A Mumbai consumer court has directed Flipkart and a third-party seller to pay more than ₹1.8 lakh to a customer who ordered an Apple iPhone 14 Pro but received a bottle of beard growth oil instead. The ruling reinforces the responsibility of e-commerce platforms to ensure correct deliveries and resolve customer grievances promptly.
The commission held that repeatedly closing the customer’s complaints without offering a refund or replacement amounted to unfair trade practice and deficiency in service.
How The Incident Happened
The customer, a resident of Powai in Mumbai, purchased an Apple iPhone 14 Pro (128 GB) through Flipkart in April 2023 for ₹1,11,793 using a no-cost EMI option.
While the separately ordered charger and phone case were delivered correctly, the main package contained a bottle of beard growth oil along with packing material instead of the smartphone. The invoice, however, correctly mentioned the iPhone.
Customer Claims Complaints Were Ignored
After discovering the wrong product, the customer immediately contacted Flipkart’s customer support and submitted all required documents. According to the complaint, he continued following up for several weeks, but the issue remained unresolved.
Instead of processing a refund or replacement, the complaints were allegedly marked as “resolved” multiple times without any effective action, forcing the customer to approach the consumer commission.
Consumer Court Holds Flipkart And Seller Responsible
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission observed that an e-commerce platform cannot distance itself from a transaction after facilitating a sale, especially when a consumer promptly reports receiving an entirely different product.
The commission ruled that both Flipkart and the seller had failed to investigate the complaint, recover the wrongly delivered parcel or provide an appropriate remedy. As a result, both parties were held jointly responsible for the loss and inconvenience caused to the customer.
Compensation Ordered
The commission directed Flipkart and the seller to refund the purchase amount of ₹1,11,793, along with 9% annual interest from the date of purchase until payment.
In addition, the court awarded ₹50,000 as compensation for mental agony and harassment and ₹20,000 towards litigation expenses. The amount is to be paid within the stipulated period mentioned in the order.
Apple India Gets Relief
Apple India was also named in the complaint, but the commission dismissed the case against the company. It observed that the dispute was related solely to the delivery of the wrong product and that there was no evidence linking Apple to the packaging, dispatch or delivery process.
The ruling clarifies that liability in this case rested with the e-commerce platform and the seller responsible for fulfilling the order.
Summary
A Mumbai consumer court has ordered Flipkart and its seller to pay over ₹1.8 lakh to a customer who received beard growth oil instead of the iPhone 14 Pro he ordered. The court held both parties responsible for unfair trade practices and poor customer service after they repeatedly failed to resolve the complaint or provide a refund.
