Indian Sellers Collective, a non-governmental trade association committed to bringing to the fore the voices of micro and small enterprises and family businesses across India today on Dhanteras led protests in Bhopal as part of a nationwide campaign ‘Bharat Chhodo Morcha’ against the unethical business practices of MNC e commerce brands. A protest followed by burning of effigies by small traders was conducted at Govindpura
MNC e-commerce players track bestselling products on their platforms. These online marketplaces then copy their design to launch private brands with similar features and at a competitive price. Additionally, they run a systematic campaign to manipulate search results to divert sales of the bestselling products on its platform to its own product lines. As a result, no seller grows by doing business with the MNC e-commerce platforms.
Delivering the keynote speech at the national webinar, Ashwani Mahajan, National Co-Convener of Swadeshi Jagaran Manch stated, “MNC foreign e-commerce companies are indulging in illegal business practices in India. These firms are blatantly flouting rules through front companies like Appario Retail that indulge in predatory pricing and discounting thereby destroying the business of offline retailers and small sellers.
MNC e-commerce platforms are also manipulating the algorithm to promote their own private labels and brands such as Amazon Basics, Symbol, and Solimo at the cost of Indian sellers besides influencing the Indian judicial system to twist laws through questionable practices to suit the company’s business interests. We, at Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, hope that the ‘Boycott Amazon’ along with the ‘Bharat Chodo’ campaign will prompt consumers and the government to reject the products of FDI e-commerce companies completely and bring a smile back on the faces of Indian sellers”.