Ecommerce
Zepto hikes free delivery minimum to ₹299
Threshold jumps up to 100 per cent in peak hours, aligning with Blinkit and Instamart and testing low-basket shoppers.
Kabir Menon, Payments correspondent··4 min read
Customers now need larger baskets for free delivery, especially in peak slots. The platform is pushing average order value higher to cover last-mile costs while rivals have already moved thresholds up.
Dark-store pickers and riders will see fewer tiny convenience runs. A kirana-style top-up of milk and bread may now attract a fee, forcing shoppers to add snacks or personal care to clear the bar. Contribution margins on sub-₹200 orders improve immediately.
The higher threshold could encourage customers to add more products to their baskets.
Blinkit and Instamart gain breathing room on pricing parity; pure price-sensitive users may shift or abandon. Food-delivery siblings Zomato and Swiggy have already hiked platform fees 17-19 per cent earlier this year, showing the same margin hunt.
Track basket-size data and any volume dip through the rest of August into Onam and early festive prep. Further fee experiments remain likely if unit economics stay tight.