In a recent turn of events, sellers on Flipkart have raised concerns about the platform locking the selling prices of products, preventing them from making any changes or increases. This new restriction came into effect on May 18, following the announcement of a simplified rate card policy by the e-commerce giant. The sellers, who were caught off guard by this move, expressed frustration at not being informed beforehand.
According to reports, multiple sellers have had to sell their products below cost due to the imposed pricing restrictions. This has forced many sellers to remove listings and mark their items as out of stock. With a significant drop in the number of active listings, sellers are facing potential revenue losses.
Flipkart’s defense for this pricing control is that sellers are still receiving the same average settlement value despite the restrictions. However, sellers argue that this constraint puts them at a disadvantage on other platforms where they have to adjust prices accordingly.
One seller shared that the inability to update prices has affected their business, especially as production costs have risen. The lack of communication regarding pricing restrictions has left sellers feeling blindsided by Flipkart’s actions.
While Flipkart maintains that they are compliant with regulations and do not influence pricing, sellers and industry experts remain skeptical. Vinod Kumar, president at India SME Forum, emphasized that marketplace interference with pricing goes against fair trade practices.
Overall, sellers are hoping for a resolution to this issue soon. As they navigate through these challenges, the e-commerce landscape continues to evolve, with platforms like Flipkart adapting their policies to meet the needs of sellers. The future of pricing control in e-commerce remains uncertain, but sellers remain resilient in the face of uncertainty.
