E-commerce portal to pay for ‘poor service’

Mumbai: The City Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission recently ordered Amazon to refund Rs 11,199 to a customer and also directed it compensate for the mental agony caused after receiving the wrong product. The commission president, SS Mhatre, and member MP Kasar, ordered a compensation of Rs 3,000 for mental agony caused and Rs 2,000 towards litigation cost. The refund will have to be paid within 45 days or an interest of 8% per annum will be charged, the commission said.

Wadala resident Jitesh Saha had ordered a protein supplement weighing 4.54 kg for Rs 11,199 on July 25 last year. The portal informed him that the product got lost during shipment and requested him to place another order, which he did.

When the product finally arrived, he found that it was of a different brand and weight than what he had ordered. Thereafter he had tried to get the product replaced or money refunded, but to no avail. He was informed that the “product is delivered in intact condition”, and that the portal would not be able to provide a refund or replacement.

The Commission said in its order that the opposite party (Amazon) did not replace the product nor did it refund the customer, hence provided him deficient service. It noted that the complainant had to buy the same product through another e-commerce website, of which the invoice he had produced before the Commission.

“The complainant sent several emails, made phone calls, sent legal notice and tried to resolve the issue through the National Consumer Helpline. But the opposite party did not help in any way. It neither replaced the wrong product nor refunded the amount. Due to this the complainant had to go through mental agony and had to file the present complaint before this commission,” its order said.

Published on: Monday, September 06, 2021, 01:12 AM IST