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Strategy

BigBasket and Quick Commerce: The Basket is big, but can it get Quicker?

BigBasket, an online grocery platform launched in 2011, established itself as a leader in India's fast-growing e-commerce market, capturing a 37% share of the online grocery segment by 2021. With a robust supply chain, diverse product assortment, and a scheduled delivery model, the company catered to evolving consumer needs, further buoyed by the pandemic-led digital acceleration. In May 2021, Tata Digital, a subsidiary of the Tata Group, acquired a majority stake in BigBasket, integrating the company into Tata's vision for a comprehensive digital consumer ecosystem. However, the competitive landscape was shifting rapidly. Emerging Quick-commerce players like Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit, and Zepto disrupted the market with a promise of ultra-fast delivery-targeting impulse and top-up purchases, an emerging segment of consumer demand. With a neighborhood dark store led delivery model, the new players were delivering a superior customer experience compared to BigBasket's scheduled delivery model. This raised critical questions for BigBasket's leadership: Should the company enter the Quick-commerce space? If so, should it build capabilities in-house or acquire an existing player? How could BigBasket leverage its established strengths while developing new competencies for this high-speed model? Most importantly, was it possible to make Quick Commerce a sustainable and profitable business in India's price-sensitive market? This case presents BigBasket's strategic dilemma as it navigates the challenges of maintaining its leadership position while addressing the disruptive potential of Quick commerce.

Learning Objectives

This case helps students explore strategic decision-making in dynamic and competitive markets. Through BigBasket's dilemma, they analyze how organizations can evaluate new business models and navigate challenges such as the build-vs-buy decision, aligning emerging opportunities with existing capabilities. The case also delves into the nuances of consumer behavior, contrasting value-driven and convenience-driven segments and their implications for operating models. Additionally, it examines supply chain and operational optimization, offering insights into designing scalable and profitable strategies in e-commerce.

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