A Bengaluru resident recently took legal action against the prominent e-commerce platform, Flipkart, alleging that she was charged above the maximum retail price (MRP) for a shampoo bottle during the Big Billion Days sale. The city’s consumer court ruled in favour of the complainant, criticizing Flipkart for engaging in unfair trade practices. Consequently, Flipkart was directed to compensate the individual with Rs 20,000 and refund the excess Rs 96 charged for the purchased product.
Intrigued by Flipkart’s enticing sale advertisements, Sowmya P, a resident of Palace Guttahalli, placed an order for a bottle of Patanjali Kesh Kanti protein hair cleanser in October 2019. Upon receiving the product on October 3, she made a payment of Rs 191 through PhonePe. To her dismay, she discovered that the printed MRP on the shampoo bottle was Rs 95, whereas her invoice reflected a charge of Rs 191. Further investigation revealed that the same product was listed on the Flipkart app for Rs 140, with an additional Rs 99 charged for shipping.
Upon reaching out to Flipkart’s customer care, Sowmya was advised to return the product for a refund. Despite assurances of policy changes related to such sales, she observed no action taken by Flipkart against the shampoo seller, HBK Enterprises from Surat. In the same month, the 34-year-old woman filed a complaint against Flipkart Internet Private Limited in Varthur Hobli and HBK Enterprises for charging more than the prescribed MRP for the shampoo with the Bangalore IVth additional district consumer disputes redressal commission in Shantinagar.
Presenting her case personally with supporting photographs and documents, the woman highlighted the discrepancy between the MRP and the amount charged. Subsequently, after several arguments in court, the counsel representing Flipkart failed to provide a justifiable reason for the company, through its seller, selling the product at a price exceeding the MRP. As a result, the consumer court ruled in favor of the complainant, ordering Flipkart to compensate her and refund the excess amount charged.
