What This Covers
Common grievances: an order never delivered despite payment; a product delivered that is materially different, damaged, or counterfeit; a seller or platform refusing a valid return/refund under its own stated policy; a refund approved but not credited within a reasonable time; wrongful cancellation of a confirmed order (often around high-demand sales); and failure of the platform's Grievance Officer to acknowledge or resolve a complaint within the timelines the Rules require.
Applicable Law
The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 (framed under the CPA 2019) require every e-commerce entity to appoint a Grievance Officer, prominently displayed, who must acknowledge a complaint within 48 hours and resolve it within one month of receipt. The Rules also require e-commerce entities and sellers to: not refuse to take back defective/deficient/spurious goods or withdraw deficient services and refund the amount paid within a reasonable period or as per their return/refund/exchange policy; disclose the seller's legal name, address, and contact details, and customer-care contact details; not manipulate search results or falsely represent goods/services as genuine when they are not; not display false discounts or engage in "flash sales" or "back-to-back" sales designed to circumvent consumer protection; and refrain from unfair trade practices generally.
Independently, a marketplace/seller selling goods for consideration is a "service"/"goods" provider under the CPA, the buyer is a "consumer" under Section 2(7), and non-delivery, a defective product, or refusal to refund is "deficiency" under Section 2(11) or a "defect" under Section 2(10), while false discount claims, fake urgency ("only 2 left"), or misrepresentation of the product fall under Section 2(47) (unfair trade practice).
Jurisdiction & Forum
| Forum | Pecuniary jurisdiction | Location |
|---|---|---|
| DCDRC Puducherry | Value of goods/services paid as consideration up to ₹50 Lakh | Lawspet, Puducherry |
| SCDRC Puducherry | ₹50 Lakh to ₹2 Crore; also first appeals from DCDRC orders | Lawspet, Puducherry |
| NCDRC | Above ₹2 Crore; also first appeals from SCDRC orders | New Delhi |
(Section 34(1)/47(1)(a)(i)/58(1)(a)(i) of the Act itself set these thresholds at ₹1 Crore / ₹10 Crore / above ₹10 Crore; each carries a proviso letting the Central Government prescribe a different value. Exercising that power, the Consumer Protection (Jurisdiction of the District Commission, the State Commission and the National Commission) Rules, 2021 currently set the values shown in the table above.) Under Section 34(2), a Puducherry buyer may generally file at DCDRC Puducherry where they reside, regardless of where the platform or seller is based — this territorial rule is particularly significant for e-commerce, since sellers are frequently located outside the buyer's state.
Limitation Period
Under Section 69, CPA 2019, a complaint must ordinarily be filed within two years from the date the cause of action arose — typically the promised delivery date (for non-delivery), the date of delivery of a defective item, or the date the refund was due but not credited.
Documents Typically Needed
- Order confirmation, invoice, and payment receipt/transaction record
- Screenshots of the product listing, price, and any discount/offer claimed at the time of order
- Delivery tracking record, or proof of non-delivery
- Photographs/video of the product received, if damaged, wrong, or counterfeit
- Return/refund request raised on the platform, and its response or non-response
- Correspondence with the platform's Grievance Officer/customer care, with dates and ticket numbers
- Bank/UPI statement showing the amount paid and, if applicable, non-receipt of refund
General Process Outline
- Step 1 — Platform grievance: Raise the issue through the platform's return/refund process and, if unresolved, escalate in writing to the Grievance Officer, noting the date (this starts the 48-hour acknowledgment / 1-month resolution clock under the E-Commerce Rules).
- Step 2 — National Consumer Helpline (optional): A complaint may be registered on the National Consumer Helpline (1915 / consumerhelpline.gov.in) or the INGRAM/e-daakhil portal for informal mediation before formal litigation.
- Step 3 — Legal notice: A written notice to the seller and/or platform setting out the grievance and relief sought.
- Step 4 — File the complaint: Under Section 35, with supporting documents and affidavit, at DCDRC Puducherry, online via e-jagriti.gov.in or in person.
- Step 5 — Admission and hearing: Per Section 36 (admission, ordinarily within 21 days of filing) and Section 38 (notice to the opposite party within 21 days of admission; response within 30 days, extendable by 15 days), then hearing and evidence.
- Step 6 — Order: Under Section 39, the Commission may direct relief it considers appropriate on the facts proved — refund, replacement, or compensation; the Act does not fix or guarantee any specific outcome.
- Step 7 — Appeal: An order of DCDRC may be appealed to SCDRC Puducherry under Section 41 within 45 days of the order (condonable for sufficient cause); an appellant required to pay any amount under the order must first deposit 50% of that amount.