New Delhi: In a move that could reshape the way India’s e-commerce giants charge customers, the central government has launched a formal investigation into extra fees levied on cash-on-delivery (COD) orders. The probe targets platforms like Amazon and Flipkart amid mounting complaints that these charges are unfair, opaque, and exploitative.

From Viral Post to Ministry Action ADVERTISEMENT

The investigation was triggered after a user’s viral post on social media exposed an additional ₹226 “COD charge” on a Flipkart order. The post detailed puzzling line items such as “offer handling fee,” “payment handling fee,” and “protect promise fee” — fees for services that many argue should already be part of the platform’s overhead or promotional cost.

In response, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi

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