while minimising operational costs.

Although D2C brands have experienced substantial growth through quick-commerce platforms such as Zepto, Blinkit, and Swiggy’s Instamart, many are opting to manage the entire customer journey themselves by offering faster delivery options on their sites, avoiding the high commissions associated with third-party platforms.

However, a persistent challenge has been the shipping experience, with issues such as delivery delays, long resolution times, and inaccurate tracking often leading to customer dissatisfaction and diminished brand loyalty.