A Delhi man recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to compare his experiences working as a delivery agent for Zepto and Blinkit for a week. His thread has since gone viral and has sparked discussions on various aspects of this role and the industry in general. The X user (@aumvats) said he undertook this project to understand “the rider’s journey in the Q-comm. [quick commerce] industry.” In a series of posts, he shared insights as well as suggestions for improvements. He also provided photos and screenshots to illustrate some of his points.
Before the X user explains his stance in detail, he reveals that he felt Zepto’s store conditions were better than Blinkit’s. This is based on his observations when he visited the dark store. On the other hand, he said that “the overall rider experience at Blinkit seems more mature.” He attributes this to “Blinkit’s integration within the larger Zomato (now Eternal) business ecosystem.”
Before diving deep, a brief note:
While Zepto scores higher for its store conditions (based on my observations at the dark store visited), the overall rider experience at Blinkit seems more mature.
This maturity likely stems from Blinkit’s integration within the larger @zomato… pic.twitter.com/T9bTIk60Ji
— Aum Vats (@aumvats) April 1, 2025
Next, the X user explained what happens once an order is placed. He found out that riders do not receive the phone numbers of customers, only their names and delivery addresses. He wrote, “When an order is placed, it is packed by a team of packers and is ready for pickup at a designated area (called Pigeon Hole). The rider swiftly collects the order within a minute, verifies items, and marks it as ‘ready to deliver.’ The rider then receives the customer’s name and address. Notably, phone numbers are not disclosed to riders, which is commendable (I confirmed with the store in charge by portraying a fake scenario that I needed it, but was essentially denied under any circumstances).” The X user suggested that Zepto replace bar codes with QR-codes “to increase scanning efficiency” and save time. As for Blinkit, he felt that it needed to fix more aspects. “There’s not much clear indication in-app or at the store pickup. No cross-checking of the order being picked up either,” he said.
Also Read: Bengaluru Woman Joins Blinkit To Learn How Deliveries Work, Company Responds To Feedback
One of the other issues he flagged on Zepto was “erroneous distance calculations.” He was apparently compensated for 1.4 km while the actual distance was 3.5 km. He claimed that he tried asking the store in charge about the same, but did not get a reply. Although he faced this problem on Zepto, he found that Blinkit was “fairly accurate” in this domain. He has also asked someone from the company to confirm what the cause might be.
One issue that I did come across while delivering with @ZeptoNow was erroneous distance calculations.
The attached order details below show I’ve been compensated for 1.4km while the actual distance was 3.5km, I tried asking the store in charge but received no response.… pic.twitter.com/mlFeEzIcTz
— Aum Vats (@aumvats) April 1, 2025
Next, the X user spoke about proof of delivery. He said that Zepto obligates riders to submit it before handing over the order and that “riders appreciated it.” However, Blinkit doesn’t have this mandate. He claims that this company’s riders were indifferent to it. Nevertheless, he pointed out, “However, I see a lot of messages in the local Blinkit riders group that are proof of delivery being sent by riders for orders in cases where they had to submit it someplace or asked to leave at the doorstep.” Tagging Albinder Dhindsa (CEO of Blinkit), he asked, “Maybe it’s time to implement the feature?”
The X user said that he found late-night deliveries to be “enjoyable”, thanks to “calmer roads, pleasant weather, and less stress.” But the presence of stray dogs on the roads, particularly after 10-11 PM, posed a safety concern. “On three occasions, I narrowly escaped dog bites – a common issue echoed by other riders. Had I captured some pics, it would’ve been great, but I was busy saving myself lol,” he wrote. He urged the companies to prioritise addressing this issue. He suggests that for deliveries after 10 pm, there must be a system in place to “indicate stray dog presence based on rider feedback.” He also suggested that customer addresses include gate numbers and gate timings “to assist navigation, reducing reliance on late-night customer calls.”
Late-night deliveries proved enjoyable – calmer roads, pleasant weather, and less stress.
However, an urgent safety concern is protection from stray dogs, particularly after 10-11 PM. On three occasions, I narrowly escaped dog bites – a common issue echoed by other riders. Had I… pic.twitter.com/ewzPJUGecu
— Aum Vats (@aumvats) April 1, 2025
Also Read: Bengaluru Woman Finds Zepto Price Difference For Android And iPhone Users
The X user also noted that Zepto does not have “reporting features for poor roads and unsafe areas,” but Blinkit does. He suggested that the latter make them “more prominent” by strategically leveraging data. Next, the X user discussed the dress code for delivery riders. He said that the Blinkit store staff asked him to follow a specific dress code: Blinkit t-shirts, full-length pants, and shoes. The company provided him with a T-shirt immediately after the first delivery. On the other hand, Zepto did not mandate any particular dress code. The X user also said the Zepto store manager told him it would be two weeks before he could get a company t-shirt. Another difference was highlighted by the user. He revealed, “Blinkit even has a fleet coach whom I can call for any help, and they conduct regular meetings so one can directly talk to them for questions regarding offers, earnings and even tips to maximise earnings. Zepto doesn’t have anything like such.”
Blinkit store staff did ask me to follow a dress code: Blinkit t-shirts, full-length pants, and shoes. Zepto’s, however, did not emphasize dress code. Blinkit provided a t-shirt immediately after my first delivery, whereas the Zepto store manager informed me of a two-week wait.… pic.twitter.com/x16JXO5YC0
— Aum Vats (@aumvats) April 1, 2025
Disclaimer: NDTV does not vouch for the claims in the post by the X user.
In the comments, X users had a lot to say about this viral thread. Read some of their reactions below:
Awesome ground level review ?
— Chirag Aggarwal (@ChiragAgg5k) April 1, 2025
Loved this Aum! Was always curious about what happens on the backend.
— Aditya Gaur (@adltyagaur) April 1, 2025
Would love for u to deep dive into earnings made as well
— sid? (@sidtight) April 2, 2025
Great work man ,loved the way you pointed out different problems and specific suggestions. Now I understand a little bit of what happens in the backend. Great insights.
— Arka Saha (@___a_r_k_a___) April 2, 2025
A really good one ? ? ?
Could include customer side too
As in rider feedback of customers, how they treat, how much wait time, how much wait time between orders etc.— JabWeFret (@JabWeFret) April 2, 2025
Did not see any points on seating areas for delivery personnel as mostly they are seem sitting in their 2 wheelers outside the dark store; what about washroom facility and water facility;
— IndianByHeart (4 Months for IT/2 months for GST) (@INFirstAlways) April 1, 2025
NDTV has reached out to Blinkit and Zepto for comments, but they have not yet responded.
