BPCL pilots grocery delivery with LPG cylinders
Indian oil company BPCL is testing the delivery of groceries alongside LPG cylinders. The company aims to expand its retail offerings and is also developing its own payment gateway.
State-run oil marketing company Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) has begun piloting a model to deliver groceries and household essentials alongside its Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinder deliveries. The pilot programs are currently running in the Indian states of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
The initiative involves converting select LPG dealerships into fulfillment points, essentially dark stores. BPCL's existing 'In&Out' convenience stores at petrol pumps will also be utilized for stocking and fulfilling these new product orders. Customers can place orders through BPCL's mobile application and receive the items with their LPG cylinder deliveries.
While the pilot has shown promise, it has yet to achieve the expected volumes due to competition from established e-commerce and quick commerce platforms. BPCL faces significant competition in the rapidly evolving online retail space.
Alongside this e-commerce push, BPCL is developing its own payment gateway, intended for integration with its HelloBPCL app. This system aims to streamline payments for transactions at its fuel stations within BPCL's digital ecosystem, further leveraging its existing infrastructure to grow its non-fuel retail business.