Online iPhone Order: A Mumbai court has fined Flipkart for sending a customer beard oil instead of an iPhone. Find out what the entire case is about.

Ordered an iPhone worth Rs 1.25 lakh, got beard oil instead

Fine on Flipkart: Everyone loves shopping online. Exciting offers and easy EMIs on expensive products make online shopping even more appealing. However, online shopping can sometimes be a source of fraud. Imagine ordering an expensive iPhone online, only to find it delivered instead of beard oil. You'll be horrified.

The latest case is from Mumbai, the country's financial capital. A man ordered an iPhone 14 Pro (128GB) from the online shopping platform Flipkart for ₹111,100. However, he found beard oil in the box. Following this, he approached the Mumbai Consumer Court.

What did the court order?

After hearing the case, the court directed Flipkart to refund over ₹1.11 lakh to the customer. Furthermore, the court ordered Flipkart and the iPhone seller to pay ₹70,000 to the customer as compensation and litigation costs. The court stated that repeatedly closing customer complaints without providing any relief is unfair.

During the hearing, the court found that the customer had ordered the iPhone from Flipkart after making the necessary payment. It was the platform's responsibility to ensure the delivery of the correct product. The court stated that an e-commerce platform cannot absolve itself of the transaction after facilitating the sale.

Both Flipkart and the seller are guilty of deficiency in service – Court.

The court subsequently found the seller, International Value Retail Private Limited, guilty of deficiency in service. The court stated that despite repeated appeals, the seller failed to deliver the iPhone or resolve the customer's complaint. The court held both Flipkart and the seller jointly and severally liable for the damages and inconvenience caused to the complainant.