Zepto’s Battle Beyond Speed

As quick commerce shifts from speed to profitability, Zepto is betting on scale, advertising and efficiency to convince investors it can withstand intensifying competition.

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For Blinkit, Zepto and Swiggy Instamart, much of the post-pandemic era was spent persuading urban Indians to prioritise convenience over value, with groceries delivered in minutes serving as their biggest differentiator. Six years on, the obsession with ultra-fast, 10-minute deliveries appears to be fading.

A closer look at Zepto’s Updated Draft Red Herring Prospectus, filed with SEBI on June 8, makes it clear that the industry is fundamentally changing. 

Companies are prioritising density, advertising yield and retention rates over cash burn, dark store count and ultra-fast delivery time. Zepto’s IPO pitch is also centred around a similar trend — volume leadership; advertising revenue to fund the path to profitability........

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