Delivery fees and minimum order values can feel like an annoyance, especially compared to walking to a nearby shop where neither applies. They're also close to universal across the quick-commerce industry, for reasons that make more sense once you understand what's actually being paid for.
Why delivery fees exist at all
Every order involves a real cost - a rider's time, fuel, and the logistics of getting a small number of items from a stock point to a specific address, sometimes down a lane a larger delivery vehicle couldn't reach. A delivery fee (or a reduced/waived fee above a certain order size) is how that cost gets covered without making the products themselves more expensive for everyone, including customers who never order delivery.
Why minimum order values exist
Fulfilling and delivering a single ₹20 item costs a business roughly the same in rider time and fuel as delivering a ₹500 order. A minimum order value exists to keep that arrangement sustainable - without one, very small orders would either lose money on every delivery or require much higher fees across the board, which would make delivery worse for everyone.
How to shop around these sensibly
- Batch small needs together. If you notice you're low on two or three things over a day, ordering them together once you hit a natural need, rather than separately as each runs out, is usually more efficient anyway.
- Check the fee structure before checkout. Most apps show delivery charges and any minimum clearly before you pay - it's worth a glance so there are no surprises.
- Weigh the fee against the alternative. A small delivery fee is often still cheaper, in time and effort, than a special trip out for one item - the comparison is worth making rather than assuming delivery is always the pricier option.
The bottom line
These charges aren't unique to any one app - they reflect the real, unavoidable cost of last-mile delivery. Understanding why they exist makes it easier to shop around them rather than being frustrated by them.