New e-commerce rules may force brands to rethink short-term discounts

Sourabh Narula, head of global sales at home and personal care brand Beco, said 25-27% of the company’s monthly sales currently take place in the first seven days of the month, helped by higher discounts during that period. He expects some of this demand to shift towards the end of one month and the beginning of the next.

The real test will come during next year’s festive sales, when e-commerce platforms and sellers typically rely heavily on discounts to drive volumes. By then, the new pricing rules will be in force, potentially forcing brands to rethink how they structure and time their biggest promotions, according to executives.