The Department of Consumer Affairs has notified the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026 (“Amendment Rules”) on September 9, 2026, amending the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020. The Amendment Rules seek to strengthen consumer protection and enhance transparency and accountability in the e-commerce sector, particularly in relation to the manner in which e-commerce entities and marketplace platforms operate. The Amendment Rules will come into force with effect from January 1, 2027.

Under the Amendment Rules, e-commerce entities must prominently display their legal name, addresses, website and customer care/grievance officer details. Grievance officers must acknowledge complaints within 48 hours and redress them within one month. Entities offering imported goods or services must disclose importer details and the country of origin. All e-commerce entities must also participate in the convergence process of the National Consumer Helpline. The Amendment Rules also prohibit manipulation of search results, require clear identification of sponsored listings, disclosure of the lowest price in the preceding 30 days for advertised price reductions, and display of the seller’s name on invoices in the same font size as the e-commerce entity’s name.

For marketplace e-commerce entities, the Amendment Rules require disclosure of key seller information and ranking parameters in plain and intelligible language. E-commerce entities must comply with the Dark Patterns Guidelines, 2023, conduct an annual self-audit and display a compliance certificate. Marketplaces also cannot use collected information for specified purposes, including promoting a seller as associated with the marketplace, without express and affirmative consumer consent.

The Amendment Rules also restrict marketplace entities from collecting bundled fees for unrelated services, subject to the loyalty or membership programme exception. Sellers must additionally provide key product information, including country of origin, return, refund, exchange and warranty terms, delivery and payment details, and government-issued identification numbers such as GSTIN or MSME registration number.

In light of the Amendment Rules, e-commerce entities should reassess their existing compliance frameworks, particularly in relation to platform disclosures, ranking and advertising practices, dark-pattern controls and the use of consumer information, and undertake necessary measures to align their practices ahead of the effective date.

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