Consumer complaints: Telecom companies top, e-commerce second

E-commerce websites offering services such as online bookings or purchase of products have the second highest share of consumer grievances, according to the government’s central helpline number. Grievances relating to consumer products have the highest share of consumer grievances. Telecom (particularly concerning data) is also a major concern.

PM Narendra Modi had last month, while interacting with secretaries, noted how consumer complaints were piling up against e-commerce players. He had asked the consumer affairs ministry to identify each company against which there were frequent complaints and also to come up with a mechanism to redress grievances. According to the last three months’ data (March–May) compiled by the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), 21 per cent complaints related to consumer products, 18 per cent to e-commerce, and 16 per cent to telecom products and services. Issues relating to banking had about five per cent share of the total complaints received by NCH.

According to NCH data, nearly 56,000 calls were received between March and May. Each attendant takes around 5 to 10 minutes to guide a caller. Since there are only 14 lines, many callers have to wait for long.