Zomato, the popular food delivery platform, has introduced a small platform fee of Rs 2 on its food delivery app. This fee is being tested in certain markets as an experimental phase. It will be applied to every order, regardless of the order's value, and is applicable to all users, including Zomato Gold loyalty program members.The goal of this nominal fee is to explore new avenues for profitability and improve the user experience. Zomato's spokesperson clarified that the long-term implementation of this fee structure will depend on the results of the trial and user feedback. They want to assess its effectiveness before scaling it down further.
This move comes in response to Swiggy, Zomato's main competitor, which had already implemented a similar Rs 2 platform fee earlier in the year. For Zomato, this fee is seen as a potential measure to boost earnings and ensure sustainable growth. During a recent earnings call, Zomato's Chief Financial Officer, Akshant Goyal, informed analysts that the company had not made a final decision regarding the implementation of platform fees. But, it now appears that the food delivery platform will now start charging users a minimal fee on a trial basis.