Online sellers on Flipkart, Amazon, Snapdeal want regulator for ecommerce

NEW DELHI: Online sellers on platforms such as Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal have drafted a petition urging the government to bring in a regulator for the ecommerce sector.

The petition by All India Online Vendors Association ( AIOVA), a grouping of some 2,000 vendors, alleges that some marketplaces violate government rules and there is a need to protect sellers and buyers. It will be delivered to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, finance minister Arun Jaitley and commerce and industries minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the petition read.

“Even today, the marketplaces are openly violating these rules and there is no enforcement from government,” the petition says. “We require special tribunals to take up sellers’ issues the way consumer courts, electricity tribunals, debt recovery tribunals and others have been set up.” A copy of the petition is with ET.

The telecom sector is reeling under a massive Rs.4.9 lakh crore debt, while carriers face pressure on revenue, profitability and other financial metrics. AIOVA, which claims to work for “seller empowerment, sustainable business, ecosystem enrichment”, has also demanded a grievance cell for sellers, a competitive market, prevention of monopoly and cartelisation, and creation of accounting and auditing standards and disclosure norms to prevent scams. Small and medium sellers have been alleging that marketplaces arm-twist them with policies that favour consumers and larger sellers.