Consumer Commission orders Amazon to refund buyer over defective TV

As per the Mumbai-based complainant, he purchased a 40-inch Full HD LED TV on Amazon for Rs 16,499 in 2018, but it was found to have poor sound, inferior picture quality and a non-functional remote control.

A consumer commission has directed e-commerce major Amazon to refund a customer for a defective television, rejecting the company’s argument that it cannot be held responsible for product faults.

The commission ruled that Amazon, as an online marketplace facilitating the sale, cannot “avoid liability” when a defective product is delivered to a consumer. It held that platforms playing an active role in the transaction have a responsibility to ensure customer grievances are addressed.

The order came after a customer complained that the television purchased through Amazon was defective and that the company failed to provide a satisfactory resolution despite repeated requests. The commission noted that merely acting as an intermediary does not absolve an e-commerce platform of accountability under consumer protection laws.

Emphasising consumer rights, the commission said online marketplaces must take responsibility when goods sold through their platform turn out to be defective, especially when customers are left without effective redress.

The ruling reinforces the obligations of e-commerce companies under India’s consumer protection framework and strengthens safeguards for online shoppers facing defective or substandard products.