Seller Details Are Still Missing From E-commerce Biggies' Websites
Seller Details Are Still Missing From E-commerce Biggies' Websites
The country's largest online marketplaces Flipkart, Amazon, Paytm and Snapdeal are yet to clearly display names, addresses and other contact details of all sellers on product listings featured on their platforms, despite being mandated by the revised guidelines on e-commerce issued on December 26.
The regulation was first announced as part of Press Note 3 by the government in March 2016.
ET has found that several product listings across the marketplaces did not display details of sellers. In some cases, their full names were also not mentioned.
"It's something that marketplaces need to comply with. There's no scope for any kind of ambiguity in the law. It's a simple requirement and a very straightforward provision. Quite a few e-commerce companies are not doing this and there's no excuse for them not to comply with the law," said Suneeth Katarki, founding partner at IndusLaw.
The revised policy puts the onus of delivery, warranty and customer service on the seller and not the marketplace. Today if a customer is unhappy with a product on these platforms, there is no way to get in touch with the seller directly. Instead all grievances will be routed through the marketplace.
At present, these marketplaces redirect customers to their own online help centres, prompting users to lodge complaints with them rather than take up the issue directly with sellers. For instance, Amazon.in displays the address of its own headquarters in Bengaluru in the section meant to display the seller's address.
Flipkart and Paytm Mall did not reply to ET's queries till press time. "We have always been and continue to be in compliance with all local laws," said an Amazon spokesperson.
Snapdeal said seller details are provided on the invoice. "The details of the seller are provided to the buyer as part of the invoice made available to the buyer in print and/or electronic form," said a Snapdeal spokesperson.
On shipping the products, these companies provide seller contact details in compliance with the GST laws.
Industry watchers are of the view that online marketplaces have been reluctant to make full disclosures of sellers on their platforms.
"The existence of such sellers who have crept in overnight is known only to marketplaces. Whether they are connected to the marketplace or getting preferred treatment can only be known if legal details and ownership can be looked into," said a spokesperson of All India Online Vendors Association, a group which represents online sellers. "If Amazon can display such details in the UK then why not in India?" the representative said.
While Flipkart continues to sell products through its alpha sellers - RetailNet, SuperComNet, India Flash Mart, Omnitech Retail, Trunet Commerce - the company has significantly cut discounts amid scrutiny from the government.
Amazon India has completely moved away from its captive seller arms Cloudtail and Appario Retail and also delisted products sold by Shoppers Stop. The Seattle-based tech giant is now adding new sellers including Sigma Online, Meera Enterprises, Sabharwal Super Market and others to comply with the new norms, as reported in ET in its February 4 edition.
These two online marketplaces have registered a drop in sales of about 25-35% because of the restructuring of seller entities, discounts being reduced and products being pulled down, as ET reported.
Ecommerce Companies Yet To List Seller Details On Their Platforms
Ecommerce companies such as Flipkart, Amazon, Paytm Mall and Snapdeal are reportedly yet to display names, addresses and other contact details of its sellers of the product listed on their platforms. This move was mandated as a part of the new ecommerce guidelines.
The changes in the FDI regulations in ecommerce policy was announced by the central government on December 26, 2018. The new guidelines came into effect from February 1, 2019.
As a part of the new guidelines, the ecommerce marketplaces are to provide contact details of all the sellers offering products in its platform so as to ensure that the consumers can reach out to them in case they have any complaints related to the products.
According to reports, currently, the customers are allowed to lodge their complaints via online help centres of the ecommerce companies rather than taking up the issue directly with the sellers.
In response to an email enquiry, an Amazon spokesperson has said, “We have always been and continue to be in compliance with all local laws”.
This mandate is especially needed at a time when sale and delivery of fake products via ecommerce platforms is on the rise. In November 2018, a survey by LocalCircles stated that at least one out of five respondents had received fake products from ecommerce players within the last six months.
In order to curb the sale of fake goods, last year, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) issued notices to ecommerce giants — Flipkart, Amazon and IndiaMART — warning the companies of penal actions against the sale of “spurious and adulterated” cosmetics.
Amazon was also put under scrutiny last year when Delhi High Court directed Amazon Seller Services to delist some sellers on its platform after Beverly Hills Polo Club accused them of selling fake products through the platform.
In order to keep a check on the companies, the new guidelines were introduced with an aim to promote the domestic players and ensuring a level playing field. Under this, the central government prohibits any ecommerce players to sell products on its platform in which it owns a stake. Further, it also added that no etailers will be allowed to mandate an online seller to sell products exclusively on its platform.
However, as a part of this new ruling, recent reports suggested that both global companies, Amazon and Walmart which have heavily invested in the Indian ecommerce sector has together lost $50 Bn in market capitalisation.
At a time when Amazon had committed to invest about $5 Bn in India, the company’s shares fell by 5.38% to $1,626.23, causing it to lose $45.22 Bn.
In order to comply with the ruling, the company has also to list down all the product listings from its preferred sellers such as Cloudtail and Appario Retail in India.
With the implementation of the new guidelines, the effect of these changes in the sector is yet to be seen as the companies continue to explore ways to comply with the ruling. Recently, Amazon’s CFO Brian Olsavsky had said that the company was uncertain about the impact that these new rules and is currently analysing the situation in order to comply with the rules.
Recent reports also suggested that US-based retail chain Walmart is reportedly looking to exit Flipkart.
[The development was reported by ET]
Nihar Info - Sales Through Www.Amazon.in,www.Flipkart.com,www.Snapdeal.com And Www.Paytm.com
Recommendations
1+1=11.Multiply your wealth now with multibaggers from poweryourtrade.com Subscribe Now
7th-Nov-2016 12:58
Source: BSE
Source: BSE
Nihar Info - Sales through www.Amazon.in,www.Flipkart.com,www.Snapdeal.com and www.Paytm.com 
Nihar Info Global Ltd has informed BSE that the Company is selling various products like Kitchen Appliances, Travel bags, Electronics and Electrical items on various ecommerce portals like www.amazon.in, www.flipkart.com,www.snapdeal.com and www.paytm.com with the Seller name as Nihar Market. The Company has started receiving orders for the same and has been delivering the products successfully to various locations in the country. The Company has done an online integration of the Logistics with various Logistic companies like India Post, Sequel Logistics, Blue Dart and Gati with its internal ERP to automate and track the deliveries to any location in India.
The Company has plans to increase its catalog to 1000 products in a period of 3 months from the current catalog of about 100 products.
]]]]]]]]]]]]>]]]]]]]]]]>]]]]]]]]>]]]]]]>]]]]>]]> ]]]]]]]]]]]]>]]]]]]]]]]>]]]]]]]]>]]]]]]>]]]]>]]>
OUR WINNING PICKS
DID YOU INVEST?
INTRADAY PICKS!
(August 06, 2018)
ALL TIME WINNERS OUR PACKAGES Super Combo 
Powerful mix of both trader and investor packs with timely expert advice.
Technical 
Designed especially for traders looking to tap the profit opportunities of volatile markets.
Fundamental 
For all investors looking to unearth stocks that are poised to move.
Copyright © e-Eighteen.com Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction of news articles, photos, videos or any other content in whole or in part in any form or medium without express writtern permission of moneycontrol.com is prohibited.
]]]]]]]]]]]]>]]]]]]]]]]>]]]]]]]]>]]]]]]>]]]]>]]> /*]]>*/ */ ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]>]]]]]]]]]]]]>]]]]]]]]]]>]]]]]]]]>]]]]]]>]]]]>]]> Verify your Moneycontrol account. Please verify your Email ID and Mobile Number today. Verify Now 
Comments
Post a Comment