During its Big Billion Days sale, e-commerce major Flipkart sold a shampoo bottle above its maximum retail price (MRP) to Sowmya P from Bangalore, who took the matter to consumer court. That was in 2019.
This month, the city’s consumer court ruled in favour of the resident and ordered Flipkart to pay Rs 20,000. Flipkart has also been asked to refund the extra Rs 96 that was charged for the product.
Soumya, who was attracted to the sales advertisements of the e-commerce platform, had ordered Patanjali Kesh Kanti protein hair cleanser in October 2019. On October 3, she received the shampoo and paid Rs 191 via PhonePe, stated a report.
But, she discovered that the MRP on the bottle was Rs 95, but the invoice showed Rs 191. On investigating further, she found the same shampoo on the Flipkart app showed Rs 140 with an additional charge of Rs 99 for shipping.
When Soumya contacted Flipkart’s customer care, she was asked to return the product for a refund. But, no action was taken by Flipkart against the shampoo seller, HBK Enterprises in Surat.
In the same month, Soumya approached the Bangalore IVth additional district consumer disputes redressal commission with a complaint against Flipkart. She justified her claim with the help of photographs and other documents in court which ruled in her favour.