India D2C Unit Economics Benchmarks
Category-level ranges for AOV, CM1, CM2, repeat rate and RTO — plus channel take-rates. Free to cite with a link back.
In short
For most Indian D2C categories, a healthy business runs CM1 of 45–65% and CM2 of roughly 5–25% after marketing. Contribution margin after ads (CM2) — not revenue growth — is the number that decides whether a brand can fund its own scale. Apparel and home carry the thinnest CM2 because of RTO and return handling; beauty and nutrition carry the widest because of repeat purchase.
Benchmarks by category
| Category | AOV | CM1 | CM2 | 90-day repeat | RTO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beauty & personal care | ₹700–1,200 | 62–74% | 18–28% | 28–40% | 8–14% |
| Packaged food & beverage | ₹450–900 | 40–55% | 6–16% | 30–45% | 5–10% |
| Nutrition & supplements | ₹1,100–2,200 | 55–68% | 15–26% | 35–50% | 6–11% |
| Apparel & accessories | ₹1,200–2,500 | 50–65% | 5–15% | 18–28% | 22–35% |
| Home & kitchen | ₹900–2,000 | 42–58% | 4–13% | 12–22% | 10–18% |
| Baby & kids | ₹800–1,600 | 48–60% | 10–20% | 30–42% | 8–14% |
Channel take-rates
Own website (D2C)
0% platform fee
Payment gateway 1.8–2.2%, shipping ₹55–95/order, RTO risk on COD
Amazon India
Referral 5–17% + closing fee
FBA fulfilment ₹45–120/unit by size band; ads 8–15% of GMV
Flipkart
Commission 5–20%
Collection + fixed fee; higher return rate in fashion
Blinkit / Zepto / Instamart
Margin ask 22–28%
Plus fulfilment, listing/visibility spends and high SKU-level fill-rate pressure
Methodology & limitations
These are operator-modelled ranges, not a survey. They are built from publicly published marketplace fee schedules, quick-commerce margin asks, and standard Indian D2C cost structures (payment gateway, shipping, packaging, RTO handling), then expressed as ranges rather than point estimates. Treat them as a sanity check for your own P&L, not as audited market data. Fee schedules change — verify current rates on each platform before making pricing decisions.
Cite this dataset
Free to reuse with attribution (CC BY 4.0). Copy the line below:
Amogh Sachdev, "India D2C Unit Economics Benchmarks (2026)", https://amoghsachdev.com/benchmarks/d2c-india
<a href="https://amoghsachdev.com/benchmarks/d2c-india">India D2C Unit Economics Benchmarks (2026)</a> — Amogh Sachdev