Why India's consumer ministry is probing CoD charges on Amazon

Business Oct 02, 2025

India's Ministry of Consumer Affairs is checking if the cash-on-delivery (CoD) charges—usually ₹7-₹10—by Amazon, Flipkart, and FirstCry are fair.
They're also investigating complaints about slow or blocked refunds when prepaid orders get canceled.
The goal: make sure shoppers aren't being nudged unfairly toward prepaid payments.

CoD still the go-to for most Indian online shoppers

CoD is still the go-to for about 65% of Indian online shoppers, especially among low-income households.
Many people prefer CoD because of trust issues—something a recent IIM Ahmedabad survey highlighted last year.
With India's online shopping market set to more than double by 2030, clear rules around fees and refunds matter for everyone who shops online.