Indian online shoppers losing up to Rs 28,000 cr a year to dark patterns, hidden fees

Datum Intelligence study of 12 platforms and 2,590 consumers across 50 cities finds 88% of India's 304 million online buyers hit by manipulative design, costing Rs 78-87 per user monthly. Hidden charges rose to 63% from 52%; 73% of platforms use forced action. Amazon most trusted; Flipkart's distrust now exceeds trust; BigBasket and Cleartrip flagged.

— Source publishedTue, 9 Jun, 2026, 16:25 IST·First seen Tue, 9 Jun, 2026, 16:30 IST·Source ET Small Business

What happened

Multiple · Datum Intelligence report estimates Indian online shoppers lose Rs 25,000-28,000 crore yearly to dark patterns. Amazon ranks most trusted; Flipkart

Key facts

  • Rs 25,000-28,000 crore annual loss
  • 304 million online buyers
  • 88% affected
  • Rs 78-87 per month per user
  • 63% face hidden charges (up from 52%)
  • 73% platforms use forced action
  • 12 platforms studied
  • 2,590 consumers across 50 cities

Why this matters

Trust-differentiated assets (Amazon-tier UX hygiene) command acquisition premiums while flagged platforms become discount targets—scope diligence checklists around forced-action prevalence and hidden-fee disclosure before bidding.

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