BigBasket BB Now's 30-day repeat order rate in Bengaluru fell 12% month over month. How would you find the root cause?

Introduction

BigBasket is Tata Digital's grocery business and its largest source of losses: Tata Sons' FY26 annual report attributes close to two-thirds of Tata Digital's ₹4,974 crore loss to BigBasket as it competes with Blinkit, Zepto and Swiggy Instamart in quick commerce. Its quick-delivery service, BB Now, is therefore under close watch. In this question, we're told that BB Now's 30-day repeat order rate in Bengaluru fell 12% month over month. Bengaluru is BigBasket's home city and its most competitive quick-commerce market, so a drop here is serious.

I'll clarify the problem, rule out external factors, map the user journey, break down the metric, form hypotheses, find the root cause, and finish with a decision and resolution plan.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the definition, I'm thinking the repeat rate means "share of users who ordered in month one and ordered again within 30 days." Is that right, and has the definition or tracking changed recently?

• Assumption: Definition unchanged; tracking verified by analytics.
• Impact: The drop is real, not instrumentation.

• Considering the timing, was the drop sudden or gradual, and does it affect all of Bengaluru or certain zones?

• Assumption: Gradual over four weeks, concentrated in specific zones (east and south Bengaluru).
• Impact: Points toward something operational or competitive at local level.

• Thinking about recent changes, did we change pricing, delivery fees, minimum order value or the app in the last six weeks?

• Assumption: Delivery fee for orders below ₹199 increased five weeks ago; a new dark store opened in one zone and one was closed.
• Impact: Two strong candidates to test.

• Considering the market, have competitors launched aggressive offers?

• Assumption: One competitor launched 10-minute delivery with free delivery for new users in the same zones.
• Impact: Competitive switching needs testing.