Confederation of All India Traders urged Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal for simultaneous investigation of Banks & Brands by Competition Commission of India along with Flipkart & Amazon, for colluding with e-commerce players to distort the Indian retail market and promoting unhealthy trade.
Confederation of All India Traders
Ref. No. 3264/1/50
13th August, 2021
Shri Piyush Goyal
Hon’ble Minister for Commerce
Government of India
New Delhi
Dear Shri Piyush Ji,
Sub : Dominance practices on E Commerce by Big E- Tailers
While expressing our deep gratitude to your good self for outlining the policy of the Government on e-commerce business mentioning that there is no tolerance for entities who continues to violate rules and policies. We treat it as a policy statement of the Government in its efforts to bring reforms in e-commerce sector by making it an even level playing field and also building e-commerce as a neutral platform.
In this context, we take leave to mention that beside big online companies, various Banks providing exclusive cash back & other incentives for purchasing goods from portals of these companies and Brand owner Companies who are giving exclusive deals on different products to these portals are equally culprits who are hand in gloves with these companies to make e commerce an uneven level playing field and distorting the competition in the market. The business module of these entities also needs a simultaneous investigation since they are acting as close associates of these big online companies.
We take this opportunity to add that various Banks of the Country include Public & Private sector Banks are regularly offering cash back on purchases made from portals of these companies as also offering various other types of discounts and offers which these Banks do not give to consumers who are purchasing same goods from physical markets. It is a clear case of making discrimination in trade & commerce activities which is against the spirit of Constitution of India and other related rules and laws.
On the other hand several big brand Companies are offering various exclusive deals to big online retailers for selling certain of their priducts which are available only on e-commerce portals and these offers and deals as also the product concerned is not made available to physical markets. Since these branded Companies are also culprits for making Uneven competition, the scope of CCI investigation be enlarged to cover Banks & Brand owing Companies.
Thank You. With kind regards
Truly yours
Praveen Khandelwal
National Secretary General
Confederation of All India Traders
