Step 1: Get your papers ready
Have these before you apply. The exact list can differ by app and category.
- GST registration, PAN and a bank account with a cancelled cheque. Blinkit's older seller FAQ names GSTIN and PAN as the basics.
- An FSSAI licence if you sell anything you eat or drink. The licence should cover the product types you list.
- Brand proof if you are not the brand owner, such as an authorisation letter.
- Barcodes (UPC or EAN) for every pack, and an HSN code for each product.
- Sharp pack photos, and for Zepto, accurate size details and your brand tag details.
Zepto says it wants brands with a sizeable catalogue and quality products that stand out. A single pack may find it hard.
Step 2: Apply through the official portal
Blinkit says seller.blinkit.com is the only safe way to list. It also warns that fraudsters claim they can get you listed fast. Its brands page says there are no shortcuts and no official partners for listing, and that it works directly with brands.
For Zepto, create an account on its brand onboarding portal. Its brand page speaks of four steps, and asks for valid GST, address and bank details. For Instamart, start from Swiggy's Instamart partner page.
Blinkit says there are no official listing partners, so be careful with anyone who offers to "get you listed" for a fee. Ask for proof, and keep your own login.
Step 3: Build a clean catalogue
Blinkit's Seller Hub guide lists what each product needs:
- Brand name, UPC and product category. The category decides where your item shows in the app.
- Size, shelf life and storage type, such as fragile.
- GST rate, business category and HSN code.
- Images and videos.
You also choose a primary cluster, which is where your listings are served from. Get one product right first. Then copy the pattern.
Step 4: Understand how stock and money move
On Blinkit, the Seller Hub guide says inventory is billed to Blinkit's company at a landing price and shipped to a Blinkit location it names. From 1 September 2025, you do not need an additional place of business to launch and scale.
Commission, margins and fees are agreed with each app's category team. We found no public rate. So ask for terms in writing before you ship stock.
A made-up example, to show the sums. This is not a real rate. A snack pack sells at ₹100. After the app's share, delivery and fees, the brand keeps ₹55. Making the pack costs ₹40. That leaves ₹15 a pack before any ad spend.
If you spend ₹30,000 on in-app ads, you need to sell 2,000 packs just to pay for the ads (₹30,000 ÷ ₹15). Do this sum for your own packs first.
Step 5: Plan ads and stock together
Most apps sell ad space inside search and category pages. Read about marketplace ads before you spend. An ad that sends shoppers to a pack that is out of stock is money wasted.
- Start with your best-selling pack in your best city.
- Keep stock steady. Running out hurts your ranking and your sales.
- Watch cost per order, not clicks.
- Add cities and packs only after one works.
Mistakes we see
- Applying before GST, FSSAI and barcodes are in order.
- Paying an agent for a listing you can apply for through the app's own portal.
- Not working out the margin per pack.
- Weak photos and titles. They are your shop window.
- Deep discounts that you cannot keep up.
- Spending on ads with no stock behind them.
If you want help with the plan, listings, ads and tracking, see our quick commerce marketing service.
Questions to ask the category team
- Which of my products fit your stores, and why?
- What are the terms: margin, fees, payment days and returns? Please show them in writing.
- Where do I send stock, and what is the cut-off for each delivery?
- What does an in-app ad cost, and how is it charged?
- How will you tell me about sales by city?
