Quick commerce platform Zepto, widely used for ordering groceries, fruits, vegetables, and other items, has eliminated all handling and surge fees across orders and waived delivery charges for carts amounting to above Rs 99. As reported by Financial Express, the move positions Zepto as one of the most aggressively priced players in India's booming 10-minute delivery market.
No Handling Fees, Rain And Surge Fees
Under its new "All New Zepto Experience" initiative, the company has scrapped handling fees, rain and surge fees across all orders. Delivery charges are now waived for any purchase above Rs 99, while orders below that threshold will attract a flat Rs 30 delivery fee. Notably, Zepto's Rs 99 limit for free delivery is the lowest among its competitors.
The company has also removed the convenience fee earlier applied to cigarette and tobacco orders, further extending its zero-fee model across categories.
Also Read: Same Phone, Same Location, Same Product: Zepto's Different Prices Go Viral
How Zepto Compares To Blinkit And Instamart
A comparison of pricing structures reveals Zepto's aggressive bid to capture market share through affordability.
For orders under Rs 99:
- Zepto charges Rs 30 for delivery, with no handling or small-cart fees.
- Blinkit levies Rs 54 in total charges - including Rs 30 delivery, Rs 4 handling, and Rs 20 small-cart fees.
- Swiggy's Instamart roughly charges Rs 65, which includes Rs 30 delivery, Rs 9.80 handling, Rs 15 small-cart fees, and GST on top, reports Financial Express.
Here's how much you pay on Zepto vs Blinkit vs Instamart:
To check the difference, NDTV Food compared how a 390 g curd pouch, priced uniformly at ₹35 across all platforms, cost on Instamart, Blinkit and Zepto.
On Instamart, the final cost came up to ₹100. Blinkit was charging ₹94 for the same, while on Zepto, the price was lowest at ₹63.50.
Instamart. Photo Credit: NDTV Food
Blinkit. Photo Credit: NDTV Food
Zepto. Photo Credit: NDTV Food
Order values across platforms for delivery fees:
- Zepto's zero-fee offering for orders above Rs 99 undercuts both Blinkit and Instamart by a wide margin.
- Blinkit waives delivery fees once the order value crosses Rs 199, and charges Rs 34 in combined fees below that.
- Instamart maintains a Rs 30 delivery fee until orders exceed Rs 199 - after which Rs 16 is levied, waived only for Swiggy One members.
Also Read:Exclusive: Zepto's New 'You Decide Your Refund' Feature Goes Viral, Company Responds
Is This Move Beneficial For Zepto And Customers?
Questions remain over the long-term sustainability of such offers, especially given ongoing concerns about profitability and unit economics in the 10-minute delivery ecosystem.
For now, consumers appear to be the biggest winners, with lower costs and simpler fee structures.
NDTV has reached out to Zepto for a comment, but they are yet to respond.