Myntra introduces convenience fees for all, in a bid to become profitable

It's time to think before you exchange or return clothes and products bought online because now e-commerce sites are implementing convenience charges that may make these exchanges and returns not so convenient.

Myntra, India's second biggest e-commerce site, has implemented a Rs 10 charge on every order irrespective of the order value. Also, if you aren't a Myntra registered user and have an order worth less than Rs 1,000, then this is an additional charge to the existing Rs 99 fee.

This was first reported by Moneycontrol. 

In the frequently asked questions (FAQ) section on the website, the fee has been explained as: "Convenience fee is levied by Myntra for providing technical expertise, brand aggregation, post-sales services such as consumer support and escalations. The fee helps mitigate various costs incurred by the platform and ensures smooth running and efficient customer service.”

This comes after the e-commerce website issued a warning to users about exceeding the threshold of their return order volumes following which they will either be charged a significantly higher fee of Rs 149 or have their accounts suspended. Additionally, the company trimmed its return window from 30 days to 14 days. This step is followed by other industry majors like Ajio, Nykaa Fashion, and others.

"Most e-commerce platforms are currently struggling with growth and profitability, so such measures are on the expected lines as it helps them chase profitability by cutting down on customers who return more than shop. Any incremental charges like convenience

charge is a good step as the return ratio is as high as 40% and a minor charge like this would discourage the return volume. Hence, these moves show that the companies are focused on profitability and trying to lose customers who tend to return more and increased focus on customers who actually will derive profitability," said Karan Taurani of Elara Capital.

Myntra Minis

The e-commerce website on Thursday also launched a short video format Myntra Minis. It will enable people to engage with bite-sized videos to seamlessly purchase the products highlighted in them, the company said in a statement.

The feature has already been rolled out to more than 70% of existing users on Myntra and is available on the Home Page, Beauty Page, and Myntra Studio, with plans in the pipeline to add it to all category pages

"As we go deeper in building for our thriving base of young, trend-first shoppers, snackable videos that help them in their discovery of trends and brands felt like a fitting feature to introduce, especially as it gains popularity as a preferred content consumption medium. Myntra Minis is poised to revolutionize the way you delve into the world of fashion and beauty, enabling you to create exceptional, on-trend looks that reflect your individualistic sense of style," ArunDevanathan, Senior Director - Social Commerce, Myntra said.

With the consumption of short-form content gaining immense popularity among millennials and Gen-Z in tier-2 and -3 towns, in addition to larger metropolitan areas, many users will be able to use Myntra Minis to inspire their shopping journey while making it faster and smoother, the company further added.