Zomato's Blinkit unveils new sports and fitness vertical

Blinkit. Zomato’s quick commerce platform  is foraying into the fitness and sports market with a new vertical which features premium brands such as Adidas, Boldfit, Cosco, Yonex, boAt, and The Whole Truth. This new offering is now available on the Blinkit app in select cities, including Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Pune, Jaipur, Kanpur, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Vadodara, and Meerut, among others.

The Sports Essentials section, noticeably featured at the top of the Blinkit app, provides a diversified array of products across six categories: outdoor and indoor sports and games, swimming, yoga and gym, health supplements, clothing and accessories, as well as energy and hydration drinks. Prices for these sports items range from INR 50 to INR 3,000. For marking the launch, Blinkit has updated the splash screen of its app to draw user attention.

Albinder Dhindsa, CEO of Blinkit, shared the news on Twitter, highlighting the company’s commitment to enhancing customer experience with quick access to premium sports gear. Additionally, swimming gear has emerged as the top-selling category since this morning, reflecting a high demand among customers.

New on Blinkit - now get Sports Equipment when you need it?? pic.twitter.com/XqEdg2z56O

— Albinder Dhindsa (@albinder) May 24, 2024

Blinkit: Evolving beyond grocery delivery

The introduction of the sports vertical is another strategic move by Blinkit to deepen its presence in the ecommerce sector, aiming to boost average order values and overall volumes. Blinkit’s gross order value surged by 97% YoY to INR 4,027 crore in Q4 FY24, with over 65.3 million orders processed in the quarter. However, the average order value decreased to INR 617 in Q4 from INR 635 in Q3 FY24.

Initially launched as an online grocery delivery service under the name Grofers, Blinkit has diversified its offerings significantly since its acquisition by Zomato in 2022. The platform now includes a variety of high-value products in its catalog. Earlier this year, Blinkit began offering 10-minute delivery of electronics, including smartphones from Samsung and Apple, across cities like Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.

In April, Blinkit started delivering eyewear products from Lenskart in select cities within 10 minutes. The company has also added PlayStation 5 consoles to its product lineup. With the onset of summer, Blinkit expanded its inventory to include air coolers, fans, and third-party AC remotes.
Blinkit’s evolution from a grocery delivery service to a broad-spectrum quick commerce platform mirrors the dynamic nature of the market. Last year, Blinkit announced plans to offer home repair and handyman services, positioning itself against Urban Company, although this initiative is still pending.