Inc42 reports that quick commerce has fundamentally altered the competitive landscape for beauty and personal care brands in India. According to the publication, annualised gross merchandise value for beauty products on these platforms has reached approximately $1 billion, with sales growing at a rate of 90% per year. This rapid expansion has led several companies to reevaluate their reliance on traditional horizontal marketplaces, treating quick commerce as a primary channel for growth rather than a supplementary option.
Executives from various brands described significant shifts in their sales composition. Neeraj Biyani, co-founder of Asaya, noted that while marketplaces were previously their largest channel, quick commerce has now surpassed them in volume. Similarly, Nikita Khanna of Moxie Beauty stated that quick commerce accounts for over 30% of the company’s sales, a channel that did not exist for them just a year prior. Kairavi Bharat Ram of Typsy Beauty reported that the channel’s contribution to revenue has grown fivefold in absolute terms, outpacing growth in other sectors.
This transition has necessitated operational overhauls, particularly in supply chain management. Brands are moving from monthly warehouse planning to weekly, city-level forecasting to prevent stockouts, which Inc42 identifies as a critical risk for brand visibility and advertising return on investment. Additionally, companies are customising product sizes and pricing strategies to align with the replenishment cycles of quick commerce consumers, who often prefer smaller, immediate purchases over full-sized packs.
Advertising budgets are also being redirected to these platforms. Inc42 cites data from 1DigitalStack showing that search volumes for generic makeup keywords on Blinkit rose by 236% between the first quarter of 2025 and the second quarter of 2026. In contrast, volumes on Amazon fell by 76% during the same period, although Amazon’s total volume remains larger. Brands are increasing ad spend on quick commerce apps to ensure visibility where consumers are actively making purchase decisions.
Despite the shift, traditional marketplaces remain essential for product discovery and premium positioning. Inc42 notes that platforms like Nykaa and Amazon continue to serve as primary destinations for consumers seeking to compare reviews and explore extensive product ranges. To compete, major marketplaces have launched their own quick commerce services, such as Nykaa Now and Flipkart Minutes, aiming to match the speed of dedicated instant delivery platforms while retaining their advantage in content depth and brand exclusivity.