The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has strongly criticized Amazon and other e-commerce companies for offering excessive discounts, accusing them of harming the country’s retail trade ecosystem. CAIT National President B C Bhartia and Secretary General Emeritus Praveen Khandelwal also criticized several banks for providing exclusive discounts and cashback offers on purchases made through these platforms, calling it a deliberate effort to push small retailers out of business.
According to media reports, Amazon has announced discounts of up to 40% on mobile phones and accessories, as well as laptops, while discounts on leading television brands could go as high as 65%.
Washing machines, refrigerators, and air conditioners may have discounts of up to 75%. Bhartia and Khandelwal noted that these actions demonstrate a blatant disregard for laws and regulations. Despite a recent investigation report from the Competition Commission of India highlighting the unethical business practices of these e-commerce giants, they continue to engage in harmful tactics.
They emphasized that while these discounts aim to attract consumers, they blatantly violate rules on fair trade and pricing. Such excessive discounting distorts market competition and creates an uneven playing field, particularly harming smaller retailers and businesses that cannot compete with these deep discounts.