Retail & commerce marketing needs an approval process as well as creative work. An unchecked claim or a review reply that exposes private information can undermine trust. This is a working list of questions to check before publication.
The rules and guidelines to check against
- Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules: MRP and declarations
- Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020
- Consumer protection guidelines on dark patterns, 2023
These are pointers for review, not legal advice. Confirm the specifics with a qualified adviser.
What a trustworthy retail & commerce brand visibly shows
- Clear returns and warranty
- Accurate stock and store info
- Seller and contact details
- No fake urgency or countdowns
Common questions to review
What are dark patterns in e-commerce?
Design tricks that mislead shoppers, such as fake urgency, hidden charges added at checkout, forced subscriptions or confusing cancellation. Consumer protection guidelines in India prohibit them.
How can a local store compete with online marketplaces?
Be easy to find and trust locally—accurate Google listings, clear stock and prices, helpful staff, easy returns—and give customers a reason to return that isn’t only a discount.
A quick pre-publication check
- Stock, prices and store timings match on Google, marketplaces and your website.
- Returns, exchanges and delivery times are clear before purchase.
- You have a permission-based way to bring past customers back.
If any of these is a “no”, fix it before spending on promotion. You can score all eight checks in two minutes with the free brand health check.
Want this checked for your local retailer?
Promote what your stores can actually sell—and build a reason to return. Start with diagnose the problem from ₹25,000, or take the free two-minute brand check.