{
  "id": 6727849,
  "title": "Online Shopping Rules Tighten From January 1, Here’s What Sellers Can No Longer Hide",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/online-shopping-rules-tighten-from-january-1-heres-what-sellers-can",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-11T07:37:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/business/online-shopping-rules-tighten-from-january-1-heres-what-sellers-can-no-longer-hide"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Starting January 1, 2027, online shopping regulations in India will undergo significant tightening to curb misleading practices. E-commerce companies must now display both original and discounted prices, with the earlier price based on the product's lowest price in the past 30 days. Sponsored products will be clearly marked as advertisements or \"Sponsored Listings,\" ensuring transparency for shoppers.\n\nPlatforms will provide comprehensive details about products, including expiry dates, return and refund policies, warranties, delivery conditions, and payment information. Importers will also be identified, informing buyers about the product's origin and the importer's name.\n\nCompanies are prohibited from charging additional fees unrelated to their main service, though loyalty and membership program fees can be exempted. Customer data usage will require explicit consent, and dark patterns – deceptive practices that manipulate consumers – will face stricter scrutiny. Companies must adhere to 2023's government guidelines, conduct annual self-audits, and display a compliance certificate.\n\nCustomers filing complaints will receive a copy, ensuring a documented record, and e-commerce firms must join the National Consumer Helpline. The new rules aim to address the increasing number of consumer complaints, with the Department of Consumer Affairs receiving 17,71,622 grievances in 2025, including 5,11,196 related to online shopping. India's e-commerce rules, introduced in 2020, are being updated to better protect online shoppers in the face of rapid digital commerce and technological advancements.",
  "summary": "Mumbai: If you buy clothes, mobile phones or household goods online , important changes await you. From January 1, 2027, stricter rules will apply to e-commerce companies, making misleading discounts, hidden charges and deceptive sales practices harder. Companies displaying discounts must show both the new and previous prices. The earlier price will be based on the product’s lowest price during…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}