Hey e-tailer, forse il tuo gioco?

Right from the Naaptol days to the now dominant e-commerce shopping trend, the quality of the products sold online has sometimes given consumers second thoughts.

The gap that divides online purchases from offline is the lack of being able to touch, feel and test the product before buying. This is also one aspect where offline shopping will always have an edge over online shopping.

The fear of e-tailers compromising on quality in return of low prices has come to reality for shoppers recently. In two separate cases, Paytm mall and Snapdeal were penalised by The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) for selling pressure cookers that weren’t upto the BIS safety standards.

While e-commerce websites won the trust of the majority of consumers and enabled them to shift to online shopping during the pandemic, such cases might be a trigger for buyers to go back to their nearest retailer for future purchases.

This is also where D2C takes over as such loopholes can be directly taken care of by the direct online sellers.

Both Paytm and Snapdeal in their defense argued that they are just intermediaries and the responsibility of content lies with the seller.

Does this also mean the e-commerce website’s consumer relationship and trust is existent only till they hit the ‘Confirm Order’ button and not any further? How is it any different from a seller with questionable credentials sitting in a local market and duping the public?

Similarly, Meesho has also caught eyeballs recently for non-compliance with the e-commerce seller standards. Their products did not have mandatory declarations like country of origin and date of expiry according to the notice issued by the Legal Metrology Department.

In the past, Chinese giants Alibaba and Tencent, among many other marketplaces, were added to ‘Notorious Markets List’ by the US Trade Representative. Tencent disagreed and argued that it has always monitored and acted upon violations and will continue to do so.

With the pandemic already settling down, traditional shops are opening their shutters again. This is also adding to the increasing pressure of competition for the online sellers.

The concern that arises is where does this ‘duping drama’ end and what will the e-commerce marketplaces do to hold onto the slipping trust of the consumer?

Well, it's time for the e-tailers to pull up their socks and have stricter seller policies in order to stay relevant in the post-pandemic market.

---

We would love to hear your feedback. Do reach us on contactus@etand.com or chehneet.kaur@timesinternet.in or prasad.s@timesinternet.in. Buona lettura!
**Paytm Mall, Snapdeal penalised INR 1 lakh each for selling defective pressure cookers

---

The CCPA has ordered Paytm Mall to notify all consumers of the 39 pressure cookers sold on its platform, recall the pressure cookers and reimburse their price to the consumers. It has been asked to submit a compliance report of the same within 45 days.

The CCPA issued a similar order in case of Snapdeal asking the e-tailer to recall 73 pressure cookers sold on its platform and reimburse the amount to consumers. Per saperne di più
**Facing multiple challenges in India, but committed to support customers: Huawei

---

**Chinese brands have had it tough in India, since the ‘Make in India’ initiative started. Ranging from the Indian brand ambassadors of the Chinese brands being hesitant to endorse them to changing the marketing communication to represent ‘Made in India’, the brands have seen it all.

"In India, as we face multiple challenges and a complicated external environment, we continue to monitor and evaluate the situation in the country. We reiterate that we remain committed to supporting our customers with the latest technology and best services," David Li, chief executive officer, Huawei India said. Per saperne di più

MDH refutes claims of sale to HUL

Zomato Instant: Fast and (making consumers) Furious?

Ramesh Chauhan: The man who created a brand that went on to be worth a billion

Aiming to make Patanjali & Ruchi Soya No. 1 FMCG firm in 5 years: Ramdev

Tata Consumer Products announces the merger of Tata Coffee

Emami acquires Dermicool brand from Reckitt for Rs 432 crore

Sea's e-com arm Shopee to shut down India operations

Paytm has got customers by way of cashbacks, not by rendering services: Aditya Puri

Meesho served notice on non-compliance of metrology rules on mandatory declarations on products

USL extends deadline for strategic review of its liquor brands till May 31

Xiaomi blamed of same issue that Samsung chief recently apologised for

Delhi plans cloud kitchens and food truck policy to strengthen night-time economy

Reliance Brands buys Sunglass Hut's India franchisee rights

Apple to cut iPhone, AirPods output amid demand slowdown caused by the Ukraine crisis