Zero commission is a marketplace policy of not taking a percentage cut of your selling price on eligible sales. In India it became a price-war tool in 2025 and 2026. Flipkart announced zero commission on eligible products under ₹1,000 on 14 November 2025, and Shopsy dropped commission at every price.
What zero commission removes, and what it does not
It removes the commission, also called the referral fee on Amazon. It does not remove shipping, return and reverse-shipping charges, fixed or closing fees, payment-handling charges, GST on those fees, or advertising spend. Amazon's 16 March 2026 change to zero referral fee under ₹1,000 still leaves a ₹999 necklace set sold through Easy Ship with total fees of ₹100, down from ₹324.
Who offers it in India (November 2026)
- Flipkart: eligible products under ₹1,000, and all fashion at every price since 8 July 2026.
- Shopsy: every product, any price.
- Amazon.in: zero referral fee under ₹1,000 across 1,800+ categories.
- Meesho: Inc42 reports it pioneered zero commission in 2021.
- Myntra: eligible new homegrown D2C brands in an early growth phase, announced 9 January 2026.
None of the announcements we read gives an end date. See the full comparison of zero-commission marketplaces for dates and gaps. For Amazon specifically, see Amazon zero referral fee explained.
Why marketplaces do it
Flipkart said its waiver and lower return fees could cut a seller's overall cost of doing business by up to 30%, but gave no baseline or method for that figure. Amazon says new sellers joining Amazon.in grew 50% year over year when it announced its change. The aim is more low-priced listings and more sellers. Income shifts to other lines, mainly ads, shipping and logistics.
Commission, referral fee and fixed fee
Commission or referral fee is a percentage of the selling price. A fixed or closing fee is a flat amount per order, and it is a separate line. Waiving the percentage does not waive the flat amount unless the platform says so. Read the referral fee entry and check the fee schedule for your category.
How to use it in pricing
Do not drop your price by the old commission rate automatically. Work out the payout per unit from your own statement, including shipping and returns, then decide. Blooprint's Amazon account management team does this across marketplaces. This is general information, not tax advice.