Quick commerce unicorn Zepto has rolled out an instant returns and exchange feature on its application. The feature can be used for select categories, including electronics, apparel, toys, sports, and kitchenware, the company said in a social media post on Thursday.
In a LinkedIn post, Zepto said: “Now, return/exchange your Zepto orders in just 10 minutes.” This comes months after its rival Blinkit introduced the feature in categories like footwear and clothing.
Customers will be allowed to exchange or return their orders within 1, 3, or 7 days, depending on the product category. For Zepto, this comes at a time when it is expanding its partnerships with brands like Levi’s, US Polo and Decathlon.
As quick commerce companies expand their portfolios to increase penetration, exchange and return features are likely to give them an edge over traditional e-commerce firms.
Categories like apparel, accessories and footwear often have high return rates due to sizing issues. Reports indicate that fashion and accessories typically see return rates of 20% to 30%, while electronics have return rates ranging from 3% to 15%.
According to an industry analyst, this may lead to higher operational costs as the demand for logistics would rise. “But there would definitely be beneficial in the long run,” he said.
According to sources, Instamart has also been planning to launch a similar feature and it could be launched in the next 2-3 months.
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