e-commerce
ONDC gets a shout-out in Shark Tank India Season 3
Mumbai: During the third season of Shark Tank India, Anupam Mittal, the entrepreneurial force behind Shaadi.com (People Group) and a distinguished Shark on the panel, cast a spotlight on Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). Mittal’s compelling elucidation of the Open Network’s potential to democratize digital commerce could help India’s startups to harness the vast opportunities of the Open Network.
During the Kiko Live pitch segment in Episode 47 of Shark Tank India Season 3, Mittal drew parallels between the ONDC Network and the revolutionary Unified Payments Interface (UPI) initiative by the Government of India. He emphasized ONDC Network’s pivotal role in fostering inclusive digital commerce for all kinds of players in the market.
“We would like to extend our gratitude to Anupam for educating the audience about a seemingly complex subject like ONDC in a clear and well-articulated manner,” said ONDC MD & CEO T. Koshy. “Mention of the ONDC Network on Shark Tank India, underscores the importance of the Open Network as a catalyst for innovation, essential for startups to thrive. For startups aiming to grow seamlessly, join our vast Network where opportunities are limitless.”
Mittal said “What UPI did for payments, ONDC Network offers the same transformation for digital commerce. It’s about creating an inclusive Network where every business, no matter its size, can thrive online. This initiative is a powerful step towards ensuring that growth and opportunities are not confined to the few but are accessible to all.”
e-commerce
Amazon unveils first Trustworthy Shopping Experience Report
32,000 bad actors targeted, 15 million fake products removed in 2025.
MUMBAI: In a marketplace where trust is the real currency, Amazon is showing its receipts. Amazon has released its first-ever Trustworthy Shopping Experience Report, offering a detailed look at how it polices its vast digital shelves from counterfeit crackdowns to scam detection and review authenticity. At the heart of the report is a four-pronged strategy, proactive controls, risk anticipation, enforcement against bad actors, and consumer protection. The scale is staggering. Since 2020, Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit has pursued over 32,000 bad actors globally through litigation and criminal referrals spanning 14 countries.
The clean-up drive accelerated in 2025, with the company identifying and disposing of more than 15 million counterfeit products worldwide. Legal action also led to the takedown of over 100 websites linked to fake reviews and scams, an ongoing battle in the age of algorithmic manipulation.
Behind the scenes, artificial intelligence and machine learning are doing the heavy lifting. Amazon says it monitors billions of daily interactions across listings, reviews, and seller activity to spot trouble before it surfaces. Its predictive systems can even flag potentially infringing listings for trending products before brands raise the alarm.
Tools like Omniscan, which verifies product safety information at scale, and SENTRIX, designed to detect and eliminate phishing websites, are part of this expanding tech arsenal. Together, they aim to reduce risk while keeping the platform usable for legitimate sellers.
That balance between protection and friction is a tightrope Amazon acknowledges. Rohan Oommen, Vice President of Worldwide Customer and Partner Trust, noted that while safeguards are critical, they must not stifle genuine businesses. Features like the Account Health Dashboard are meant to give sellers clearer visibility into compliance and performance.
Consumer-facing measures are also getting sharper. From direct safety alerts to recall notifications and refund guidance, Amazon is leaning into transparency, backed by partnerships with consumer organisations to raise awareness.
The report’s release follows the expansion of Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit into India, signalling a deeper push into one of its fastest-growing markets, with closer coordination planned between brands, sellers, and law enforcement.
In short, as online shopping grows more complex, Amazon is betting that trust built through data, enforcement, and a fair bit of algorithmic vigilance will be its most valuable product yet.
