Supporting data for "Competition Dysfunction: Unravelling Structural Competition Problems and Reconstructing Lost Competition in the Indian Digital Landscape".

This empirical study is qualitative in nature. It consists of personal interviews of four different target groups/stakeholders i.e., consumers, third-party sellers, start-ups, and Competition Commission of India 'CCI' officials. The target groups were interviewed about their understanding of competitiveness of e-commerce segment in India with the objective to identify if statutorily non-dominant e-commerce platforms act as gatekeepers and needs to be regulated. More specifically, the objective is to identify if underneath the appearance of statutorily non-dominant structure of e-commerce platforms lie a new dimension of market power that suggests a deeper problem, perhaps even a more alarming form of concentration of power which requires antitrust intervention.

Adherence to legal and ethical requirements: Prior to undertaking this empirical research, the approval of Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) was obtained. Thus, the data collection is in compliance of legal and ethical requirements.

Methodology and techniques of data collection: Structured interview was chosen as the most appropriate means of data collection. This format allowed for more considered and reflective responses due to technicality of questions. Purposive sampling, networked introductions, and the snowball method were used. For instance, third party sellers and start-ups were chosen via networked introductions and snowball method. The consumers were chosen through purposive sampling method. CCI officials were chosen via purposive sampling method.

Following supporting data files have been submitted:

1. Questionnaire: Four different sets of questionnaires have been submitted which corresponds to separate sets of respondents i.e., consumers, start-ups, third-party sellers and CCI officials. Broadly, the objective is to learn the understanding of different respondents about the competitiveness of e-commerce segment in India and to identify if few e-commerce platforms are increasingly becoming ‘systemic’ digital gatekeepers by controlling access to the market for users even below the point of dominance.
2. Audio recordings of interviews: It contains the audio recording of the interview of the respondents, wherever available.
3. Summary document: It contains summary details of the respondents which include type of respondent, occupation of respondent, mode of interview, date of interview, duration of interview.