Summary
Apply online via Ekart’s franchise / delivery-partner pages and fill the form. Ekart runs multiple partner models (wishmaster/delivery partner, parcel counter, local hub).
Investment range: Depends on model. Public estimates range from ₹50,000 – ₹1,00,000 for a small delivery partner setup up to several lakhs (₹2–20+ L) for counters/hubs. (Use-case dependent).
Break-even: Ekart claims potential profitability within ~1 year at 30–35 parcels/day for smaller models. Industry estimates typically show 12–24 months for many franchise setups. I’ve done 3 sample financial scenarios below.
1) Which ekart model should you pick?
Choose one based on scale & capital:
Delivery Partner / Wishmaster — minimal setup, you/your riders deliver parcels. Lowest capital. Good as first step.
Parcel Booking Counter — physical desk/centre in a neighbourhood for customers to drop/collect parcels. Requires small rented space, staff. Ekart promotes this model for partner growth.
Local Hub / Hub-and-Spoke — larger operation, vehicles, sorting area, staff — highest costs and highest volumes.
2) Official application steps (what to do right now)
Visit Ekart’s franchise/partner page (official). Fill the online application / partner form.
Prepare documents (ID, business PAN/GST if registered, address proof, cancelled cheque, details of premises & vehicles).
Ekart will do site visit / verification and score your location (for counters/hubs).
Negotiate/agree commercial terms (commission/settlement timelines, performance SLAs, tech integration).
Onboarding, training, and go-live (Ekart provides branding, tech access and training).
3) Checklist — documents & basic requirements
Personal ID (Aadhaar, PAN), business PAN.
Bank account + cancelled cheque.
GST registration (if you plan hub/counter or higher turnover) — Ekart may require depending on model.
Premises: small office / counter space (100–300 sq ft for parcel counter; larger 1000+ sq ft for hubs).
Vehicles: motorbikes for last-mile; 2-wheelers and/or small vans for medium/hub.
Staff: 1–3 riders for small, 5–20+ for larger hubs.
Working capital for salaries, fuel, security deposit (if any), and insurance.
Basic IT: smartphone(s), internet, access to Ekart partner app.
4) Money required — realistic ranges and what they cover
Estimates vary widely by model and city. Below are practical ranges drawn from industry writeups and Ekart’s own messaging (no fixed one-size figure). Use these to plan:
Low / Delivery Partner (micro)
Initial investment: ₹50,000 (approx.) — covers two-wheeler, smartphone, initial working capital, basic safety gear. (Some blogs/analysts quote ₹50k–1L).
Medium / Parcel Counter (local)
Initial investment: ₹2–6 lakh — rental deposit for small shop, fittings, counters, 1–3 vehicles, IT, staff for initial months. (market estimates vary).
Hub / Scaled operation
Initial investment: ₹10–30+ lakh — larger premises, multiple vehicles, sorting equipment, staff, security, higher working capital.
Note: Some blogs mention franchise fees; Ekart’s official page emphasizes “low investment” and claims some partner models have no deposit/royalty fees — confirm exact commercial terms with Ekart during application.
5) Sample financials & break-even math (3 scenarios)
I’ve built three simplified scenarios so you can see how quickly you might recover capital. These are estimates — replace input values with your real local numbers for precise planning.
Assumptions shown clearly: avg commission (revenue) per parcel = money you keep after payouts; monthly fixed costs = rent, salaries, fuel, phone, incidental.
Scenario A — Low (delivery partner)
Parcels/day = 35 (Ekart states ~30–35/day can make small partner profitable).
Avg commission per parcel = ₹30 (estimate)
Monthly revenue = 35 parcels/day × 30 days × ₹30 = ₹31,500.
(Calculation: 3 5 × 3 0 × 3 0 = 3 1 5 0 0)Monthly fixed costs (fuel, phone, small wages) ≈ ₹15,000.
Monthly profit = 31,500 − 15,000 = ₹16,500.
Initial invest = ₹50,000 → months to break-even = 50,000 ÷ 16,500 ≈ 3.03 months → ~91 days.
Scenario B — Medium (parcel counter)
Parcels/day = 200
Avg commission per parcel = ₹35
Monthly revenue = 200 × 30 × 35 = ₹210,000.
(Calculation: 2 0 0 × 3 0 × 3 5 = 2 1 0 0 0 0)Monthly fixed costs = ₹100,000 (rent, 2–3 staff, vehicle costs)
Monthly profit = 210,000 − 100,000 = ₹110,000.
Initial invest = ₹5,00,000 → months to break-even = 500,000 ÷ 110,000 ≈ 4.55 months → ~137 days.
Scenario C — Hub (scaled)
Parcels/day = 800
Avg commission per parcel = ₹40
Monthly revenue = 800 × 30 × 40 = ₹960,000.
(Calculation: 8 0 0 × 3 0 × 4 0 = 9 6 0 0 0 0)Monthly fixed costs = ₹400,000 (large rent, staff, vehicles, fuel)
Monthly profit = 960,000 − 400,000 = ₹560,000.
Initial invest = ₹20,00,000 → months to break-even = 2,000,000 ÷ 560,000 ≈ 3.57 months → ~107 days.
Takeaway: In these sample models the break-even ranges from ~3 to 5 months when parcels & margins align — but real life often has ramp-up time (customer onboarding, seasonality). Many industry write-ups still advise 12–24 months as a conservative planning horizon for stable profitability.
6) Revenue drivers & what controls profitability
Parcel volume (most important). Higher daily volumes dramatically improve margins.
Per-parcel commission (negotiated model + type of parcel: B2C vs C2C/B2B).
Operational efficiency — route planning, fleet utilization, low empty-run kms.
Fixed costs control — rent, salaries, fuel.
Peak seasons (Diwali, festive sales) can multiply revenue.
7) Risks & red flags
Frauds/third-party “middlemen” claiming guaranteed approvals — always use Ekart’s official site and confirm through official contact.
Over-estimating volumes in early months — have 6–12 months working capital.
Tight SLAs / penalties from the platform for delays/damage — understand penalties in contract.
High vehicle maintenance / fuel costs — model fuel price volatility.
8) Practical tips before you apply
Start as a wishmaster/delivery partner to learn operations, then scale to a counter/hub. Ekart’s delivery-partner app onboarding is straightforward.
Scout a location with high e-commerce activity and easy parking for drop-offs (for counters/hubs).
Keep 3–6 months of salaries + fuel in reserve.
Negotiate settlement cycles and ask for historical delivery volumes for your pin codes from Ekart during onboarding.
Keep exact bookkeeping from day one — margins can be tight if you miss costs.
9) Useful links (start here)
Ekart Delivery Partner (Wishmaster) — app/enrolment info.