Delhi man works as delivery rider for Zepto and Blinkit. He says the better one is…
Aum Vats compared Blinkit and Zepto's delivery experiences, noting Blinkit's superior reporting features, dress code enforcement, and rider support.
A Delhi man who spent a few days working as a delivery rider for Blinkit and Zepto has shared his experience in a now-viral X thread. Aum Vats detailed his insights, comparing the two leading quick commerce platforms, suggesting potential improvements, and sharing his pick for the company offering a better overall experience to delivery partners.
To support his claims, he also shared photographs from Zepto and Blinkit’s dark stores as proof of his stint.
HT.com has also reached out to Blinkit and Zepto for statements.
Vats, 21, told HT.com that he is currently looking for Product Manager roles and wanted to get some first-hand experience, which is what led to him working as a delivery rider for Zepto and Blinkit. “I'm currently looking to get PM jobs so what could be better than getting out there in the real world to look for real PM stuff to do. I'm planning to do more such stuff with other brands as well,” he explained.
Understanding a rider’s journey
Blinkit, Zepto, and other quick-commerce apps have revolutionized the way urban Indians shop for groceries and essentials. With everything from vegetables to exercise equipment getting delivered to one’s doorstep in a matter of minutes, it is safe to say these apps have changed shopping habits for many.
Aum Vats, however, wanted to understand the journey of delivery agents who are instrumental to their success. To that end, he joined Zepto and Blinkit as a gig worker for a short period of time.
“Last week, I took on a new project at hand - Understanding the rider's journey in the Q-comm industry,” he wrote on X. “I spent a week delivering orders for Zepto and Blinkit, and here are some insights and potential improvements both of them could make,” he said.
“For Zepto, I did 7 orders and for Blinkit, I did just one order,” he told HT.com. “I had already delivered for Zepto so already was aware of how everything works, so I spent the rest of my time talking to riders in the seating area for 4 days.”
Zepto vs Blinkit: the better experience
According to Vats, both Zepto and Blinkit had their pros and cons.
Overall, however, Blinkit managed to provide a better experience to its delivery partners. This despite the fact that Vats found Zepto dark stores to be better organised.
Vats told HT.com that Blinkit had “Better guidelines, protocols and even in-app features.”
On X, he added that “the overall rider experience at Blinkit seems more mature.” He attributed this maturity to the fact that Blinkit is owned by Zomato (now Eternal) and is therefore part of a larger business ecosystem.
Where Blinkit scores higher
Vats pointed to several instances where Blinkit managed to get an edge over Zepto. One was Blinkit’s feature allowing riders to report unsafe areas and poor road conditions.
“Blinkit has reporting features for poor roads and unsafe areas, which Zepto lacks entirely,” he wrote.
He also noted that Blinkit store staff asked him to wear the company uniform, while Zepto had no such protocols in place. “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,” he said.
Moreover, “Blinkit provided a t-shirt immediately after my first delivery,” said Vats, “whereas the Zepto store manager informed me of a two-week wait.”
Blinkit also scored higher on another parameter - offering support to riders.
“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,” said Vats. “Zepto doesn’t have anything like such,” he added.
