Ajio Seller Fees Explained (2026): Commission by Model, Logistics, GST and Payment Cycle

Ajio, Reliance Retail's fashion marketplace, charges sellers on each customer order and nothing upfront. As of September 2026 its seller FAQ describes the fee as "a combination of commission and operating expenses, as agreed during registration", with GST on top, and publishes no numbers. What sellers actually pay depends on which of Ajio's commercial models they are onboarded to, and the figures that circulate online come from fee sheets shared by sellers rather than from Ajio. This guide sets out the official structure, the model-by-model rates reported for 2026, logistics and return charges, taxes, payout terms and a worked example for a Rs 999 kurta. If you are not yet onboarded, start with our how to sell on Ajio guide.

What does Ajio's official FAQ say about fees?

Ajio's Seller Central FAQ is short but specific about the structure:

• "The fees are a combination of commission and operating expenses, as agreed during registration."
• Fees apply "only in relation to a customer order", so there is no listing, subscription or onboarding charge.
• "Margin: dependent on the product category, brand, and a percentage of the order item value."
• "Shipping cost: which is determined by the number of items, their volume, and their distance."
• "GST is applicable to all the aforementioned elements."
• "As a seller, you decide and control prices of your products."
• Ajio "guarantees that you will get paid for your sales (less the AJIO Commerce Margin) as per the payment schedule decided during onboarding."

Two fulfilment models are described. Under the JIT (just-in-time) model, orders are shipped to an Ajio warehouse, quality-checked, and then sent to the customer. Under Dropship, Ajio's courier picks the order from your own fulfilment centre. Both are seller-owned inventory; Ajio also buys outright from some brands, which is a different commercial arrangement altogether.

What commission does Ajio charge by model?

The most detailed figures come from a fee sheet that sellers have circulated and that Global Websters built its 2026 calculator on. It names four commercial models:

The agency view is broader and category-based. Novel Web Creation's 2026 guide gives apparel 20% to 25%, footwear 18% to 22%, accessories 15% to 20% and ethnic wear up to 25%, plus a fixed fee of Rs 10 to Rs 50 per item, shipping of Rs 30 to Rs 100-plus per order and a payment-gateway charge of about 2%. Those figures look like a generic marketplace template rather than Ajio's own sheet, and the model-based table above is the one that matches what sellers report on their settlements. The safe planning assumption for a new label is the Emerging Brand model at 23%, with the higher models applying where Ajio takes on more of the merchandising and returns risk.

What are Ajio's logistics and return charges?

Ajio's FAQ says shipping is set by "the number of items, their volume, and their distance". The seller fee sheet simplifies that to a flat Rs 95 per order for forward delivery across all models, and Rs 75 per unit for return logistics on the Emerging Brand, Gram and Luxe models. The Fixed CC model carries no return charge to the brand, which is the trade-off for its higher commission. Both charges attract 18% GST.

A flat Rs 95 is expensive on a Rs 499 top and reasonable on a Rs 2,499 jacket, which is why Global Websters recommends listing at Rs 599 to Rs 799 or above on the Emerging Brand model and notes that "a product that should earn you Rs 400 net typically needs to be listed between Rs 700 and Rs 800". Fashion returns on Ajio are high, and each return costs you the Rs 95 you already paid plus the Rs 75 reverse charge and GST on both, so the return rate does more to your margin than the commission rate does.

Which taxes come off an Ajio payout?

• GST on fees. 18% on commission, forward logistics and return logistics. A GST-registered seller claims this back as input tax credit.
• TCS under GST. Ajio, as an e-commerce operator, collects 0.5% of net taxable sales (reduced from 1% in July 2024) and deposits it against your GSTIN.
• TDS under section 194-O. 0.1% of gross sales (reduced from 1% in October 2024). Some 2026 calculators still say "1% TDS"; that rate ended in 2024.

Both TCS and TDS come back as credits in your GST and income tax filings. They are not Ajio's income, but sellers who forget them under-reconcile by 0.6% every settlement.

When does Ajio pay sellers?

Ajio does not publish a settlement cycle. Its FAQ says payment follows "the payment schedule decided during onboarding" and is transferred directly to the bank account configured in Seller Central. Sellers describe fortnightly and monthly cycles in forums, and the JIT model, where stock sits at Ajio's warehouse before dispatch, tends to lengthen the gap between your shipment and your cash. Get the schedule in writing and model the working capital it implies; at Rs 5 lakh a month on a 30-day cycle you have Rs 5 lakh of receivables outstanding at all times.

What is the Seller Protection Fund?

Ajio's FAQ describes a Seller Protection Fund (SPF) that compensates sellers for returns received damaged, transit damage and lost shipments, subject to documentation and a strict window: claims must be filed within three days (three working days for lost shipments) under the SPF policy. Missing the window forfeits the claim. On a marketplace with a Rs 75 reverse charge and high return volumes, an SPF routine that checks every returned unit on the day it arrives is worth real money.

Worked example: a Rs 999 kurta on the Emerging Brand model

Assumptions, clearly labelled:

• Selling price Rs 999, women's ethnic wear, Emerging Brand model.
• Commission 23% per the seller-circulated fee sheet; not confirmed by Ajio.
• Forward logistics Rs 95 per the same sheet.
• GST 18% on fees; TCS 0.5% and TDS 0.1% on the sale.
• Delivered, not returned; no ads or promotions.

Recover the Rs 58.46 of GST and the Rs 5.99 of TCS and TDS and the true channel cost is about 32%.

The same kurta with a 25% return rate

Assume one in four kurtas comes back, commission is reversed on returns, the Rs 75 reverse charge plus GST applies, and the returned unit is resold. Over four orders: three deliver and net Rs 609.78 each, or Rs 1,829.34. The fourth returns and costs Rs 112.10 forward and Rs 88.50 reverse, or Rs 200.60, with the garment back in stock. Total across four units shipped is Rs 1,628.74, about Rs 407 per unit shipped against Rs 610 per unit sold, before product cost. Subtract Rs 350 of product cost on the three sold and Rs 40 of packaging on all four and you are left with about Rs 105 a unit. That is why the Rs 599 to Rs 799 floor recommended by calculators is a floor, not a target, for ethnic wear on Ajio.

How do Ajio fees compare with Myntra?

Most fashion brands weigh Ajio against Myntra, and the two are structured alike: a commission by category or model, a per-order logistics charge, a reverse charge on returns, and 18% GST, with neither publishing a rate card. The differences sellers report are in the flat charges and the model. Myntra's fees vary more by category and price band, while Ajio's circulated sheet uses one Rs 95 forward charge for every order, which favours higher-priced items. Myntra's fashion commission has also been reshaped since Flipkart's 2025 and 2026 changes to low-ticket fashion, whereas Ajio's model-based rates have stayed put. Our Myntra seller fees guide covers the other side; most brands we work with run both and compare return rates and average order value by channel, which vary more than the fee percentages do.

How do you keep Ajio fees under control?

1. Know your model. Ask at onboarding whether you are Emerging Brand, Luxe, Gram or Fixed CC, and get the commission and logistics charges in the agreement.
2. Price above the flat-fee floor. A Rs 95 forward charge and a Rs 75 reverse charge make sub-Rs 600 SKUs hard to justify unless returns are very low.
3. Reduce returns at the listing: measurements in cm, fabric composition, model size, and accurate colour names.
4. Work the SPF window. Inspect every return on arrival and file damaged or wrong-item claims within three days.
5. Reconcile every settlement against orders, returns, GST, TCS and TDS, and chase gaps within the cycle.

Blooprint's fashion and beauty marketplace management service runs this routine for brands on Ajio, Myntra and Nykaa, alongside catalogue, ads and sale-event planning.

FAQ

What is Ajio's commission rate? Not published. Seller-circulated fee sheets for 2026 show 23% on the Emerging Brand and Luxe models, 35% on the Gram model and 38% on Fixed CC; agency guides give 15% to 25% by category. Ajio's FAQ says the rate is agreed at registration.

Does Ajio charge a listing or registration fee? No. Fees apply only when a customer order is placed. There is no subscription.

What does Ajio charge for shipping? Officially, a cost based on items, volume and distance. The circulated fee sheet shows a flat Rs 95 per order forward and Rs 75 per unit for returns on most models, plus 18% GST.

When does Ajio pay? On "the payment schedule decided during onboarding", per the FAQ. No public cycle is stated; sellers report fortnightly to monthly.

Is GST charged on Ajio fees? Yes, 18% on commission and logistics, claimable as input tax credit. Ajio also collects TCS at 0.5% and deducts TDS at 0.1% on sales, both recoverable.

What is the Ajio Seller Protection Fund? A scheme that compensates sellers for damaged returns, transit damage and lost shipments if a documented claim is filed within three days of receipt.

Getting your Ajio economics right

Ajio's public pages give you the structure and the promise of payment; the rates sit in your agreement and depend on the model you are placed on. If you want an ex-Flipkart team to read that agreement, model every SKU against the flat logistics charges and a realistic return rate, work the SPF window, and reconcile each settlement, see our fashion and beauty marketplace management service.