DELHI: In the crowded lanes of Delhi’s famous shopping markets, one problem is almost universal, too many bags, too much walking, and nowhere to sit. A new startup called CarryMen believes it has found a business opportunity hidden in that chaos.
Delhi-based startup CarryMen has gone viral for offering assistants at prices starting from Rs149 per hour to help shoppers carry bags, wait in queues, and navigate crowded markets like Lajpat Nagar. What initially sounded like a simple convenience service has quickly sparked a wider debate around gig work, urban lifestyles, and the future of India’s startup ecosystem.
Launched in 2026 with the tagline “You shop, we carry,” CarryMen provides trained assistants who accompany customers through busy shopping areas, helping with physically demanding tasks that often make market visits exhausting. The service is currently focused on Delhi’s busiest shopping hubs, where long walks, traffic, heavy bags, and endless queues are part of the experience. According to the startup, its main customers include elderly shoppers, pregnant women, families with children, and people shopping in bulk.
Beyond carrying bags, CarryMen assistants reportedly help customers wait in billing or food queues, locate parking spots, provide foldable chairs, assist with hydration, and even offer mobile charging support. The company claims assistants can carry up to 12 kilograms and can be booked in hourly slots based on customer needs. Expansion plans are already being discussed for markets such as Sarojini Nagar and Chandni Chowk.
The startup’s viral rise has divided the internet. Supporters believe CarryMen is solving a real urban problem, arguing that crowded Indian markets can be physically exhausting, especially during summers and festive shopping seasons. For many, paying for convenience feels no different from using delivery apps, cab services, or personal shopping assistance.
Critics, however, see the idea as a traditional “coolie service” repackaged with startup branding and modern marketing. Some questioned whether India’s startup culture is becoming too focused on convenience-based gig services rather than deeper technology innovation. Others raised concerns about scalability, wondering if customers might eventually bypass the platform and hire local helpers directly.
While the idea itself isn’t entirely new as India has long relied on railway porters, market loaders, and shopping helpers. CarryMen is giving the model a modern startup makeover. By packaging informal assistance into an app-style service with standardized pricing, trained staff, and branded convenience, the company reflects a larger trend in Indian startups: turning everyday offline services into organized, on-demand urban solutions.
Whether CarryMen evolves into a scalable business or fades as a viral trend remains uncertain. But its popularity highlights a growing reality in urban India, convenience is no longer a luxury, but a service people are increasingly willing to pay for.
