India's e-commerce revolution has transformed how millions shop, bringing unparalleled convenience and connecting buyers and sellers from even the most remote corners of the country. However, this rapid digital shift underscores the vital importance of ensuring every online interaction is secure. The remarkable success of e-commerce platforms in India highlights the power of customer-focused innovation to drive scalability while building a foundation of trust.
Building trust starts with ensuring robust security at every stage of the online shopping experience, forming the foundation for consumer confidence and loyalty.
As Amazon marks its 12th year as an online marketplace in India, we reflect on the millions of stories, smiles, and moments of trust shared with customers across the country. What started as an online bookstore has grown into one of India’s favourite shopping destinations, offering products from over 1.6 million sellers, primarily from tier 2 and 3 cities.
While e-commerce grew rapidly nationwide, it became clear that there was a need for consumer education, especially in tier 2 and 3 cities, where digital adoption was increasing due to the government’s Digital India initiative. This prompted the creation of a comprehensive educational program to empower customers and ensure they could navigate the digital marketplace safely and confidently.
Mission GraHAQ: A multifaceted approach to consumer education
In 2022, Amazon launched Mission GraHAQ, a flagship initiative focused on educating consumers in tier 2 and 3 cities about safe online shopping. The campaign’s early phase included street plays in over 100 cities, reaching more than 0.17 million people and highlighting consumer rights and responsibilities. In 2023, Mission GraHAQ expanded to the northeastern states of India, where regional radio shows in collaboration with All India Radio reached an additional 15 million people.
Now in its third year, the initiative includes GraHAQ Chakra—wall art installations that celebrate local artistry while educating people about consumer rights. The campaign will also be expanded to social media, using engaging reels and posts to make consumer rights easily accessible to a larger audience.
The campaign was officially launched at Amazon India’s flagship seller conference, SMBhav 2024, by Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi, who also unveiled the first-ever Mission GraHAQ logo, selected from over 400 entries in a nationwide competition. Amazon has partnered with organisations like the Internet and Mobile Association of India, Consumer Voice, India SME Forum, CyberPeace Foundation, and the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry to further expand the campaign’s reach and impact.
Enhancing the national consumer grievance redressal system
As part of Amazon’s commitment to improving customer support across the sector, we partnered with the Department of Consumer Affairs to train associates for the National Consumer Helpline (NCH). The NCH, which receives consumer complaints from across India in more than 17 different languages, is a crucial part of the country’s consumer grievance redressal system. By providing training on best practices, this partnership is likely to help improve the effectiveness of the NCH, ensuring it better serves consumers with timely resolutions and upholds their rights.
Empowering customers and ensuring a safe, transparent marketplace
Building trust involves empowering customers with the knowledge and tools for a secure online experience. Amazon’s initiatives go beyond security features by educating customers on best practices such as two-step verification, account monitoring, and the importance of strong passwords. This shared responsibility model ensures that both the marketplace and the customer play an active role in maintaining security and strengthening overall trust in e-commerce. Maintaining customer trust also requires ensuring that customers receive genuine products and sellers operate in a secure and fair marketplace. Amazon employs various fraud detection mechanisms for seller verification, and continuous monitoring of marketplace activities to ensure authenticity and transparency. Listings that do not comply with our policies and regulatory requirements and suspicious accounts are promptly removed.
Amazon is also committed to protecting customers from scams and fraudulent activities. Amazon works with law enforcement to hold bad actors accountable. We also collaborate with organisations like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) in the U.S. and the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) to gather information on incidents where bad actors impersonate Amazon. Our investigation teams actively participate in cross-industry groups, working together on joint enforcement actions. These efforts have yielded early successes, such as our 2023 partnership with Microsoft and the Central Bureau of Investigation, which led to the dismantling of over 76 fraudulent call centers in India. By deploying advanced machine learning technology, industry-leading tech and tools that make impersonating Amazon harder (including the adoption of secure email capability) and expert investigators, Amazon proactively identifies and prevents fraud. The company educates customers about common scams and provides safety tips, including verifying sender information and avoiding sharing sensitive personal or financial details. Amazon emphasises that it never asks for sensitive information via email or phone.
The future of customer trust in e-commerce
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, maintaining customer trust will require ongoing innovation, robust security measures, and a focus on customer-centric policies. Mission GraHAQ and similar initiatives are about more than just campaigns—they are movements to create a community of informed, empowered consumers who can navigate the online world with confidence.
Building customer trust in e-commerce is an ongoing journey. It demands constant vigilance, innovation, and a genuine commitment to putting the customer first. As Amazon moves forward, it will continue to adapt and evolve in the service of the millions of customers who rely on digital marketplaces every day. In this rapidly changing digital landscape, trust remains the cornerstone of sustainable success, shaping the future of online shopping in India.