Online festive shopping blues: 6 in 10 consumers stuck with wrong or defective products they couldn’t return during Diwali

India’s festive online shopping boom has come with a downside — a growing number of consumers say they were left stuck with defective or wrong products they could not return. A LocalCircles nationwide survey found that nearly six in ten shoppers who purchased via e-commerce and quick commerce platforms this festive season faced problems with returns or refunds.

The study, covering over 56,000 responses from users across 321 districts, highlights the widening gap between India’s digital retail expansion and post-purchase consumer protection. Around 62% of respondents were men, and 38% women, with participation spanning metros, Tier-2, and Tier-3 cities.

The festive period — between Navratri and Diwali 2025 — saw record activity in India’s online shopping sector. According to Unicommerce, e-commerce order volumes rose 24% year-on-year (YoY) and Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) increased by 23%. Quick commerce apps such as Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart drove growth, registering a 120% YoY jump in orders, while brand websites grew 33%. Overall, India’s Diwali trade value touched between ₹5.4–6.05 lakh crore, underscoring strong digital consumption.

However, the surge in orders also brought logistical and operational strains. The LocalCircles study found that 24% of consumers returned 10–25% of products, while 30% returned up to 10% of their festive purchases. The remaining 46% said they made no returns. Key categories driving returns were grocery (42%), clothing and apparel (31%), consumer electronics and appliances (23%), and shoes and accessories (20%).

Industry experts say return rates of 15–20% are common in Indian e-commerce, often rising during festive sales. In apparel and footwear, returns can reach 30–35%, driven by size mismatches, wrong colors, or products differing from online descriptions.

Worrying trend

But what is worrying, according to LocalCircles, is that many consumers couldn’t return faulty or incorrect items at all. About 33% of respondents said they successfully processed all returns and refunds. However, 21% faced issues 0–10% of the time, 17% reported problems 10–25% of the time, and 13% said they struggled in 25–50% of cases. Another 4% said returns were never processed, while 4% said the items were non-returnable.

Consumer complaints included wrong brand deliveries, mismatch between listed and received items, and failed pickup schedules that caused return windows to expire. Several shoppers alleged seller fraud on non-returnable listings — where a different brand was delivered, leaving buyers with no recourse. Quick commerce platforms also faced criticism for rejecting returns of high-value items beyond 48–72 hours, the same policy applied to groceries.

“Consumers continue to struggle with inconsistent and opaque return policies,” said a LocalCircles spokesperson. “While the platforms have grown rapidly, post-purchase accountability hasn’t kept pace.”

The findings underscore that India’s online retail sector, despite its explosive growth, faces systemic issues in returns, refunds, and seller quality control.

LocalCircles plans to share the survey results with the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to help create standardised guidelines for e-commerce and quick commerce returns. These would ensure uniform processes for platforms, sellers, and buyers, improving consumer trust as India’s digital marketplace continues to expand.

As India’s e-commerce ecosystem matures, ensuring fair, transparent, and easy return systems may become just as critical as festive sales and flashy discounts.