No more cheating on online shopping; govt notifies e-commerce rules on cancellation charges, complaints, more

In a move to protect customers from being cheated on the e-commerce platforms, the government asked the e-commerce firms to ensure that their grievance officers acknowledge any consumer complaint within 48 hours and redresses it within one month. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution notified a new set of consumer protection e-commerce rules under which, it also restricted the e-commerce firms from imposing cancellation charges on consumers who cancel the purchased products or services unless similar charges are also borne by the e-commerce firm. The government further highlighted that it will be mandatory to show the country of origin so that the customers can make an informed decision during the pre-purchase stage.

The government also directed the e-commerce companies to provide clear information related to return, refund, exchange, warranty and guarantee, delivery and shipment, modes of payment, grievance redressal mechanism, and any other similar information which may be required by consumers to make informed decisions. In addition, the customer care number of the seller will also be mandatory.