Most major ecommerce platforms in India continue to use “dark patterns” in their user interfaces, with undisclosed surcharge practice, known as drip pricing, emerging as the most pervasive tactic, according to a survey and audit by LocalCircles.
The four-month study, which gathered 77,000 validated consumer responses from 334 districts between June and September 2025, found that 75 per cent of ecommerce users frequently experienced drip pricing, where additional mandatory costs are added at the final checkout without prior disclosure.
Other commonly reported dark patterns include bait and switch and privacy zuckering, each experienced by over 40 per cent of users. Meanwhile, forced action (29 per cent) and basket sneaking (21 per cent) are also widely reported.
In the behavioural context, bait and switch describes a scenario where a low price or fast delivery is advertised to lure users, only for higher costs or different products to appear later. According to the survey, 48 per cent of respondents said they had frequently seen such tactics. Privacy zuckering refers to platforms tricking users into divulging more personal data than intended, then using it to manipulate offers or pricing. The survey showed 44 per cent of users had frequently encountered it.
Forced action can manifest when users cancel an order at the payment stage but find the item still shipped on cash-on-delivery or pay-later options without explicit consent. About 29 per cent of respondents said they had faced this. Basket sneaking occurs when extra items or services (for example, installation charges) are autonomously added to a user’s cart. Some 21 per cent of users said this had happened often.
The audit evaluated 290 ecommerce platforms across India using a proprietary AI-powered validation model in conjunction with consumer complaints. Most of the platforms were found to harbour multiple dark patterns. It said it will continue periodic audits and share sector-wise breakdowns of dark pattern prevalence, offering examples to aid consumer awareness and platform correction.
The report comes amid increased regulatory scrutiny. Earlier this week, India’s Consumer Affairs Minister said his department had received complaints about undisclosed cash-on-delivery charges and that investigations would follow, promising strict action against violators. LocalCircles said the findings will be escalated to the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) and other regulators for possible enforcement steps. |
