NEW DELHI: Global e-commerce giant Amazon has introduced a new marketplace fee on customer orders in India, adding up to ₹5 per transaction. This flat fee, which is non-refundable, aims to support the platform’s continued provision of a wide variety of products from millions of sellers, according to a company statement.
The newly introduced charge comes as the demand for online shopping continues to grow across India. From daily groceries to electronics, consumer preference for doorstep delivery is surging. Simultaneously, e-commerce companies are increasingly rolling out 10-minute delivery services, heightening the need for rapid logistics infrastructure. However, these conveniences are coming at a cost.
Amazon is now among several platforms applying a range of additional charges, including a handling fee of ₹10 to ₹21 per order. Customers may also notice other fees on their bills such as GST, small cart fees, rain surcharges, platform fees, and standard delivery charges, leading to an extra ₹30 to ₹50 per order.
While the company justifies the marketplace fee as essential for maintaining seamless access to products and services, many consumers are expressing concerns about the increasing total costs of online purchases.
Amazon, established by Jeff Bezos in 1994, started as a book-selling platform and evolved into a massive technology conglomerate offering e-commerce, cloud computing, AI, and digital streaming. Often referred to as “The Everything Store”, Amazon is now one of the Big Five American tech firms alongside Alphabet, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft.
