Swiggy’s quick commerce arm Instamart has begun testing a new retail format with the launch of its first offline experiential store in Gurugram, marking a notable shift in how digital-first grocery platforms are rethinking consumer engagement. The pilot reflects an industry-wide reassessment of whether speed alone is enough to win loyalty in an increasingly competitive quick commerce market.
The compact store, branded under Instamart, is designed as a discovery-led space rather than a conventional point of sale. Spread across roughly 400 square feet, the outlet allows customers to physically examine a limited selection of products that are otherwise ordered through the Instamart app. Instant delivery remains the core of the business, with the offline format positioned as a complementary touchpoint.
According to people familiar with the setup, the store carries about 100 to 200 SKUs, a sharp contrast to Instamart’s dark stores, which typically stock 15,000 to 20,000 items across much larger footprints. The assortment focuses on categories where visual and tactile checks influence buying decisions, including fresh fruits and vegetables, pulses, daily essentials, select new launches and a small number of direct-to-consumer brands.
Operationally, the model differs from Swiggy’s online flow. The outlets are expected to be run by sellers, similar to dark store partners, with revenues from offline purchases flowing directly to them rather than through Swiggy’s payment systems. The emphasis is on experience and trial, not bulk shopping.
The experiment follows Swiggy’s recent ₹10,000 crore Qualified Institutional Placement, around half of which the company has earmarked for strengthening its quick commerce business. While Swiggy has not indicated whether the Gurugram pilot will be replicated elsewhere, the move signals how platforms are exploring hybrid formats to deepen engagement without abandoning a digital-first approach.
As competition intensifies, Instamart’s offline test highlights a broader shift in quick commerce, where discovery and trust are becoming as important as delivery speed. Whether this format scales or remains a limited trial will be closely tracked by the retail and FMCG sectors.
