‘Drip pricing’ worry grows in Guwahati as e-shoppers flag steep add-on charges
Often imposed as non-refundable add-ons, these charges are drawing flak from users who say they defeat the very idea of affordable, hassle-free online shopping
A wave of hidden costs is leaving Guwahati’s e-customers baffled. (Photo: Pixabay)
Exhausted after a day packed with classes, 21-year-old Smita Karmakar returned to her PG in Silpukhuri and opened a food-delivery app for a quick bite. She picked a chicken roll tagged at Rs 100; only to watch the price leap to Rs 199 at checkout.
A closer look showed a stack of add-ons - platform fee, delivery fee and a bunch of assorted charges. “At first Rs 100 felt reasonable for a student. But the final amount made no sense. I shut the app and walked to a nearby joint instead,” Smita said.
In today’s world of one-tap convenience, where everything from safety pins to smart TVs lands at your door through your phone, wrapped in flashy discounts and promotional deals, a wave of hidden costs is leaving Guwahati’s e-customers baffled and annoyed.
E-commerce may be at its peak among young shoppers, but the steady rise of “convenience fees” and “platform fees” is souring the experience. Often imposed as non-refundable add-ons, these charges are drawing flak from users who say they defeat the very idea of affordable, hassle-free online shopping.
The steady rise of “convenience fees” and “platform fees” is souring the experience of e-commerce
“I was browsing for a blazer on a fashion site. The discount looked great, but at checkout, a platform fee popped up. Then another charge for choosing Cash on Delivery. When I checked other platforms, the same thing happened everywhere,” said Nita, an avid online shopper from the city.
She questions how companies are allowed to push these fees quietly. “Online shopping was meant to be transparent. But now no one knows why these extra charges are being added,” she said.
Echoing this, Guwahati resident Nikita Roy added, “The extra fees feel unjustified. These apps are used nationwide, yet there’s no clarity or awareness on why these charges exist or what action the government has taken.”
College students say they’ve been hit the hardest.
“As students on tight budgets, ordering food online has become a puzzle. A dish listed at ₹299 ends up at ₹370–₹390. Platform fees, long-distance fees, peak-hour charges, bad-weather surcharges, even donation prompts. They are individually small but collectively draining,” said Rohit Nath of Guwahati.
The growing anger hasn’t gone unnoticed. On October 22, 2025, the Department of Consumer Affairs issued a public advisory warning shoppers about hidden charges on e-commerce platforms.
In a social media post, the department flagged “drip pricing”, a “dark pattern” where websites reveal extra charges only at the final stage, inflating the true price despite eye-catching discounts.
“The deal looks great at first, but hidden charges at the end hike up the price; that’s Drip Pricing, a Dark Pattern!” the post said.
The department urged consumers to stay alert and reminded them that complaints can be filed via the National Consumer Helpline (1915).
Despite the warning, platforms continue to levy the charges. Their justification, “This fee is charged to ensure a hassle-free shopping and delivery experience. It helps maintain a strong delivery network and stock availability.”
But for thousands of daily users, the explanation doesn’t quite cut it. With hidden charges rising and transparency thinning, shoppers across Guwahati say the shine of online convenience is wearing off; just one unexplained fee at a time.