Kangra consumer commission orders Amazon to refund and pay compensation for cancelled mattress

A consumer tribunal in Himachal Pradesh ordered Amazon to return Rs 8,819.10 to a buyer and pay Rs 5,000 each in compensation and litigation costs after the mattress order was cancelled and the refund never arrived.

The Kangra District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Himachal Pradesh found Amazon responsible for not refunding a cancelled mattress purchase and ordered the company to return Rs 8,819.10 to the consumer, Shubham Patial, with 9% annual interest from the filing date. Patial had ordered a Wakefit mattress for Rs 9,799 on September 26, 2024, but the shipment was delayed, leading him to cancel the order on October 7 after the courier Delhivery suggested a code-verified cancellation.

The mattress was returned to the seller on October 16, yet Amazon’s system still showed a zero refund balance. The commission deemed this a deficiency in service and an unfair trade practice, mandating Rs 5,000 in compensation and Rs 5,000 for litigation costs. Delhivery’s involvement was limited to delivering the product back to the consignor, so it faced no penalty. Amazon did not appear before the bench, which consisted of President Hemanshu Mishra and members Arti Sood and Narayan Thakur, leading to an ex-parte decision.