Recently, the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Chandigarh imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 on Walmart-backed e-commerce giant Flipkart and Chinese smartphone manufacturer OnePlus. The verdict came as a result of a complaint filed by Mr. Ashwani Chawla about his OnePlus 11R 5G phone, which he had purchased from Flipkart in July 2023.
In addition to the fine, the Commission ordered a refund of Rs 40,941 for the phone. This ruling emphasizes the significance of customer satisfaction in the e-commerce industry. Customers expect transparency and honesty when purchasing products online. It is not only a breach of consumer trust but also raises questions about quality assurance and ethical business practices when a used phone is sold as new.
During the hearing, it was revealed that the phone was activated four months before Mr. Chawla purchased it. Flipkart presented it as a brand new handset, but service records indicated otherwise. Mr. Chawla received two invoices for the same transaction, with the second one including an unreasonable handling fee of Rs 49. Frustrated with the lack of support, Mr. Chawla filed a complaint with the Commission, leading to the recent ruling.
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