Ludhiana: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered a retail company and an online shopping platform to pay ₹10,000 in compensation and refund ₹952 with 8% annual interest to a customer after failing to process a complete refund for defective shoes.The complainant, Gurpreet Singh of Bharat Nagar Chowk, ordered a pair of size 7 leather formal shoes for ₹999 on Nov 2, 2022. The initial delivery contained mismatched shoes. A replacement delivered on Nov 5 was oversized, prompting Singh to initiate a return request since no further replacement option was available on the app.An agent picked up the shoes on Nov 11, 2022. Despite the app reflecting the return process, the companies failed to refund the money for over four months. Following a legal notice dated Apr 3, 2023, the retail company transferred a partial refund of just ₹46.99 on May 3, 2023, prompting Singh to file a complaint seeking a full refund and ₹1.99 lakh in compensation.The retail company failed to appear despite notices and was proceeded against ex parte. The online platform argued in its written statement that the refund was automatically halted because the retail company lacked the complainant’s bank details, adding that Singh did not respond to an email request for information before they suo motu refunded ₹46.97.Rejecting the defence, the commission observed that the opposite parties took no proactive steps to refund the full ₹999 amount, holding both entities liable for deficiency in service and unfair trade practice. The commission directed the firms to pay ₹10,000 in compensation for mental agony alongside the remaining balance of ₹952 with 8% interest per annum calculated from Nov 2, 2022.
