Published 15 October 2026
The Department of Consumer Affairs notified the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026, G.S.R. 789(E), on 9 September 2026. They come into force on 1 January 2027, which gives marketplaces, brand websites and the sellers who list on them about two and a half months to change how they show discounts, rankings, sponsored results, invoices and seller details. If you sell online from Kerala, whether on a marketplace or your own site, these are the changes that reach your product pages.
Discounts: the 30-day "prior price"
A new rule 4(13) requires that, whenever a price reduction is announced, the reduced price be shown alongside the prior price, and its Explanation defines "prior price" as "the lowest price of a good or service thirty days prior to the announcement of price reduction". A strike-through price that the product never actually sold at in the previous month no longer works. Sellers who raise a price shortly before a sale to show a larger discount will find the 30-day floor exposes it.
Dark patterns, ranking and sponsored listings
- Rule 4(15): every e-commerce entity must comply with the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023, "conduct yearly self-audit to ensure that its platform is free from dark patterns", and display a certificate to that effect prominently.
- Rule 4(11)(c): no misleading users by manipulating search results or search indexes relative to the user's query.
- Rule 4(12): sponsored listings must be distinctly identified with clear and prominent disclosures.
- Rule 5(3)(f): marketplaces must explain, in plain and intelligible language, the main parameters that decide ranking, in descending order of significance, and their relative importance.
- Rule 5(6): a marketplace may not use consumer data to sell goods under a brand it shares with sellers, or to promote sellers as associated with it, without the consumer's express and affirmative consent.
- Rule 5(7): no bundled fees for services unrelated to the platform, except loyalty or membership programmes.
What every listing and invoice must show
- Rule 6(5)(j), for sellers: any identification number issued by the Central Government, "including Goods and Services Tax Identification Number or Micro and Small Medium Enterprises registration number". The text says "or"; it does not demand both.
- Rule 6(5)(d), for sellers: country of origin, best-before or use-before date, return, refund, exchange and warranty terms, delivery, the cost of return shipping and payment modes, before purchase.
- Rule 4(6): for imported goods, the importer's details and the full country of origin, as required under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011.
- Rule 4(14): the seller's name on the invoice, clear and prominent, in the same font size as the platform's own name.
- Rule 5(3)(a): before purchase, the marketplace must show the seller's business name, registration status, address, contact details and ratings, and on a written request after purchase give the seller information needed to resolve a dispute.
Grievances: 48 hours and one month
Under the substituted rule 4(5), the grievance officer must acknowledge a complaint within 48 hours, give the complainant a copy of the complaint as recorded, and resolve it within one month of receipt. Rule 4(2) requires the entity's legal name, head and branch addresses, website details, customer care and grievance officer contacts to be displayed prominently, and rule 4(7) makes every e-commerce entity a partner in the convergence process of the National Consumer Helpline.
A checklist for Kerala sellers before 1 January 2027
- Pull 30 days of price history for every product you plan to discount in January, and set the strike-through price from the lowest actual price.
- Add your GSTIN or Udyam registration number to your seller profile and your own website's product and checkout pages.
- Review returns, refunds and return-shipping costs so they appear before purchase, not only in a policy page.
- If you run your own store, audit it against the 2023 dark-pattern guidelines: false urgency, basket sneaking, confirm shaming, subscription traps and drip pricing are among the patterns the guidelines list. Then publish your yearly self-audit certificate.
- Name a grievance officer, publish the contact, and set a 48-hour acknowledgement routine.
- If you sell under your own brand, register the trademark so the brand name you display is one you can enforce against copies on the same marketplaces.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the E-Commerce Amendment Rules 2026 take effect?
On 1 January 2027. They were notified as G.S.R. 789(E) on 9 September 2026.
What is the "prior price" for an online discount?
The lowest price of the good or service in the thirty days before the price reduction was announced. The reduced price must be shown alongside it.
Do online sellers have to display both GSTIN and Udyam number?
No. Rule 6(5)(j) requires an identification number issued by the Central Government, including the GSTIN or the MSME registration number; the text uses "or".
What is the dark-pattern self-audit?
Rule 4(15) requires every e-commerce entity to comply with the 2023 Dark Patterns Guidelines, conduct a yearly self-audit to ensure its platform is free from dark patterns, and display a certificate to that effect prominently.
How fast must an online complaint be handled?
Acknowledged within 48 hours, with a copy of the complaint as recorded, and resolved within one month of receipt, under the substituted rule 4(5).
Sources
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026, G.S.R. 789(E), 9 September 2026 (text as published by TaxGuru); Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020; Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023.
BookMyTM registers trademarks, GST and Udyam for online sellers across Kerala and reviews seller pages and policies against the e-commerce rules.