‘Majority of India won’t pay for convenience’: Meesho co-founder Vidit Aatrey on quick commerce

The quick commerce sector in India is witnessing a boom, with the market growing nearly 60X in the last five years. The surge has prompted even traditional e-commerce giants to pivot towards faster delivery models.

In November 2024, Myntra announced its foray into the 30-minute delivery space with ‘M-Now,’ underscoring the increasing competition in the segment. Amazon’s Prime service had already shortened delivery timelines with same-day and one-day options, and now others are following suit.

With quick commerce gaining traction, questions arise over whether more e-commerce players will enter this space. Vidit Aatrey, Co-founder and CEO of Meesho, shared his perspective at the Invest Karnataka event in Bengaluru, suggesting that while quick commerce has achieved a product-market fit, its appeal remains restricted to certain categories and a specific consumer base.

“There are people buying things from this segment, but it is limited to certain categories, driven primarily by the need for speed,” Aatrey said. “Consumers who prioritise convenience are willing to pay a premium, a platform fee, or a convenience fee. However, the majority of India is not willing to do that—and that’s the real gap we are working to bridge.”

Unlike quick commerce players, Meesho has a different vision. “Our goal has never been just to solve for convenience, as there have always been players addressing that need, both in the past and today,” Aatrey said. “Many people in Tier-1 cities were shopping on Amazon primarily because of its speed—one-day delivery, same-day delivery. Instead, our focus has always been on bringing the majority of the country online—both consumers and small businesses.”

For Meesho, the key drivers are affordability and accessibility, rather than ultra-fast deliveries.

Meanwhile, the company recently raised funding from Tiger Global Management, Think Investments, and Mars Growth Capital, with participation from Peak XV Partners and WestBridge Capital, according to Tracxn. As Meesho gears up for an IPO, it has also moved the NCLT for reverse flipping to India, with plans to file its DRHP in the second half of this year.