The Delhi Consumer Court on Tuesday pulled up e-commerce giant Amazon for "deficiency of service" and "unfair trade practices". The court directed Amazon to share the contact details of the grievance officer for a transparent grievance redressal mechanism.
The court's directive follows a plea regarding Amazon's prolonged delay in issuing a refund for a defective laptop, stretching over a staggering 17-month period. The court imposed a penalty of ₹45,000 on Amazon and a retailer for taking nearly a year and a half to issue a refund for the faulty laptop.
During the proceedings, the Consumer Court underscored Amazon's role not merely as a neutral intermediary but as an active participant in the transaction process. It highlighted Amazon's practice of accepting orders, placing them with third-party sellers, and ultimately concluding contracts, thus dismissing any notion of it being a mere facilitator.
One of the central criticisms levelled against Amazon pertained to its grievance redressal mechanism or rather the lack thereof.
The court noted with concern the absence of contact details for a grievance officer on Amazon's website, terming it a clear instance of deficient service. The court has directed Amazon to promptly share the requisite contact details and establish a transparent mechanism for addressing consumer grievances.
(Edited by : Amrita)
First Published: Mar 26, 2024 12:54 PM IST
