Swiggy has been running hourly gamified deals that feel less like discounts and more like a game of chance. The rotating nature of these offers means that every hour carries the possibility of something better, and this creates a sense of urgency. Amazon and Flipkart also push frequent deals, but their approach is anchored around longer campaigns like “Great Indian Festival” or “Big Billion Days” rather than microbursts of changing opportunities. The shorter time horizon of Swiggy’s system leans heavily on psychology, particularly variable rewards, which are known to trigger repeated engagement. In commerce, just like in social media, uncertainty keeps users checking back.
This variable reward mechanism changes the rhythm of consumer behavior. On Swiggy, the decision to order food is not only about hunger but also about whether the current deal is attractive enough. That mix of timing and randomness alters the way one perceives value. On Amazon and Flipkart, deals are typically predictable within a campaign window, which makes them more rational and less emotional. Swiggy’s approach, by contrast, is designed to shorten the decision cycle and maximize impulse orders. It brings the mechanics of social media engagement loops directly into commerce.
Indians have always had a cultural affinity for deals, whether in local markets, seasonal sales, or now in digital platforms. The attraction is not limited to the size of the discount but also to the feeling of beating the system or finding something special. Swiggy has understood this deeply and built an engine around it. Amazon and Flipkart still dominate in terms of scale, but they rely on larger, planned shopping events where consumers wait and prepare. Swiggy operates on a smaller canvas yet applies more aggressive behavioral hooks. The difference highlights how food delivery has become not just about utility but about entertainment layered into daily life.
The addictive quality of Swiggy’s deals raises questions about long-term sustainability and consumer well-being. While Amazon and Flipkart operate within structured campaigns that allow for pauses, Swiggy’s hourly refresh creates constant stimuli. That makes it more aligned with the attention economy than traditional retail. A user may open the app multiple times a day, not because of need, but because of curiosity. This could drive higher frequency and deeper loyalty, but it could also create a fatigue similar to what happens on social media. The balance between engagement and exhaustion will determine whether this model can be sustained at scale.
What is clear is that commerce is no longer just transactional. Variable rewards are becoming a standard toolkit, whether in a feed of short videos or in a grid of food deals. Indians’ love for bargains amplifies the effect, making these strategies even more powerful in this market. The fact that a food ordering app is competing with the largest e-commerce companies not only in convenience but in the design of behavioral hooks shows how the lines between categories are blurring. It is a game changer, one that makes ordering biryani feel as engaging as scrolling through a social platform, and it signals how commerce will evolve in the coming years.