Ecommerce companies must self-declare compliance and also provide a way for customers to contact them directly, said the proposed e-Commerce Guidelines for consumer protection 2019, published on the Department of Consumer Affairs website. The department invited parties to provide feedback by 16 September 2019.
Among the key guidelines are those that require platforms like Amazon and Flipkart to declare all details about their sellers including address, website, and email address. The platforms are also required to display terms of contract with the seller relating to return, refund, exchange, warranty, delivery, and mode of payments.
The proposed consumer safeguards could come in handy as the country works on a comprehensive set of rules for one of the world’s fastest growing ecommerce markets. After the formal consultation is completed, the government is likely to include the proposals in its Consumer Protection Act.
The draft guidelines seek to protect personally-identifiable information of customers and set a 14-day limit for payments toward refund requests. Counterfeit products cannot be listed on ecommerce websites or companies could be held liable.
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