‘One small mistake, and you’re told to leave’: Part-time worker reveals brutal reality behind 10-minute delivery
People working in the Indian quick commerce space often express their concerns over the physical and mental challenges involved in the ultra-fast order fulfilment model as firms race against time to deliver goods. Here's what a part-time employee had to say on Reddit.
India's quick commerce industry is witnessing a boom, where companies such as Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, Flipkart Minutes, and Zepto are racing against time to deliver goods ordered online. However, people working in these companies face extreme physical and mental challenges, and many have shed light on the brutal reality behind the 10-minute delivery model.
In a Reddit post, a social media user shared their “part-time” experience working for Blinkit, an Indian quick commerce giant.
“I worked at Blinkit as a part-time picker and packer while studying, and the experience really opened my eyes,” said the Reddit user in their post.
The user further alleged that people love the idea of getting groceries or snacks delivered to their doorstep in 10 minutes, without having an idea of what actually goes behind the “ultrafast” service.
“The pressure on workers is next-level — and honestly, kind of scary,” said the Reddit user in the post.
Dark stores
The warehouses of these quick commerce companies are also popularly known as “dark stores” in the industry. The social media user highlighted how these warehouses are super small, packed with racks and items, and expected to operate nonstop.
“We’re expected to run non-stop while picking orders. Like actually run, not walk fast. You're dodging other pickers, turning sharp corners, and racing against a timer,” said the user in the post.
They also shared their experience of how once the user allegedly collided with a guy and broke their phone due to the constant rush and “no safety”.
“We had to follow a timer called PPI (Per Picking Item). If it takes even a few extra seconds to find an item (maybe it’s misplaced or out of stock), the manager tells you to log out and go home. The pressure from higher-ups is crazy, and managers just pass it on to the workers,” said the user in the post on Reddit.
What's the experience of full-time staff?
According to the social media post, this process is even harder for a full-time employee as they are allegedly unloading two to three trucks daily with manual labour, and working longer hours than scheduled.
The Reddit user also claimed that the full-time staff often work without proper overtime, even in the “stock cold rooms”, which is physically tough, and when the part-timers don't work, all the workload comes down on the full-time staff members.
“These guys are constantly on their feet and barely get proper breaks. And if anything goes wrong, they get blamed,” the poster claimed.
Reality of 10-minute delivery
The Reddit post also alleged that there is no time for staff to breathe as the work puts “nonstop pressure” on them for a pay that “isn’t worth it”.
“It’s not safe. Workers run through tight spaces all day. Accidents are common. It messes with your head. There’s nonstop pressure, no time to breathe. Zero tolerance for delays. One small mistake, and you’re told to leave. The pay isn’t worth it. The risk, stress, and treatment don’t match what you earn,” said the social media user in the post.
The Reddit user also alleged that the system of “10-minute delivery” is not built on efficiency, but rather on “pushing workers to their limits”.
“Maybe it’s time we care more about worker wellbeing than ultra-fast convenience,” they said in the post.
Sharing the post based on real experiences, the user accepted that they used the help of AI to write the post “clearly.”
Blinkit's responds to allegations
The online quick commerce firm Blinkit said that it does not “pressurise delivery partners” to deliver within a specified time and “never will.” The company also highlighted that it does not penalise delivery partners for delays.
“At Zomato and Blinkit, we’ve designed our processes to prioritize safety over speed. We never pressurise delivery partners to deliver within a specified time and never will. Delivery partners are not informed of the promised delivery time for an order. Most importantly, we do not penalise delivery partners for delays. Time optimisation doesn’t happen on the road, ensuring no lives are put at risk,” the Blinkit spokesperson told Mint.
Disclaimer: All the views and claims in this story are from the Reddit post. This story does not represent LiveMint's views on the subject.
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