A Kerala consumer disputes redressal commission has directed Gurugram-based online platform Vle Bazaar to pay Rs 8,359 to a customer after delivering an incorrect brand of earbuds and failing to resolve the buyer’s grievance.
The ruling requires the e-commerce retailer to refund the product’s purchase cost of Rs 359 with 9 percent annual interest calculated from the date of the order until realization. Additionally, the tribunal awarded Rs 5,000 as compensation for mental agony and hardship, alongside Rs 3,000 to cover litigation expenses. The platform has been given a 45-day deadline to comply with the directive issued in a July 14 order.
Customer Support Ignored Repeated Inquiries
The dispute originated from a transaction made by Santhosh Kumar, who placed an online order on April 14, 2025, for yellow WeCool Moonwalk mini earbuds equipped with a magnetic charging case and digital battery indicator. When the package arrived on April 30, 2025, Kumar received earbuds manufactured by boAT instead.
Upon contacting Vle Bazaar immediately, the buyer was instructed to email photographs of the wrong product to customer support. Despite sending the documentation and attempting to follow up on several dates, Kumar received no response from the retailer, which neither retrieved the item nor issued a refund. He subsequently approached the commission seeking compensation and a full refund for deficiency in service and unfair trade practices.
Failure To Appear Treated As Admission Of Guilt
The matter was heard by a bench comprising Commission President D B Binu and members Ramachandran V and Sreevidhia T N. The commission noted that Vle Bazaar failed to attend proceedings or submit a defense despite receiving official notification. The tribunal ruled that the company’s intentional absence indicated it had no counterclaims, effectively amounting to an admission of the allegations.
The panel concluded that the complainant’s statements were believable and established that an incorrect product was delivered without being taken back, firmly placing the e-commerce platform at fault.
