Ecommerce platforms have united in support of the Centre’s proposal to mandate compliance with quality norms for consumer reviews.
During a meeting held on Wednesday (May 15), representatives from leading ecommerce firms and tech giants like Flipkart, Amazon, Google, and Meta approved a proposal advocating for mandatory adherence to the standards set for “online consumer reviews” introduced in 2022.
The events unfolded during a stakeholder consultation organized by the Department of Consumer Affairs in New Delhi, focusing on safeguarding consumer interests from fraudulent online reviews.
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Led by consumer affairs secretary Nidhi Khare, the meeting also saw participation from industry association representatives, consumer advocacy groups, legal professionals, and activists.
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs announced that a draft Quality Control Order will be open for public feedback within a specified period. Before this step, stakeholders thoroughly discussed and expressed support for the concept of implementing a QCO to address fake online reviews.
“Stakeholders welcomed the discussion regarding the implementation of a Quality Control Order for IS 19000:2022. There was a unanimous agreement among all stakeholders that tackling fake reviews is crucial for safeguarding consumer interests in online shopping and necessitates vigilant monitoring. The Draft Quality Control Order will be open for public consultation, inviting comments within a designated timeframe,” the statement added.
Earlier this week, consumer affairs secretary Nidhi Khare reprimanded ecommerce platforms, noting the prevalence of fake reviews on their websites despite the Centre’s notification of voluntary standards on “online reviews” in late 2022.
Khare also suggested the possibility of mandating ecommerce platforms to adhere to quality consumer review norms as a measure to curb fake reviews.
The department outlined several quality control measures within the framework issued in 2022 to protect consumers’ interests by combatting deceptive reviews on ecommerce platforms. These standards delineated the responsibilities of both the review author and the review administrator.
Nevertheless, compliance with these norms was optional rather than compulsory. However, the Centre now intends to enforce mandatory compliance with these norms to safeguard “consumer interest”.
To provide context, grievances related to ecommerce recorded on the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) witnessed a staggering 366% surge from 2018 to 2023. According to government data, complaints surged from 95,270 in 2018 to 4.44 lakh in 2023, constituting 43% of the total grievances.
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The recent initiative is a part of the government’s endeavors to safeguard the interests of online consumers. In December of the previous year, the Department of Consumer Affairs released guidelines on dark patterns and cautioned ecommerce platforms against employing such misleading tactics in their user interfaces.
Ecommerce platforms have previously come under scrutiny from authorities. Earlier this year, reports indicated that the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) instructed quick commerce platforms to substantiate their claims of ’10-minute’ delivery. Additionally, Amazon, Flipkart, and Snapdeal have been served notices by the consumer protection body for retailing substandard toys.
