Selling through a marketplace app feels easy, someone else brings the customers. But the real cost is hidden in the fine print. Here is the honest math for a pharmacy or grocery store.
What a marketplace actually charges
Marketplace commissions in India vary by platform and category, but they typically fall in the range of roughly 15-30% per order, and that is before delivery fees, payment charges and any advertising you pay to be seen. On top of the cut, most marketplaces hold your payout for 7 to 15 days, own the customer relationship, do not let you contact past buyers directly, and list you next to competitors.
What that does to a thin margin
Pharmacy and grocery margins are already tight. Take a ₹500 order at a 20% commission: that is ₹100 gone, frequently more than your profit on the sale. Repeat that on every order, every day, and the marketplace can earn more from your shop than you do. You are effectively renting shelf space in someone else's app, and paying rent on every single sale, forever.
Your own store: a flat, predictable cost
With your own branded store you pay a flat monthly subscription and zero commission. A ₹500 order stays a ₹500 order. Just as important, you keep the customer and their contact details, the right to bring them back with offers on WhatsApp, control of your pricing, and next-day (T+1) settlement via UPI/Razorpay.
The real difference, side by side
- Commission: marketplace roughly 15-30% vs your store ₹0
- Who owns the customer: the app vs you
- Payout: 7 to 15 days vs next day
- Marketing to past buyers: not allowed vs email and WhatsApp, always
When does a marketplace still make sense?
If you have no customers and no way to reach anyone, a marketplace can bring initial demand. But the moment you have your own regulars, which every neighbourhood shop does, an owned store keeps far more money in your pocket and builds an asset that is yours.