A Bulandshahr consumer commission ordered Flipkart to refund Rs. 1,43,335 to a customer who received a Chinese smartphone instead of the iPhone 14 Pro he had purchased.
The commission also directed the company to pay 7% annual interest on the amount from the date the complaint was filed. An additional Rs. 30,000 was awarded to the customer. The order followed a dispute involving Om Prakash Singh, a resident of Anoopshahr. Singh placed the order on May 29, 2023, and paid for the iPhone using his credit card.
Singh expected a Deep Purple iPhone 14 Pro with three rear cameras. The package instead contained a green Chinese smartphone carrying a fake Apple logo and two rear cameras. The parcel was delivered to an address in R.K. Puram, New Delhi. Singh opened the package in front of the delivery executive.
The opening was recorded on video using the delivery agent’s phone. The recording was later shared with Singh through WhatsApp. Singh immediately contacted Flipkart customer care after discovering the wrong device. He also raised a return request through his phone.
The seller later cancelled the request. Singh said he made several further attempts to resolve the matter through customer support. He also alleged that a company representative marked the product as damaged without conducting a proper inspection. The customer said he was not allowed to explain the issue.
Flipkart argued that it operated as an online intermediary connecting customers with independent sellers. The company also cited its open-box delivery process.
Flipkart maintained that Singh could have checked the package and refused delivery after finding an incorrect product. The company denied allegations of fraud and harassment. The consumer commission rejected the company’s defence. It found that Flipkart had engaged in an unfair trade practice and showed a serious deficiency in service.
District consumer commission public information officer Shekhar Verma said the complaint was heard by commission president Justice Hasnain Qureshi and member Neelam Kumari.
“After considering the arguments of both sides, the commission rejected the company’s defence and held that it had adopted an unfair trade practice and was seriously deficient in providing service,” Verma said.
The commission gave Flipkart 45 days to comply. The Rs. 30,000 compensation includes Rs. 20,000 for mental harassment and Rs. 10,000 towards litigation costs. If the payment is not made within the prescribed period, the outstanding amount will attract 8% annual interest.
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