Quick-commerce baskets in India average about 400 rupees, or $4.17, while last-mile delivery runs 35 to 45 rupees per order and consumes 50% to 70% of the gross margin, according to a Grant Thornton Bharat survey of more than 1,500 users. What’s left is 50 to 60 rupees an order, thin enough that a single refund wipes it out. Riders need roughly 30 trips to clear 1,000 rupees a day, so a late drop costs a platform both that order’s margin and the slot that rider had to fill. Late delivery was the top complaint for nearly 40% of those surveyed. Platforms are now backing away from the under-10-minute pitch that drew 62% of 2025 orders, widening windows to 8 to 30 minutes so riders can batch deliveries, per Mordor Intelligence.
