In select cities, Zepto has rolled out a new service for swift medicine delivery within a 10-minute timeframe, similar to their quick grocery service, Blinkit.
Zepto Enters the Online Pharmacy Market with Rapid Delivery Promise
Zepto, the quick commerce platform known for delivering groceries within 10 minutes, has made a significant stride by entering the online pharmacy sector with the launch of Zepto Pharmacy. The parent entity, Kiranakart Technologies Pvt Ltd, has rebranded to Zepto Pvt Ltd as part of its brand consolidation ahead of a potential public listing.
Zepto Pharmacy promises to deliver essential medicines within 10 minutes, marking a diversification beyond the company's core instant grocery delivery model. The service is currently available in select areas of Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, and Hyderabad, with plans for cautious expansion after a 12-month pilot phase focused on compliance, supply chain, and customer experience.
The e-pharmacy sector requires adherence to strict regulations, prescription verification, and temperature-controlled logistics to ensure medicine safety. Zepto places strong emphasis on these aspects, recognizing the complexities unique to pharmaceuticals versus groceries.
Aadit Palicha, co-founder and CEO of Zepto, announced the launch of Zepto Pharmacy via a LinkedIn post, stating that the company's objective is to keep operational standards extremely high and not scale too rapidly given the complexity of the e-pharmacy sector.
Zepto Pharmacy differentiates itself from established e-pharmacies like Tata 1mg, PharmEasy, and Apollo 24/7 primarily through its ultra-fast delivery promise of medicines within 10 minutes in select metropolitan areas. This rapid delivery service leverages Zepto’s core quick commerce expertise, originally built around grocery delivery, and applies it to essential medicine delivery with a focus on operational standards and regulatory compliance.
Key competitive advantages include:
- Speed of Delivery: Zepto promises medicine delivery in just 10 minutes, significantly faster than traditional online pharmacies, which usually require hours to a day for delivery. This rapid turnaround is intended to improve access to urgent medications.
- Service Availability & Scale: Zepto Pharmacy is currently available only in select areas of four major cities and is intentionally scaling cautiously. In contrast, platforms like Tata 1mg, PharmEasy, and Apollo 24/7 have broader pan-India coverage and more mature operational networks.
- Compliance & Safety: Zepto places strong emphasis on adhering to legal regulations for medicine sales and ensuring storage and handling standards, recognizing the complexities unique to pharmaceuticals versus groceries.
- Ordering Experience: Zepto allows ordering both prescription and OTC medicines via its app and includes prescription verification plus a teleconsultation feature for customers who lack prescriptions, which is comparable to features offered by established e-pharmacies.
- Pricing Model and Fees: Zepto charges a small platform fee of ₹2 per order, delivery charges that vary by cart value (₹5 to ₹28), and a ₹15 late-night handling fee for orders after 11 PM. This flexible fee structure is designed to support quick delivery logistics.
In summary, Zepto Pharmacy’s key competitive advantage is its hyper-local, ultra-fast 10-minute medicine delivery in metropolitan pockets, targeting urgent medicine needs with high operational rigor. However, it currently serves fewer locations and users than established players like Tata 1mg, PharmEasy, and Apollo 24/7, which offer wider coverage with potentially longer delivery times but more extensive inventories and services. Over time, Zepto aims to grow steadily, focusing on maintaining high compliance and service quality while capitalizing on its quick commerce expertise.
- Zepto, initially a quick commerce platform, leverages its technology and finance to expand into the e-pharmacy sector, ensuring regulatory compliance and safe delivery of essential medicines within 10 minutes.
- In the competitive Defi market of online pharmacies, Zepto Pharmacy distinguishes itself by prioritizing rapid delivery and adhering to strict market regulations, offering a mature portfolio of services that is comparable to established players like Tata 1mg, PharmEasy, and Apollo 24/7.
- As Zepto Pvt Ltd plans for a potential public listing, the company will continue to focus on careful expansion, applying its technology-driven approach to the e-pharmacy market, aiming to provide quick, safe, and high-quality service, focusing on regulatory compliance and customer experience.
