Uzbekistan Proposes New Rules for E-Commerce Market

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Competition Committee of Uzbekistan has presented a set of proposals aimed at strengthening consumer rights protection in the rapidly growing e-commerce market, where a number of systemic issues persist amid expanding online trade.

According to the agency, 1,657 complaints related to the activities of 111 e-commerce entities were received in the first quarter of 2026.

The majority of complaints concern product quality, payment-related disputes, and delivery times. In 60% of cases, complaints were resolved in favor of consumers, while the total amount of compensation, including product replacements and recalculations, reached approximately 350 million soums.

Against this background, the Committee has put forward several key initiatives. First, it proposes improving legislation by more clearly defining the concept of distance selling and establishing explicit obligations for sellers in online transactions.

According to the authority, this would help eliminate legal gaps that currently account for a significant share of disputes.

The second direction focuses on improving digital literacy among the population. This involves encouraging users to carefully review the terms of online contracts and public offers, which is expected to reduce conflicts arising from misunderstandings of transaction conditions.

Special attention is also given to logistics issues. The Committee proposes introducing a certification system for logistics centers to ensure that storage and delivery processes comply with established state standards.

This measure is aimed at reducing complaints related to damaged goods or delayed deliveries, particularly in the regions.

The proposals also take into account international experience in regulating e-commerce.

The Committee highlights the need to introduce mechanisms that increase consumer trust, including secure payment systems where funds are transferred to sellers only after confirmation of receipt of goods, as well as automated dispute resolution tools and stricter requirements for seller accountability.

The Committee believes that further development of the e-commerce market requires not only responses to existing issues but also systematic prevention of their causes. Implementation of the proposed measures is expected to improve market transparency and strengthen consumer rights protection.