According to the Associated Chambers of Indian Industry (ASSOCHAM), entrepreneurship may be stifled if the e-commerce sector is over-regulated. This cautioned the government against micro-managing prices.”E-commerce and the entire online space is a fledgling area of business with a vast scope for expansion,” ASSOCHAM Secretary General DS Rawat said.
An initial draft circulated among stakeholders, holds discussions to frame a national e-commerce policy and has suggested introduction of a pre-set timeframe for offering differential pricing or deep discounts by e-commerce players. These suggestions are part of the strategy to effectively address anti-competitive issues in the e-commerce sector. A sunset clause, which defines the maximum duration of differential pricing strategies are implemented by e-commerce platforms to attract consumers, will be introduced, according to this draft.
Rawat, however, feels deep discounts or no discounts at all is a purely commercial decision and should be the prime concern of the promoters, venture capitalists and private equity funds betting on online entrepreneurs.
