Business
Zero commission: the math marketplaces hope you never do
5 Jul 2026 1 min read
"Zero commission" sounds like a slogan. It's actually the biggest number in your online business. Let's do the math on a single ₹500 order.
On a typical marketplace
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Order value | ₹500 |
| Marketplace commission (~20%) | −₹100 |
| Payment/collection fees (~2%) | −₹10 |
| You receive | ₹390 |
And the customer? The marketplace keeps their contact, shows them your competitors, and charges you again to "advertise" to the person who just bought from you.
On your own BanaoStore
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Order value | ₹500 |
| BanaoStore commission | −₹0 |
| Razorpay gateway fee (~2%) | −₹10 |
| You receive | ₹490 |
The difference is ₹100 on one order — 20% of your revenue. At 150 orders a month, that's ₹15,000 a month staying in your business instead of funding a marketplace's growth. The plan fee (from ₹499) pays for itself inside the first handful of orders.
When marketplaces still make sense
Honest answer: for discovery. A marketplace puts you in front of strangers. Many strong shops run both — the marketplace as an ad, their own store as the home. New customers find you there; repeat customers (your profit) buy from your link, commission-free.
The rule of thumb
First-time buyers: anywhere they find you. Repeat buyers: your own store, always.
Repeat customers are the cheapest revenue you'll ever have. Stop paying 20% rent on them. Open your own counter.