Zepto tries "Swap and Save" feature for clearing slow-moving stock

Quick commerce unicorn Zepto has initiated pilots for a new "Swap and Save" feature that would enable a user to swap out products from the cart for cheaper alternatives, two people familiar with the product confirmed to YourStory.

The feature, which was first spotted by users on X, shows a one-tap option for users to change some items in cart for cheaper alternatives, a move which at first glance appears counterintuitive for platforms trying to build up their average order values.

​"The Swap & Save feature is an early-stage experiment born out of our deep customer obsession and commitment to meeting evolving user needs. As this is still in testing, we don’t have further details to share at the moment," said Kaivalya Vohra, Co-founder, Zepto.

Unsold inventory and slow-moving products often come with high opportunity costs as they keep valuable dark store space and app display hostage.

However, according to an analyst tracking the sector, the aim is to clear unsold inventory or slow moving inventory rather than focusing exclusively on average basket sizes. This is particularly crucial as a large assortment for quick commerce platforms deals with perishable goods.

Moreover, the feature also holds monetization potential, with new sellers offering the better discounts in exchange for more sales. Besides new sellers, this would also allow Zepto to push its private labels down the line as cheaper alternative.

This comes a day after the company launched Atom, a subscription-based data insights tool for consumer brands available on the platform. The in-house data driven tool will be offered as a subscription-based add-on to the existing Zepto Brand Portal.

Last month, YourStory reported on Zepto's plans of pulling the plug on its Zepto Pass subscription service, replacing it with a new programme called Zepto Daily.