How you charge for delivery affects your conversions, your margins and your customer experience. Charge too much and customers abandon their cart. Charge too little and you lose money on every order. The right approach balances what customers expect with what your business can afford.
Guide
Shipping and delivery, explained.
Delivery can make or break an online store. This guide explains the delivery-pricing approaches Indian sellers use, how to ship across India and how to set up delivery on your store — useful whether or not you choose BharatGo.
The basics
Why delivery pricing matters
Common methods
Delivery pricing approaches
1
Fixed delivery rate
Charge the same delivery fee for every order — simple and predictable for customers
2
Distance-based rates
Charge based on how far the customer is from your location — fair for both local and distant orders
3
Distance-slab rates
Charge in distance bands (e.g. 0–50km, 50–200km, 200km+) — more granular than flat distance-based pricing
4
Weight-slab rates
Charge based on the weight of the order — useful for products where shipping cost depends on weight
5
Minimum order condition
Require a minimum order value for delivery — ensures small orders are viable for you
6
Conditional free delivery
Offer free delivery when the order is above a certain amount — encourages larger orders while protecting margins
Pan-India delivery
Shipping across India
For pan-India delivery, most Indian sellers use a shipping aggregator. BharatGo integrates with Shiprocket, which connects you with multiple courier partners so you can ship across India at your agreed rates. You can also use your own shipping partner if you already have one.
Key considerations for pan-India shipping:
- Courier coverage — not all couriers deliver to every pincode
- COD availability — Pay on Delivery depends on the courier and your preferences
- Tracking — customers expect to track their order
- Return logistics — plan how returns work before you start shipping
Not everything needs a courier
Local delivery and pickup
If you sell locally — food, bakery or retail with local customers — you may not need a courier for every order. BharatGo supports:
- In-store pickup — customers order online and pick up at your store
- Self-delivery — you deliver yourself for local orders
- Distance-based rates — charge delivery based on distance for local orders
With BharatGo
How to set up delivery on your store
1
Choose your delivery rate type
Fixed, distance-based, distance-slabs, weight-slabs or conditional free delivery
2
Set minimum order conditions
Optionally require a minimum order value for delivery
3
Connect Shiprocket or your own partner
Use Shiprocket for pan-India or your own shipping partner
4
Enable Pay on Delivery
Optionally enable Pay on Delivery for customers who prefer paying on receipt
5
Enable shipment tracking
Customers get real-time tracking updates on their orders
If you are setting up shipping
Who this guide is for
New online sellers
Businesses shipping across India
Local delivery businesses
Food & bakery sellers
Retail stores going online
Anyone confused about delivery pricing
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
There is no single right answer. Common approaches include a fixed delivery rate, distance-based rates, weight-slab rates and conditional free delivery (free when the order is above a certain amount). The right approach depends on your products, margins and customer expectations.
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Related resources
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