Latest news with #UrvashiSharma
India.com
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Remember 'Ek din teri baahon mei' actress? Had a dream debut, worked with Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol, is unrecognisable now, her name is...
If you are a 90s kid, growing up, while getting ready for school, we had a few songs repeating on loop on our televisions. One of them was 'Ek Din Teri Baahon Mein' featuring Urvashi Sharma along with Akshay Khanna. Once a rising star with a memorable debut in Nakab (2007), she captured hearts with that romantic song and her confident on-screen presence. Born on 13 July 1984 in Delhi, Urvashi came from a liberal Punjabi household and always made bold, personal choices — from entering modelling to living life on her terms. What sparked her fame? Before Bollywood, Urvashi was a familiar face in ads for Pond's, Garnier, and more. She also starred in Atif Aslam's hit music video 'Doorii', which became an instant chartbuster. Her performance in Nakab earned her a Filmfare Best Female Debut nomination. Later, she appeared in Khatta Meetha (2010) as Akshay Kumar's younger sister — but that early spark slowly faded. Did she try TV too? Yes. In 2008, Urvashi was a finalist in Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi, showcasing a tough, adventurous side. She returned to the screen in 2016 with Zee TV's Amma, playing the lead, but the show didn't click with audiences. What about her personal life? Urvashi dated actor-businessman Sachiin Joshi for two and a half years before tying the knot in 2012. Post-marriage, she changed her name to Raina Joshi. The couple now shares two children, and she's kept a low profile ever since. Where is she now? Despite a short-lived film career, Urvashi's authenticity, bold choices, and early success carved her a niche in the hearts of many. She now focuses on family life, having gracefully moved away from showbiz.
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Blink and you pay: The 10-minute tomato and cola might cost more than you think
A few months ago, buying a bunch of bananas or a packet of sugar at 10pm with just a few taps on your phone felt like magic. For many in India's big cities, 10-minute grocery delivery became a habit — a small luxury that promised speed and ease. But now, that convenience is coming at a cost, ToI reported. More and more users of Swiggy Instamart , Blinkit , and Zepto are noticing that their bills have started to creep up — not because of the items themselves, but because of the quiet add-ons. From handling fees to rain surcharges, small cart penalties to surge pricing, consumers say they are now paying up to ₹50 extra on every small order. The growing list of charges includes a fixed handling fee of ₹10 to ₹21, along with GST, delivery charges, small cart fees, rain fees, and surge pricing when applicable. While people still enjoy the convenience, many shoppers are going back to comparing prices — both offline and across different online platforms — before opening their quick commerce apps. What once gave these platforms an edge over neighbourhood kiranas — better prices and delivery speed — is now being undone by their rising fee structures. Delhi-based consumer Urvashi Sharma said, "I buy fruits and vegetables from local vendors now. Fruits, for example, tend to be cheaper by ₹30-40. Tomatoes and peas usually are cheaper online, but if you add handling and delivery fees, it comes to the same amount." Market researcher Satish Meena, adviser at Datum Intelligence, said that earlier, customers didn't think twice before placing frequent, small orders. But now they're more cautious — often delaying purchases or clubbing them together to avoid paying extra fees again and again. This shift in behaviour could hurt the gross order value (GOV) of these platforms and slow the movement of goods, which in turn increases the cost of running their dark stores. Live Events You Might Also Like: Quick commerce apps stack up extra fees to curb losses "Consumers are finding quick commerce a bit expensive, but convenience is still the winner. The platforms are trying to move consumers to planned purchases through plans like Super Saver and Maxxsaver, but there's a long way to go," Meena said. Fee structures are not just increasing — they are also becoming harder to track. Swiggy and Zepto typically waive delivery fees if the order is worth around ₹200 or more. But Blinkit requires customers to spend at least ₹500 for free delivery. The platforms did not comment on their pricing policies. Even the fixed fees aren't all that fixed. Swiggy's Instamart can charge anywhere between ₹10 and ₹15 depending on the order value. Zepto usually charges ₹21 for larger orders and ₹13 for smaller ones. Blinkit's handling fee is typically ₹11. Rain fees and surge fees are generally ₹15 and ₹30, respectively, and can be added when demand spikes or weather worsens. For companies still running at a loss, these added charges help improve their financials. But for customers placing last-minute or small-sized orders — the kind that built the quick commerce habit in the first place — the rising costs are hard to justify. Mumbai-based professional Nandini Paul said that even though she pays for premium services like Swiggy One and Zepto Daily to get discounts and benefits, she often ends up paying more than she would on Blinkit for the same basket. "Despite paying for Swiggy One membership and Zepto Daily to avail discounts and other benefits, I often end up paying higher prices on the platforms for the same cart compared to Blinkit," she said. Another customer pointed out the illusion of discounts and free delivery. "There are hidden charges on quick commerce platforms and an illusion of discounts. These days, I think, if I had more time, I would directly shop from the market. But the fact that I can shop anytime of the day is a plus," the consumer said. A recent JM Financial research note said most quick commerce platforms have increased the minimum order value needed to get free delivery. In a comparison of 11-item orders across Instamart , Zepto, Blinkit, and DMart Ready, Blinkit turned out to be the most expensive, while DMart Ready was the cheapest. According to a report by Bain, quick commerce companies have improved their financials by increasing the value of each order, cutting supply chain costs, and boosting profit margins. They have done this by sourcing goods directly from farmers and producers, and by earning more through ads and platform fees. But to keep growing in a profitable way, these firms will have to change their business strategies for smaller towns and cities, deal with more competition, and make supply chains more efficient. The market is also shifting to a two-speed model, where a few products will be delivered in under 15 minutes, while a wider range will arrive within an hour. As quick commerce expands into more cities and begins selling larger items like consumer electronics, the logistics will become more complicated. How well these platforms manage those challenges will decide how much of the overall e-commerce market they can capture. The sector remains crowded, and while there is space for both kiranas and online platforms, one question continues to trouble consumers — how much is too much to pay for convenience? (with ToI inputs) Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
How much would you pay for 10-min delivery?
Having groceries delivered at your doorstep home in 10 minutes is very convenient for people especially in metro cities. Shopping on quick commerce apps has become a habit for many, but a section of consumers has started to feel the pinch of instant deliveries. Platforms such as Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit, and Zepto, which control the bulk of the market, are adding a range of fees to the bill, due to which consumers are shelling out up to Rs 50 extra every time they place an order. Price Comparison Is Back To begin with, consumers have to pay a handling charge, which is fixed for every order and ranges between Rs 10-21. Add GST, delivery charge, small cart fee, rain fee, and surge fee (when applicable), and the bill gets inflated. While it doesn't mean that people don't want to pay for convenience, many consumers have started planning their purchases once again. They are now comparing offline prices and those across different e-tail formats before shopping on quick commerce platforms. Also, the leverage of better pricing the platforms initially had over kiranas and local vendors seems to be getting eroded due to the fee structure. "I buy fruits and vegetables from local vendors now. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Fruits, for example, tend to be cheaper by Rs 30-40. Tomatoes and peas usually are cheaper online, but if you add handling and delivery fees, it comes to the same amount," said Delhi-based consumer Urvashi Sharma. Behaviour Shift, Again Earlier, consumers were not counting the number of times they placed an order through quick commerce platforms. But now, they are delaying their purchases or waiting to club a few orders and then shop to avoid paying extra charges every time, said Satish Meena, adviser at market research firm Datum Intelligence. A decline in order frequency could impact GOV (gross order value) of companies, and the goods will also move slower, adding to the cost of dark stores, Meena said. "Consumers are finding quick commerce a bit expensive, but convenience is still the winner. The platforms are trying to move consumers to planned purchases through plans like Super Saver and Maxxsaver, but there's a long way to go," Meena said. Tough To Track Fees A consumer can escape delivery fees on Swiggy and Zepto if they shop for Rs 200 or so, but on Blinkit, they will have to spend at least Rs 500 for free delivery. The platforms declined to comment. The charges can also be arbitrary - on Instamart, for instance, the handling charges can vary from Rs 10-15 depending on the order value. For Zepto, it usually is at about Rs 21 for large orders and Rs 13 for small ones. On Blinkit, handling charges tend to be fixed at Rs 11. Rain and surge fees are typically set at Rs 15 and Rs 30, respectively. For platforms, most of which are in the red, adding extra charges helps in improving their economics, but for a consumer looking to place a small, impromptu order, paying extra may not always be feasible. Ironically, this was the whole premise of quick commerce when it started making its way into households. According to Nandini Paul, a Mumbai-based professional, despite paying for Swiggy One membership and Zepto Daily to avail discounts and other benefits, she often ends up paying higher prices on the platforms for the same cart compared to Blinkit. Min Order Value Rising "There are hidden charges on quick commerce platforms and an illusion of discounts. These days, I think, if I had more time, I would directly shop from the market. But the fact that I can shop anytime of the day is a plus," said another consumer. In a recent research note, JM Financial said that most platforms have raised the minimum order value to unlock free deliveries. An analysis of orders placed for 11 items across Instamart, Zepto, Blinkit, and DMart Ready showed that Blinkit is the most expensive while DMart Ready is the cheapest. "The entrance of more value-first players like Flipkart and Amazon in the space should pull prices down in quick commerce. We do expect the platforms to discourage small ticket size purchases, which initially was encouraged as a way to develop commerce will always command a premium compared to modern trade but will offer better value than kiranas," said Siddharth Jain, managing partner and country head at Kearney India. There is space for every kind of retailer, but it all boils down to one question - how much is too much to pay for convenience? Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
