Flipkart and a retailer have been ordered to pay Rs 25,000 for causing mental agony and physical harassment to a consumer who was delivered a bar of detergent soap instead of an iPhone.
In order to complain about receiving a little keypad phone and a “Nirma” soap instead of the Apple iPhone he had ordered online from Flipkart Online Private Limited and Sane Retails, Harsha went to the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Koppal. In his lawsuit, which was filed in 2021, he claimed that he had paid Rs 48,999 and wanted a refund as well as compensation for the subpar treatment and emotional anguish he received.
The complainant said he was shocked after opening the parcel that he received as it contained a small keypad phone and one detergent soap of 140 grams instead of the booked Apple iPhone 11 (Green 65GB). The Commission said in its order last week: “It is worthwhile to mention here that, now-a-days online shopping is spreading everywhere, because it is time and money saving, but the responsibilities of the companies cannot be over after selling of the product, as it is the bounden duty of the companies to satisfy their customers, because it does not give any liberty to usurp the money of the consumers either by sending wrong items/product to cheat the customers and to gulp the money of customers.
” It held Flipkart and its retailer responsible for deficiency of service, and said their act and conduct fall under unfair trade practice as they sold or sent the wrong item than the purchased item even after charging full amount of the product. The Commission, comprising the President A G Maldar, Woman Member G E Sowbhagyalakshmi and Member G S Patil, ordered that Flipkart and Sane Retails “are jointly and severally liable to pay compensation of Rs10,000 towards deficiency in service and unfair trade practice and Rs 15,000 for mental agony, physical harassment and cost of litigation.” They were also ordered to refund the cost of the phone, Rs 48,999, all within eight weeks.