Govt to take action against e-commerce platforms imposing extra charges on COD orders
PTC Web Desk: Union Minister for Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi has announced that the government will take action against e-commerce platforms imposing extra charges on cash-on-delivery (COD) orders, a practice now under scrutiny for allegedly misleading consumers.
The move follows a viral social media post highlighting hidden COD fees on a Flipkart order, which sparked widespread discussion about opaque pricing and deceptive design tactics referred to as “dark patterns.” According to users, these additional charges often appear under vague labels like “payment handling fee,” “offer handling fee,” or “protect promise fee.”
The issue gained attention earlier this week when a post on X (formerly Twitter) went viral, showing a user being charged an extra Rs 226 for COD on a Flipkart purchase. The breakdown included terms such as “offer handling fee” (for applying a discount), “payment handling fee” (for choosing COD), and “protect promise fee” (for protection, though unclear from what). The post also compared these charges to additional fees levied by quick-commerce and food delivery apps like Zomato, Swiggy, and Zepto.
Responding to the post, Minister Joshi stated: “The Department of Consumer Affairs has received complaints against e-commerce platforms charging extra for Cash-on-Delivery, a practice classified as a dark pattern that misleads and exploits consumers.”
With online shopping becoming increasingly popular in India, transparency in pricing is emerging as a key concern. While e-commerce platforms encourage digital payments, penalising customers who choose COD is now being seen as unfair and potentially deceptive.
Understanding ‘Dark Patterns’
Dark patterns are manipulative design strategies used to influence consumer behaviour. These tactics may include falsely displaying low stock levels to create urgency or setting misleading time limits on offers, pressuring customers into making quicker purchase decisions than they otherwise would.
- With inputs from agencies
