As the festive shopping season kicks into high gear, e-commerce and food delivery platforms are quietly tacking on additional charges. From platform fees to delivery surcharges, these hidden costs are adding up faster than one would think.
Zomato increased its platform fee from Rs 6 to Rs 10 per order, just in time for the holiday rush. Its rival, Swiggy, quickly followed suit, implementing the same Rs 10 platform charge. Meanwhile, fashion retailers like Myntra and Ajio are also charging extra with platform fees, adding up to the overall cost of purchases.
From ordering a meal from Zomato, to stocking up on essentials from BigBasket, to having a fashion shopping spree from Myntra, these hidden fees can chip away at one's budget.
Here's a breakdown of the latest platform, handling, and delivery fees across some of popular e-commerce and delivery apps:
Among the platforms in this list, Myntra has the highest platform fee of Rs 20, with peer Ajio following closely at Rs 19. Nykaa has the highest delivery fee at Rs 70, and Amazon and Flipkart come in second at Rs 40 each.
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Zomato said the increased fee helps the platform pay its bills to keep it running. "To maintain services during festive rush, it has increased slightly," it said in a notification to customers on Wednesday.
The company has been raising its platform fee from August 2023. It last hiked it to Rs 6 earlier this year in July. In the March-quarter shareholders’ letter, Zomato cited the platform fee as one of the major reasons for an improvement in its margins.
(Notification received by NDTV Profit)
For regular users, it’s important to stay mindful of these additional costs and weigh them against the value of convenience. With companies justifying these fees as necessary for maintaining services during peak periods, the burden ultimately falls on the customer. As fees continue to rise, shoppers will need to consider whether the convenience of online shopping is worth the growing price tag.
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