Zepto Hikes Free Delivery Minimum Order to Rs 299

The higher threshold could encourage customers to add more products to their baskets, potentially increasing the average order value and improving contribution economics on smaller orders.

However, the increase could also test customer willingness to place low-value orders, particularly for convenience-led purchases where consumers typically seek quick delivery of a limited number of items.

Zepto’s revised threshold puts its free-delivery minimum in line with those of Eternal-owned Blinkit and Swiggy’s Instamart, highlighting the increasingly competitive nature of India’s quick-commerce market.

In March this year, the food delivery platform Zomato increased the platform fee by around 19 per cent or Rs 2.40 per order. On a pre-GST basis, the platform fee was at Rs 14.90 per order, up from Rs 12.50 earlier.

Similarly, after Zomato, Swiggy also raised its platform fee by 17 per cent to Rs 17.58 per order from Rs 14.99 earlier. The revised charges — as per its billing in the app — suggested a hike of around 17 per cent or Rs 2.59, including pre-GST.

Online delivery platforms are increasingly experimenting with delivery charges, order thresholds and other pricing measures to improve margins while retaining customers.