We are observing a significant development in India’s quick commerce sector as Instamart, Swiggy’s grocery and essentials delivery arm, pilots a physical experiential store in Gurugram. This initiative signals a strategic attempt to complement Instamart’s dark store–led rapid delivery model with an offline format focused on product discovery and consumer engagement.

The store is located at M3M 65th Avenue, Gurugram, and operates under Instamart branding while remaining operationally separate from Swiggy’s dark store network. Unlike the standard Instamart experience, customers can visit the outlet, examine products in person, and complete walk-in transactions without using the Instamart app.

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The experiential store carries a narrow assortment of approximately 100 to 200 SKUs, compared to the extensive catalog available through Instamart’s dark stores. This limited range is intentional and designed to support categories where consumers prefer to see, touch, and assess quality before making a purchase.

Key product categories include fresh fruits and vegetables, pulses, select packaged essentials, new product launches, and offerings from direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands. By restricting the SKU count, the store emphasizes quality, freshness, and informed decision-making over speed-driven purchases.

We note that the initiative is expected to be primarily centred on fresh categories. Fresh produce remains one of the most sensitive segments in online grocery, where trust, appearance, and perceived quality strongly influence buying behaviour. The experiential format addresses this gap by enabling physical verification, thereby strengthening consumer confidence.

This approach aligns with evolving urban consumer preferences, particularly in residential clusters where shoppers value both convenience and assurance.

A key differentiator of this pilot is its transaction structure. Payments made at the experiential store are reportedly routed directly to sellers, unlike Instamart’s usual model where Swiggy collects payments and settles with sellers after commission deductions.

We understand that sellers are experimenting with this format under Instamart’s branding and service support, allowing them to test offline demand without the cost and complexity of running standalone retail stores. This model has the potential to improve seller margins while enhancing brand visibility at the neighbourhood level.

Despite this offline experiment, Instamart continues to rely on its extensive dark store infrastructure across multiple cities for fast delivery of groceries and daily essentials. The experiential outlet functions as a complementary channel, focused on discovery and trust-building rather than instant fulfilment.

We see this as a hybrid strategy that allows Instamart to address both impulse purchases and consideration-led buying decisions within the same ecosystem.

Swiggy has not made an official announcement regarding the initiative or confirmed plans for expansion. However, we view this pilot as a calculated move to test how offline experiences can enhance quick commerce platforms.

By integrating physical touchpoints with its digital backbone, Instamart is exploring a model that prioritises consumer confidence, seller participation, and category depth, while maintaining its core promise of convenience.

We believe Instamart’s physical experiential store in Gurugram represents a measured innovation in quick commerce strategy. By combining offline product discovery with a strong dark store network, Instamart is positioning itself to meet changing consumer expectations in high-trust categories. The pilot highlights a future where quick commerce is not defined solely by speed, but by smarter, more immersive retail experiences.