Nikhil Kamath buys shoes online. After delivery, Zerodha founder thinks about India's GDP, wages, and offline vs online

Nikhil Kamath shared his thoughts on the growing focus on delivery speed and sustainability as India's GDP per capita and wages increase. He questioned whether delivery wages would remain viable if GDP per capita reached $5,000. Reflecting on consumer behavior, he recounted buying a pair of expensive shoes via quick commerce while traveling. The shoes didn’t fit well, making him regret the purchase. He wondered if there was a limit to average order value and how many consumers in India would forgo in-store experiences for high-value goods. He believes, “Commodity is different from brand.”
He used the dabbawalas as an example of an efficient, low-cost delivery system and wondered if modern quick-commerce companies (like those delivering groceries or shoes in 10 minutes) can learn from them as India grows richer and delivery costs rise.

What did he observe about Mumbai Dabbawalas?

He pointed out that Mumbai’s dabbawalas are renowned for their logistical excellence, delivering around 200,000 tiffins daily with an error rate of just one in 16 million deliveries. Their system, which has been studied by Harvard and admired by global leaders, is built on simplicity, teamwork, and precision. They rely on a manual coding system using colors, numbers, and letters to ensure accurate deliveries. Despite most workers having little formal education, their efficiency rivals some of the world's best supply chains.

Zerodha’s Nikhil Kamath added that every day, dabbawalas pick up tiffins from homes by 8:30 AM and transport them