Shopper is king in new e-com regime

E-COMMERCE PLAYERS ARE NOW REQUIRED BY LAW TO TAKE GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL SERIOUSLY

BENGALURU/NEWDELHI: When Arun Pushker, a professional photographer in Lucknow, received a mobile handset he had ordered online at a discount of ₹500, he realized it was a refurbished product. The fact that it was refurbished had not been stated in a clear, readable manner in the description and he had missed the fine print.

“I contacted the seller and said I wanted my money back, but they kept transferring my calls to different people and made me wait for extended periods,” said Pushker. After trying for months, he finally gave up and decided to keep the phone. Like Pushker, millions of online shoppers in India, left holding a product they want to return, have no proper grievance redressal process.

Updated e-commerce rules under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, make online retailers more accountable and transparent, putting millions of online shoppers at the centre of the new rulebook.

The new Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has also been given sweeping powers to book those found violating consumer rights. The law comes at a time when consumer preference is rapidly moving online and India is expected to witness a huge surge in online shopping in a post-covid world.

Arun Saxena, president, International Consumer Rights Protection Council (ICRPC) said the new rules enable consumers to file complaints in their district instead of the district where the e-commerce portal has an office, as previously required.

Many e-commerce sites earlier did not disclose their returns policy, grievance redressal mechanism and the product’s country of origin. With these now made mandatory, the consumer can make an informed decision.