Recently, a viral post on X (Twitter) exposed how an e-commerce user was charged an extra ₹226 for a cash-on-delivery (COD) order on Flipkart. The bill included strange terms like “Offer Handling Fee,” “Payment Handling Fee,” and “Protect Promise Fee.” This sparked public anger and pushed the government to act. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi responded, saying that the Department of Consumer Affairs has received complaints about e-commerce sites charging extra for COD and calling it a “dark pattern” that misleads consumers.
But why this issue caught attention now? Online shopping has become a part of everyday life in India. People trust that what they see on the screen is what they’ll pay. But over time, hidden charges have started misleading into bills often in the name of service, handling, or convenience. Consumers are now more aware and careful with their spending. When even basic payment options like COD are charged extra, it feels unfair. The issue is not about the ₹200 fee, but about transparency.
Dark patterns are tricks used on websites or apps to make users do things they wouldn’t normally do like rushing to buy something, signing up for extra services, or paying hidden fees. In this case, charging extra for COD is seen as a way to push people toward digital payments by making the offline option less attractive.
Now this has a different perspective. From a consumer’s point of view, this feels like cheating. Customers want clear prices and no surprises at checkout. From a company’s point of view, COD does cost more, there are delivery risks, cash handling issues, and delayed payments. But instead of hiding it in the bill, companies should be upfront about these costs. From a policy angle, the government stepping in shows that online shopping rules are becoming more serious. As the e-commerce sector grows, consumer protection will become a bigger part of the discussion.
India’s e-commerce industry has reached a stage where small acts of dishonesty can lead to big trust issues. Transparency is now more important than flashy discounts.
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