Online shopping gone wrong? Kerala consumer court orders refund, ₹8,000 compensation in key ruling

A Kerala consumer commission has directed a Gurugram-based online marketplace to refund the cost of a pair of wireless earbuds and pay ₹8,000 as compensation to a customer after he received the wrong brand, and the platform allegedly failed to address his complaints. The order reinforces that e-commerce platforms can be held accountable for incorrect deliveries and poor customer service under the Consumer Protection Act.

The case was heard by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Kerala, comprising President D. B. Binu and members Ramachandran V. and Sreevidhia T. N. The complaint was filed by Santhosh Kumar, who had purchased WeCool Moonwalk Mini Earbuds with a magnetic charging case and digital battery indicator from VLE Bazaar, an online marketplace based in Gurugram.

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Case details

According to the complaint, Santhosh placed the order on April 14, 2025, paying ₹359 for the WeCool earbuds. However, when the package was delivered on April 30, 2025, he allegedly received a pair of boAt earbuds instead of the product he had ordered. He immediately contacted the platform and was reportedly asked to email photographs of the incorrect product. Despite sending the requested details and making repeated follow-up attempts, he claimed that he received no response and that the wrong product was never taken back.

Finding merit in the complaint, the commission observed that delivering a product different from what was ordered and failing to resolve the grievance amounted to a deficiency in service and an unfair trade practice under the Consumer Protection Act.

Commission's observations

The commission noted that VLE Bazaar did not appear before the forum despite receiving notice. In its order, the bench said:

"The intentional non-appearance of the opposite party (VLE Bazaar) and non-participation in the proceedings of the Commission even after receiving the notice... clearly shows that the opposite party has nothing to offer against the allegations of the complaint."

The Commission added that the company's failure to contest the case effectively amounted to an admission of the complainant's allegations.

The bench further observed

"The statements of the complainant need not be disbelieved... he had received a wrong product instead of the one ordered and the opposite party had not taken back the wrong product in the absence of any contrary evidence."

Based on the available evidence, the commission concluded that the online marketplace was responsible for the deficient service.

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Compensation awarded

The consumer commission directed VLE Bazaar to refund the ₹359 paid for the earbuds. It also directed the opposite party to 
pay ₹5,000 as compensation for mental agony and inconvenience and ₹3,000 towards litigation expenses.

The total relief awarded to the complainant comes to ₹8,359, with the refund amount carrying interest if the order is not complied with within the stipulated period.