Walmart-owned Flipkart has quietly introduced a platform fee of Rs 3 on its ecommerce platform following in the footsteps of quick commerce companies Swiggy, Zomato, and Zepto.
An X user first reported the platform fee. YourStory has verified the claim.
However, the fee is uniform across basket sizes and has not been introduced for Flipkart Grocery or its travel vertical, Cleartrip. It is visible on mobile app and website for at least orders up to Rs 10,000. On the platform, Flipkart says the fee is a nominal charge to “sustain efficient operations” and improve user experience.
However, the fee is already charged on Flipkart’s fashion vertical Myntra, and quick commerce arm, Flipkart Minutes.
Flipkart did not respond to queries sent by Yourstory.
The etailer has restarted its quick commerce ambitions with the launch of Flipkart Minutes in select pin codes. Quick commerce players, which sell various products, are eating into the ecommerce companies’ market share, forcing established players to plan organic forays or acquisitions in the space.
Flipkart’s ecommerce peer Amazon currently does not charge any platform or handling fees on its orders.
The only established domestic player in the space, Meesho claims it achieved profitability in the July-September 2023 quarter. Meesho also doesn’t charge any platform fee.
Both Blinkit and Swiggy’s Instamart charge a nominal amount under the name of “Handling Fee” of Rs 4 to Rs 5 on orders placed through their platform. While their younger peer Zepto has a slightly higher handling charge of Rs 9.99 on every order.
Flipkart, which is one of the driving forces for international sales of its US-parent Walmart delivered double-digit topline growth in Q2 with improving contribution margins. The US retailer expects to see buoyed growth in its Q3 numbers from Flipkart’s Big Billion Days sale scheduled for the second half of the year.
