Inside India’s New Amendments to E-Commerce Rules

On September 9, 2026, the Department of Consumer Affairs notified key amendments to the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, which were originally framed under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 to protect consumers against unfair trade practices in the e-commerce sector. These amendments strengthen that framework in view of evolving business models, digital practices and consumer expectations.

According to the Department, the objective is to ensure that growth and innovation in India’s e-commerce sector are accompanied by transparency and fair business practices, while preserving ease of doing business and a balance between the interests of consumers and e-commerce entities.

Key features

• Enforcement date: The new amendments will come into force with effect from January 1, 2027.
• Changes in duties of e-commerce entities under Rule 4:
  • Grievance redressal: Ensure that the complainant is provided with a copy of the complaint as recorded by the grievance officer. The existing requirements for acknowledgement within 48 hours and redressal within one month remain unchanged.
  • Country of origin: If it offers imported goods or services for sale, apart from the existing requirement of mentioning the details of the importer/seller, it must also provide for identification of goods and mention the full and complete name of the country of origin of such goods imported into India, as provided under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011.
  • National Consumer Helpline: Become a partner in the convergence process of the Central Government’s National Consumer Helpline (NCH). This replaces the previous endeavour-based approach. The change is notable given that the NCH received 17,71,622 grievances in 2025, of which 5,11,196 (around 29%) related to the e-commerce sector.
  • Search results: Prohibited from misleading users by manipulating search results or search indexes having regard to the user’s search query.
  • Sponsored listings: Ensure that sponsored listings of products and services are distinctly identified through clear and prominent disclosures.
  • Price reduction disclosures: If the entity or seller announces a price reduction for any goods or services on its platform, it shall indicate the prior price of such goods or services along with the reduced price. Here, “prior price” means the lowest price of a good or service 30 days prior to the announcement of price reduction.
  • Invoice display: Display clearly and prominently in the invoice the seller’s name in the same font size as the e-commerce entity’s name.
  • Dark patterns: Comply with the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023 and also conduct yearly self-audits to ensure that the platform is free from dark patterns, and a certificate to this effect shall be displayed prominently.
• New liabilities prescribed for marketplace e-commerce entities under Rule 5:
  • Seller information and ranking transparency: Information to be prominently displayed now also includes the name and details of the seller’s website and email address, where available, as well as the best before or use before date. They must also display an explanation of the main parameters in descending order which, individually or collectively, are most significant in determining the ranking of goods or sellers on its platform and the relative importance of those main parameters through an easily and publicly available description drafted in plain and intelligible language.
  • Consumer information: Prohibited from using information collected by them (a) for the sale of goods directly or indirectly by any seller, whether related or not, bearing a brand or name which is common with that of the marketplace e-commerce entity; or (b) to promote or advertise any seller as being associated with the marketplace e-commerce entity, unless the marketplace e-commerce entity has obtained the express and affirmative consent of the consumer(s) to whom the information relates.
  • Bundled fees: Must not collect bundled fees from users for services provided on the e-commerce platform for any other services that are unrelated to the platform. This restriction does not apply to loyalty or membership programmes or to any benefit, service, offer or incentive provided in connection with or pursuant to such a programme.
• Additional duties cast upon sellers on marketplace under Rule 6:
  • Expanded disclosures: The relevant details about the goods and services offered for sale by the seller — to be provided to the e-commerce entity for display on its platform or website — now expressly include not just the country of origin, but also best before or use before date, information related to return, refund, exchange, warranty and guarantee, delivery and shipment, cost and return shipping, mode of payments and any other similar information which is necessary for enabling the consumer to make an informed decision at the pre-purchase stage.
  • Identification numbers: Also provide the e-commerce entity, for display on its platform or website, with any identification number issued by the Central Government, including the GSTIN or MSME registration number.

• Compulsory display of ‘best before’ dates by inventory e-commerce entities under Rule 7:
  • Information to be prominently displayed by inventory e-commerce entities now includes the best before or use before date.

Takeaways

• Since the amendments take effect on January 1, 2027, platforms will not be required to implement the changes for sales conducted before that date, including this year’s festive-season sales. Contraventions of the amended Rules occurring on or after January 1, 2027 will be subject to the applicable provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
• It is worth noting that while the amendments cross-reference the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 for identification of goods and country of origin, the separate requirement under the said LM Rules for e-commerce entities to ensure that product listings contain a searchable and sortable filter specifying the country of origin applies only from July 1, 2027.
• The amendments require e-commerce entities to comply with the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023 and also conduct yearly self-audits to ensure that their platform is free from dark patterns, and a certificate to this effect shall be displayed prominently. This addresses a gap concerning consequences of contravention: the Draft Guidelines had expressly stated that the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 would apply to contraventions, but that provision was omitted when the Guidelines were notified in November 2023.

Concluding thoughts

These amendments are particularly significant as India’s e-commerce market is projected to grow from an estimated USD 120-140 billion to USD 280-300 billion by 2030, according to a report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG). E-commerce entities should use the transition period to review their compliance readiness ahead of January 2027.