- By Alex David
- Sun, 02 Nov 2025 10:56 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Quick commerce is suddenly back in subsidy mode. And Zepto just pulled the most aggressive move we’ve seen in 2024 so far. Days after raising $450 million, the company has eliminated every single add-on fee that consumers have been complaining about for months. No handling fees. No rain fees. No surge fees. And free delivery is now unlocked at just ₹99. The industry knew this funding round would be used to push harder on market share — but Zepto has gone straight for the jugular. Because this isn’t a “coupon” or limited promo. This is a full structural shift in pricing, and it puts direct commercial pressure on Blinkit and Instamart instantly.
What exactly changed
Under Zepto’s “All new Zepto experience”, the platform is now showing:
- ₹0 handling fee
- ₹0 surge or rain fee
- ₹0 delivery fee above ₹99
This was also blasted out to users via WhatsApp messages this week.
Earlier, Zepto used to charge a handling fee and positioned it as a cost to manage items inside dark stores.
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Positioning versus competitors
Zepto now becomes the lowest cost platform in pure out-of-pocket ordering cost.
Meanwhile:
- Blinkit: ₹11 handling + ₹30 delivery below ₹199
- Instamart: ~₹9.8 handling + ₹30 delivery below ₹199
Both also add surge or rain fees
The difference is now visible on the final checkout screen — not buried in any membership plan.
Why this matters for the industry
The timing is not random. This move arrives within weeks of the $450M capital infusion. Analysts had already predicted cash burn would spike, and discounting would intensify. Zepto has now converted that prediction into policy.
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Earlier this year, q-commerce was doing the opposite — adding platform fees and cart levies to improve unit economics. All of that is now reversing—which tells us this market is once again prioritising GMV and acquisition over per-order profit.
Bottom line
Zepto just restarted the subsidy war. Competitors will be forced to either match the zero-fee structure or risk ceding high-frequency users. The next four months will decide if this was a short-term burn move or a new normal in India’s q-commerce pricing.