The e-commerce business in India has multiplied in the past few years and changed the way consumers shop. People are relying more on online discount sales and schemes, with major companies launching their products exclusively on online shopping websites like Amazon, Flipkart, Shopclues, etc. However, with an increase in a number of e-commerce websites and with more consumers purchasing from these portals, the problems faced by consumers in e-commerce in purchasing their favourite watch, or the latest phone have also increased.
Here are 5 most common problems faced by consumers while shopping online:
1. Issues relating to product quality:
The most common problem faced by customers in online shopping is that there is no guarantee of a product’s quality. With most e-commerce websites acting as aggregators for sellers to sell their products, more fraudulent sellers are registering on these websites and selling low-quality or faux products in the name of original and branded products. Sub-par products are sold by these sellers to fool customers and increase their sales thus increasing problems of online shopping.
Quality-checks are seldom performed on these products as the magnitude of online sales has increased, especially during online sale days. Sellers sometimes refuse to replace the faulty product or refund the consumer’s money, leaving the latter with a low-quality product and money down the drain. The best consumer court lawyers can help you in filing a complaint with the appropriate consumer court at district, state or national level.
2. Logistics-related problems:
Another problem faced in online shopping is issues with delivery and logistics. Products are often lost or damaged while in transit, and order tracking systems are unable to accurately locate the product. People choose the same-day. one-day or two-day delivery, paying extra money to get their product delivered.
However, these products often do not get delivered within the stipulated time and consumers have to wait for days before they finally receive their product. Similar challenges are faced by consumers when it comes to returning the product. In such cases, The top consumer court lawyers can assist you in filing a complaint with the appropriate consumer court.
3. Payment issues:
There are lot of online shopping problems faced nowadays. Many consumers become victims to online payment issues. Even though there are several payment methods like Net Banking, Credit or Debit Card payments and even Cash-on-delivery, there are payment failures due to website’s server error, payment gateway error or issues with One Time Password (OTP). Technical glitches often deduct the payment from buyer’s account or card, but the website does not receive the payment.
Consumers have to file a complaint with the website’s customer care to get a refund, but they have to wait for 10-15 days for any action to be taken. Consumers can also contact famous consumer court lawyers to take a legal action.
4. Hidden costs:
Issues with online shopping have been increasing at a rapid rate. E-commerce marketplaces often charge hidden costs after the purchase is finalised by the consumer. Websites hide tax charges, additional shipping and handling charges from consumers till purchases are finalised. Websites also add an option for consumers to buy products of a particular amount to waive off the shipping charges, however, sellers add additional charges even on purchases worth more than the set amount. A consumer complaint can be filed in such case, with the help of a consumer protection lawyer.
5. Ambiguous Website Policies:
Many shopping websites have no website policies at all or have unclear and confusing user, return and refund policy. Vague stipulations leave consumers confused about refund and return of products and product description problems in e-commerce. With no policies defined, sellers often reject a consumer’s claim to return the product or refund the money. Some websites are also unclear with regards to warranty and guarantee on products and buyers often end up purchasing faulty products with no product warranty or replacement option. Good consumer court lawyers can help you in filing a complaint with the appropriate consumer court at district, state or national level.
Online shopping has become the most convenient method for consumers to purchase great product deals at affordable prices, from the comfort of their home. However, a consumer may face any of the above-mentioned problems while participating in sale festivals or online discount days.
A consumer complaint can be filed by a consumer in India for any of these problems encountered in online shopping, in the appropriate consumer forum in India. MyAdvo connects you with the experienced consumer court lawyers to deal with any of these 5 problems!
The above-listed problems faced by consumers in India show that the consumers need to be more cautious while shopping online.
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