Dark Patterns Cost Indian Online Consumers ₹25,000-₹28,000 Crore Annually: Datum Intelligence Report

Indian online shoppers are losing an estimated ₹25,000 crore to ₹28,000 crore every year because of dark patterns used on digital platforms, according to a report released by Datum Intelligence.  

The study said these interface designs continue to influence consumer spending across online marketplaces. 

Survey Covers 50 Cities 

The report said 88% of India's 304 million online buyers lose between ₹78 and ₹87 a month due to practices such as hidden charges, drip pricing, forced add-ons, subscription traps and misleading urgency messages.  

The findings are based on a survey of 2,590 consumers across 50 cities conducted during the first quarter of 2026. 

Hidden Costs Remain Common 

According to the study, 63% of online payment users now come across hidden charges or drip pricing, where additional fees are shown only during the final payment stage. The figure stood at 52% in 2024.  

The report also found that 73% of the platforms reviewed used forced action mechanisms that encourage users to make purchases or selections they may not have planned. 

Platform Assessment 

The study examined 12 platforms across e-commerce, quick commerce, and online travel. Amazon was the most trusted e-commerce platform, with 50% of respondents naming it as their preferred choice.  

Flipkart recorded a higher level of distrust than trust among respondents. In the travel segment, MakeMyTrip received the highest safety perception, while Cleartrip ranked among the least preferred.  

BigBasket recorded one of the highest severity scores in the quick commerce category. 

Read More: FPI Inflows into FAR Bonds Increase by ₹8,794.743 Crore Following Government Tax Relief! 

Conclusion 

The report noted that awareness of dark patterns has not reduced their impact. While 81% of respondents said they were aware of such practices, 85% said they had still been misled by them. It also found that 74% of online shoppers would pay more to use platforms that follow transparent design practices. 

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