Myntra is rolling out a zero-commission model for new homegrown direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands. It's a move reflective of how India’s crowded online fashion and beauty market is forcing platforms to rethink how they attract emerging labels struggling with rising customer acquisition costs.

The initiative, announced on Thursday, will be offered to all new made-in-India fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands joining Myntra under its Rising Stars (MRS) programme. Under the model, brands can list and sell on the platform without paying any commission, allowing them to redirect more of their capital towards marketing, customer acquisition and product development.

These brands primarily rely on their own websites or social media to reach customers. The zero-commission model will help them channelise their budgets more effectively to scale their brands, according to Myntra. 

Maneesh Kumar Dubey, vice president for category management at Myntra, said the company wants to play a more active role in shaping the early growth of digital-first brands.

The strategy comes at a time when India’s D2C ecosystem is expanding rapidly, but many young brands are struggling to balance growth with profitability. Rising ad costs on social media, high return rates, and logistics expenses have made it harder for smaller labels to break through.

Myntra is positioning its scale as the key draw. The platform says eligible brands will get access to over 75 million monthly active users, along with its logistics network that enables deliveries to 98% of serviceable pincodes. The marketplace will also push discovery through in-app promotions, coupons and bank offers.

“India’s e-lifestyle industry continues to evolve, with digital-first brands playing an increasingly important role in shaping consumers’ choices. With arguably the highest number of D2C brands, Myntra is dedicated to supporting this burgeoning industry,” Dubey said. He added that the Rising Stars programme aims to give these labels a scalable foundation through “models like zero-commission structures” and data-driven tools.

The company is betting on early traction translating into long-term loyalty. The zero-commission structure follows a pilot run in the women’s ethnic wear category during the 2025 festive season. Over 200 new brands joined during the trial and scaled up within four months, Myntra said.

Currently, the MRS programme hosts more than 2,000 brands across categories, and Myntra claims it has become an important feeder of new labels into its larger marketplace ecosystem.