
CCPA probes Ola, Rapido, other ride-hailing apps on advance tipping
Consumer protection watchdog
CCPA
is investigating
ride-hailing platforms
like
Ola Cabs
and Rapido to ascertain if they are indulging in the unfair trade practice of '
advance tipping
'. On Wednesday, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) issued a notice to Uber for allegedly "forcing or nudging" users to pay advance tips for faster service.
"CCPA is investigating other apps like @Olacabs and @rapidobikeapp, they will also be served notice if they are found indulging in such practices,"
Union Consumer Affairs Minister
Pralhad Joshi
said in a post on X on Thursday.
Joshi, on Wednesday, said the practice of 'Advance Tip' was deeply concerning.
"Forcing or nudging users to pay a tip in advance for faster service is unethical and exploitative. Such actions fall under unfair trade practices," the minister had said, adding that tipping is meant as a token of appreciation, given after service completion, not as an entitlement beforehand.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Smartphone brands shift focus to offline sales in smaller towns
New Delhi: Smartphone brands are increasingly pivoting to offline channels, tapping into smaller towns with easier access to financing in a bid to sell more premium handsets, marking a notable departure from ecommerce platforms. Shipments to online retailers fell for the seventh consecutive month in April. This was largely due to online-centric brands making a sharp shift towards offline distribution, said market trackers. 'Online channel shipments faced double digit declines for the second consecutive month. In April, it declined by more than 20%. Meanwhile offline channels have grown by more than 10%, marking the eighth consecutive month of growth for offline, which also faced headwinds of low overall demand,' said Upasana Joshi, research manager, IDC India. Joshi said overall shipments were flat at around 12 million in April, compared to March, reflecting another flat quarter for the smartphone market. According to IDC, nearly all brands are implementing an omnichannel strategy, expanding into smaller towns/cities, offering attractive channel margins and support, which should sustain in the coming quarters. Live Events Lower appeal for online sales has made nearly every brand reduce volumes to online channels, including those earlier heavily reliant on ecommerce for distribution. For instance, Motorola reduced shipments to online channels to 64% in Q1 2025 from 82% a year earlier. For OnePlus, the figure fell to 71% from 85% in the same period, according to market researcher Canalys. Xiaomi, which started its Indian venture selling through ecommerce flash sales, currently garners 39% of its volumes through ecommerce, compared to 45% in Q1 2024, Canalys data showed. "Over the last one and half years, Xiaomi has pivoted from being an online-centric brand to taking an omnichannel strategy which aims to provide a unified experience to the consumer, ensuring the same product, same price, across every touchpoint," Sudhin Mathur, chief operating officer, Xiaomi India, told ET. Market trackers said brands are realising that ecommerce penetration in India has hit a plateau, with a majority of the country still catered to by brick-and-mortar stores, despite online channels helping brands reach remote locations. Spike in online sales during the pandemic has not sustained as consumer behaviour in rural areas is slow in transition. According to Canalys, the share of online sales of smartphones fell to 36% in Q1 2025 from 45% a year earlier. It said brands are relying on retail and distribution networks to drive sales. 'Channel schemes, offline activations, and tighter sell-out coordination will again define share gains,' said Sanyam Chaurasia, analyst at Canalys. He added that increased competition in designs and specifications are pushing brands towards showcasing products in offline stores where paper financing is also much easier. Tarun Pathak, research director, Counterpoint Research said the lure of consumers towards online channels came due to easier availability, deep discounts, and exclusive launches. Most consumers were also not spending more than Rs 10,000-15,000 on handsets. With offline channels now seeing more price parity, and more bundled offers, along with easier access to financing, consumers are increasingly veering towards it, especially for high-end models, he said.


NDTV
2 days ago
- NDTV
"Rs 700 For Commute?": Employees Slam Bengaluru Bike Taxi Ban, Express Anger
Days after the Karnataka High Court upheld the state government's ban on bike taxi services, the citizens continue to protest against the decision. The ban officially kicked into effect from June 16, leaving thousands of daily commuters without an affordable alternative to beat the gruesome Bengaluru traffic. On social media, the backlash against the decision is palpable, with users venting their anger while others sharing how they were being forced to cough up money beyond their means. "At Rs 700/day for 2 way commute by Auto, that's almost India's per capita income.. Wasn't the zero commission model supposed to reduce prices? How did we end up with surged prices?" wrote one user. At ₹700/day for 2 way commute by Auto, that's almost India's per capita income.. Wasn't zero commission model supposed to reduce prices? How did we end up with surged prices? @Olacabs @Uber_India @nammayatri @rapidobikeapp @ONDC_Official @peakbengaluru #BikeTaxiBan — K V Krishna (@krishnakv_) June 21, 2025 "Bengaluru traffic worsens after bike taxi ban, auto fares are rising since they don't have a competitor now, charging whatever pops onto their minds," added another. Bengaluru traffic worsens after bike taxi ban , auto fares are rising since they don't have a competitor now, charging whatever pops onto their minds, govt should act by seeing consequences rather than making their voters happy!! #BikeTaxiBan #Bengaluru #rapidoban #Rapido #bike — kaytee (@subtletrooth) June 19, 2025 A third commented: "Not even 8am, and #Bengaluru is choked already. Thanks to the #biketaxi ban, had to take an auto. Give me walkable shortest paths to the bus stops, and bike lanes, please. This is no way to create cities." Not even 8am, and #Bengaluru is choked already. Thanks to the #biketaxi ban, had to take an auto. Give me walkable shortest paths to the bus stops, and bike lanes, please. This is no way to create cities. — Sameer Shisodia (@zenx) June 16, 2025 Also Read | "Woman Is Like A Flower": Iran Supreme Leader's Old Posts Are Viral Cheeky workaround? In the aftermath of the ban, some social media users spotted Rapido replacing the banned 'bike taxi' service with a 'bike parcel' service. By booking themselves as a 'parcel' for intra-city couriers, the commuters could traverse the Bengaluru traffic to reach their destination. "The bike taxi ban starts today in the Product Owner at Rapido Bike app has already bypassed the law... can't book a ride? No worries - just parcel yourself to work... Call it: 'PaaS - Passenger as a Service'," an X user called Dhanvi said, with a screenshot of a 'bike parcel' booking. The bike taxi ban starts today in Karnataka. ⁰But the Product Owner at @rapidobikeapp has already bypassed the law 💀 Can't book a ride? ⁰No worries - just parcel yourself to work 📦🛵 Call it: "PaaS - Passenger as a Service" #Bangalore #BikeTaxiBan #GrowthHack #Rapido … — Dhanvi (@Tummala_Dhanvi) June 16, 2025 Notably, the Karnataka HC division bench in its judgment said it would have considered granting a stay on the order if the state had indicated progress in drafting the rules. However, the government stated that it had taken a policy decision not to frame such regulations, leading the court to deny relief to the aggregators. The bench issued notices to the state government and other respondents, setting the next hearing for June 24.


Economic Times
2 days ago
- Economic Times
BSE introduces AI tool to speed up SME IPO document checks
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel BSE has launched a new generative AI tool to help speed up the initial checking process of SME IPO documents. Right now, vetting these documents can take several days or even weeks — but with this new tool, experts say the process could be reduced to just 30–40 per a recent circular, merchant bankers — who handle IPO filings — will be given access to a special folder where they can upload draft IPO documents. The AI tool will scan the draft and highlight any sections that need improvement or corrections before final submission."This tool is meant to improve the SME listing experience," said BSE. The AI tool will be accessed through a secure file transfer system (SFTP) and will serve as a pre-check mechanism, helping bankers make the draft more compliant before officially filing it with the its inception, the BSE SME platform has listed around 600 companies and helped raise nearly Rs 9,500 crore. The combined market value of these listed SMEs is over Rs 68,500 you include companies that have shifted from SME to the main board, the total jumps to about Rs 1.73 lakh crore. Around 200 firms have made that move so Joshi, founder of MMJC and Associates, called the move a 'progressive shift.' He said that while document vetting usually took a week, this AI tool could do it in under an hour. However, this facility is just for initial advice. The BSE will still review the final filing in full before giving official read: Sebi proposes 5-point AI rulebook for securities market. Check details This AI tool won't replace BSE's review, but it will help merchant bankers catch and fix issues earlier — making the IPO filing process smoother and faster.