Zepto under fire as customers spot hidden charges in COD orders
The controversy was sparked by Bengaluru-based marketing professional Sumukh Rao, who flagged what he called a “shady practice” after a friend noticed that her Zepto orders were suddenly defaulting to the COD option, despite previously using online payment.
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Quick commerce platform Zepto is facing growing user backlash after allegations surfaced on social media that it is quietly imposing a “cash handling fee” on cash-on-delivery (COD) orders, without clearly disclosing it at checkout.
A few days back, @ShachiGambhir told me her Zepto orders automatically started getting placed as COD instead of the usual online payment method. I ignored it at first, but then realized how it's yet another shady practice.
— Sumukh Rao (@RaoSumukh) July 23, 2025
Zepto has changed its default CTA on the order screen to… pic.twitter.com/8ugiTNsA2a
The controversy was sparked by Bengaluru-based marketing professional Sumukh Rao, who flagged what he called a “shady practice” after a friend noticed that her Zepto orders were suddenly defaulting to the COD option, despite previously using online payment. According to Rao, Zepto has altered the layout of its checkout screen, making the “Pay Cash/UPI on delivery” button more prominent and setting it as the default option—exploiting users’ “muscle memory” and nudging them toward COD without explicit consent.
But the real issue, he alleges, is the hidden cost. COD orders are being charged an additional Rs 15 plus GST as a cash handling fee, a charge that is not visibly included in the price summary before confirming the order. Instead, it appears briefly as a disappearing message post-order placement and only reflects fully in the delivery invoice.
“This may seem minor, but it’s a textbook case of a ‘dark pattern’, design choices that trick users into decisions they wouldn’t otherwise make,” Rao said in his viral X (formerly Twitter) post.
Other Zepto users echoed similar experiences. One customer reported being charged Rs 25 for COD without any upfront disclosure, calling the tactic “deceptive” and “cheating". Another user noted how the default placement of the payment button tricked her into a COD order, resulting in an unexpected Rs 5 fee and added delivery hassle.
