Author: Aadarsh Patel | EQMint

Online shopping in India is set for major changes from January 1, 2027, as the government introduces stricter rules for e-commerce platforms.

The Department of Consumer Affairs has amended the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, bringing new requirements covering discounts, search results, sponsored listings, dark patterns, consumer data and grievance redressal.

The changes are aimed at making online marketplaces more transparent and giving consumers greater protection when shopping online.

Discounts Must Show the Real Previous Price

One of the biggest changes concerns how discounts are displayed.

E-commerce platforms will have to show both the discounted price and the “prior price” when advertising a price reduction.

The prior price will mean the lowest price at which the product was sold during the 30 days before the discount was announced.

The move is intended to prevent platforms from artificially increasing an “original” price before offering a discount, making the saving appear larger than it actually is.

Sponsored Products Must Be Clearly Identified

Online marketplaces will also face tighter rules around search results.

Platforms cannot manipulate search rankings in a way that misleads consumers or makes results appear more relevant than they actually are.

Sponsored products and paid placements will also have to be clearly and prominently labelled, allowing shoppers to distinguish advertisements from organic search results.

Annual Self-Audits On Dark Patterns

The new rules make compliance with India’s 2023 Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns mandatory for e-commerce entities.

Platforms will have to conduct an annual self-audit and publicly display a compliance certificate confirming that they are not using prohibited manipulative design practices.

These practices can include tactics such as false urgency, basket sneaking and confirm-shaming, which can influence consumers into making decisions they may not otherwise have made.

E-Commerce Platforms To Join National Consumer Helpline

Consumer grievance redressal will also receive greater attention under the amended rules.

Every e-commerce entity will be required to become a partner in the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) convergence process, connecting platforms more directly with the national consumer grievance system.

The Department of Consumer Affairs said the NCH recorded 1.77 million grievances in 2025, with around 29% relating to e-commerce.

Platforms will also be required to provide consumers with a copy of their complaint as recorded by the company’s grievance officer.

More Product Information Must Be Disclosed

Online marketplaces will have to provide consumers with important product and transaction information upfront.

This includes details such as:

• Best-before or use-before dates
• Return and refund policies
• Warranty terms
• Delivery conditions
• Payment terms

The objective is to ensure shoppers have access to key information before completing a purchase rather than discovering important conditions later.

Consumer Data Will Require Explicit Consent

The amended rules also introduce tighter requirements around consumer data.

E-commerce platforms will not be permitted to use customer data without explicit and affirmative consent.

Platforms will also be restricted from charging bundled fees that are unrelated to the core purchase, such as an additional protection fee that the consumer did not agree to as part of the transaction.

However, the restriction does not apply to loyalty or membership schemes.

What The New Rules Mean For Indian Shoppers

The new e-commerce rules represent a significant shift towards greater transparency in India’s rapidly expanding online shopping market.

From January 1, 2027, consumers should have clearer information about whether a discount is genuine, whether a search result is sponsored and what terms apply to a purchase.

For e-commerce companies, the changes will mean greater compliance responsibilities and closer regulatory scrutiny over pricing, advertising, platform design, consumer data and grievance handling.

Overall, the government’s latest move aims to make India’s online shopping ecosystem more transparent, accountable and consumer-focused.

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