Seven in 10 consumers shopping on Indian ecommerce and quick commerce platforms cannot find basic contact details of sellers, a LocalCircles survey of over 47,000 consumers across 294 districts found, according to medianama.com. This highlights ongoing non-compliance with existing regulations despite new standards.
The survey, conducted by LocalCircles, revealed that while 72% of consumers could access seller ratings and reviews, only 52% found the seller’s name, 32% the physical address, 28% the phone number, and 20% the email address or GST number. None of the respondents found the name of the grievance officer, the designated contact for consumer complaints. The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 require platforms to provide seller information, but only upon consumer request after purchase. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) published IS 19598:2026 in February 2026, a voluntary standard mandating proactive display of seller contact details on every product listing.
This survey underscores the gap between regulatory requirements and actual platform practices in India’s ecommerce sector. Despite the Consumer Protection Rules being in place for five years, most platforms still do not comply fully. The BIS standard aims to improve transparency and consumer trust by making seller contact details readily accessible, which is crucial for resolving disputes and ensuring accountability.
LocalCircles, which participated in drafting the BIS standard, is advocating for it to be made mandatory within one year. This push for stricter enforcement could lead to significant changes in how ecommerce platforms operate, potentially improving consumer protection and addressing longstanding transparency issues in the sector, medianama.com reported.