How Quick Commerce Apps Are Monetizing Your Attention

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How Quick Commerce Apps Are Monetizing Your Attention

Here’s a quick challenge: the next time you open your phone, try to find three instances where an app isn’t trying to sell you something. It’s harder than it seems, right? In an era where every second of our attention is up for sale, companies are going to greater lengths to capture it.

It only takes two and a half seconds for an ad to catch your eye. That’s all. And right now, the hottest real estate for advertisements in India isn’t social media or search engines—it’s quick commerce apps like Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto. These platforms, originally designed to deliver groceries and essentials in minutes, have evolved into powerful advertising machines.

What does this mean for brands, advertisers, and, most importantly, you? Let’s dive into how quick commerce is reshaping digital advertising and why your favorite grocery app is making billions off your screen time.

Imagine opening Blinkit. The first thing you see? A banner screaming about IPL, powered by a chips and soft beverages brand. Scroll down, and there’s a carousel of ads for books, skincare products, or even financial services. Open Swiggy Instamart, and you’ll see the Savings Festival—brought to you by some FMCG players.

But why are these ads here? After all, quick commerce platforms aren’t e-commerce giants like Amazon, nor are they traditional content-driven platforms like YouTube or Instagram. Yet, they are now raking in ₹3,000-3,500 crore (~$400 million) annually from ads alone—nearly half of what Amazon India made from ads in FY24, despite Amazon having a much larger user base.

This sudden explosion in ad revenue signals a major shift in digital advertising. Quick commerce is proving to be the new battleground where brands are vying for your attention—and they’re willing to pay big money for it.

Why Advertisers Love Quick Commerce

The success of quick commerce as an ad platform boils down to three things:

1. High Engagement: Unlike e-commerce platforms where users place an order and leave, quick commerce keeps you engaged. You place an order and then watch the real-time tracking screen, waiting for the delivery to arrive within minutes. This extra engagement window is pure gold for advertisers.

2. Affluent Customer Base: Users of quick commerce apps typically live in metros, value convenience, and have disposable income. They aren’t just scrolling mindlessly; they are spending money. That makes them a prime audience for advertisers selling everything from snacks to stock trading apps.

3. Frequent Usage: While you might visit Amazon once a week, you likely open Blinkit or Zepto multiple times. Whether you’re ordering snacks, last-minute gifts, or just a carton of milk, these repeated interactions give brands multiple opportunities to capture your attention.

The Competitive Edge Over Google and Amazon

Why are brands shifting ad budgets from traditional platforms like Google and Amazon to quick commerce?

When you shop on Amazon, you search, place an order, and exit. Your attention span on the platform is brief. On Google, advertisers target you based on searches, but there’s no certainty that you will make a purchase.

Quick commerce changes the game. Once an order is placed, users often stay on the tracking screen, staring at the tiny icon of the delivery rider moving towards them. This creates a unique, highly engaged moment where advertisers can slot in ads—without the user feeling overwhelmed.

The Hidden Goldmine: Non-Endemic Ads

Traditionally, quick commerce ads were limited to FMCG brands—chips, colas, personal care, and household essentials. But now, non-endemic brands (those unrelated to groceries) are jumping in. Banks, insurance companies, stock trading platforms, and even real-money gaming apps are pouring money into Blinkit and Zepto ads.

Why? Because these platforms have a commerce-first audience. Unlike Instagram, where people browse casually, users on quick commerce apps are transaction-oriented. If a user is comfortable spending on premium groceries, there’s a good chance they’ll be interested in investment platforms, premium credit cards, or even high-end insurance plans.

The ₹3,500 Crore Hope for Profitability

For quick commerce platforms, ad revenue isn’t just a side hustle—it’s a necessity. Despite their rapid growth, these companies are burning cash at an alarming rate due to logistics and delivery costs. Ad revenue, with its 90-95% margins, is a lifeline.

Unlike selling groceries—where margins are thin and logistics are costly—selling ads is almost pure profit. There are no warehouses to maintain, no delivery partners to pay. The only cost is the tech infrastructure to display ads, making it one of the most lucrative revenue streams available.

The Attribution Problem: What’s Holding Advertisers Back?

Despite its potential, quick commerce advertising isn’t perfect. The biggest challenge? Attribution.

Advertisers need to track whether a user who saw their ad actually converted—whether they downloaded an app, signed up for a service, or made a purchase. Unlike Google, which has sophisticated tracking tools, quick commerce apps are still playing catch-up.

A marketing executive from a major brand recently revealed that while they see value in these ads, measuring their impact is difficult. Zepto’s own executives admit that solving this attribution problem isn’t happening anytime soon.

For now, advertisers are willing to experiment with quick commerce, allocating 2-5% of their digital budgets to it. But for this number to grow significantly, platforms will need to provide better analytics and measurement tools.

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What Does This Mean for Users?

As advertising grows, so do concerns about user experience. Already, sponsored products dominate search results on Blinkit and Zepto. If you search for “chocolate,” the top results are often paid placements. This raises questions about whether users are truly getting the best options—or simply the highest-paying ones.

But platforms are treading carefully. They understand that overloading users with irrelevant ads could drive them away. Instead, the focus is on making ads more contextual—so that what you see feels less like an interruption and more like a recommendation.

The Future: Will Quick Commerce Dominate Digital Ads?

Quick commerce is still in its early days as an advertising powerhouse, but its growth trajectory is undeniable. As brands continue to experiment with new ad formats—interactive ads, video content, and personalized offers—these platforms could become an even bigger force in digital marketing.

For now, the battle for your attention is only intensifying. The next time you open Blinkit or Zepto, take a moment to notice how many ads are vying for your time. Because whether you realize it or not, your screen time is the hottest commodity in the advertising world right now.

Interested in understanding the Indian quick commerce better? Check out our previous coverage here:

• The Great Reset of 10-Minute Delivery Apps in India

• Would growing quick commerce make Amazon/ Flipkart irrelevant?

• Quick Commerce in India

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Peeyush and Mohit

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