BackOne in two Indian consumers stuck with high value defective products: Survey
Of those who purchased products that turned out faulty or defected, three in 10 did not get any assistance from the brand, while one in 10 did not approach the brand to fix the product locally
PremiumNEW DELHI: As people take to purchasing more and more high-value goods both online and offline, a survey by LocalCircles has found that Indian consumers continue to deal with defective products and often struggle to find the appropriate redressal mechanism.
Nearly one in two Indian consumers reported being stuck with one or more high-value faulty product, as per a survey by community platform LocalCircles, released on Wednesday.
LocalCircles conducted a pan-India study to gauge consumer response towards receiving defective high-value products and their efforts at getting a replacement.
The study received over 28,000 responses from consumers from across 355, with 63% of participants men and 37% women. About 46% survey participants reported to having at least one product that was defective.
Of those who purchased products that turned out faulty or defected, three in 10 did not get any assistance from the brand, while one in 10 did not approach the brand to fix the product locally. Nearly one in two Indian consumers were stuck with one or more high value products with inherent defects, the survey findings revealed.
After-sales service or replacing of faulty products is a tricky issue in India and often consumers struggle to find a speedy resolution.
LocalCircles said it regularly received a large number of complaints against many appliances, electronics, and gadget brands.
“Majority of the brands will go to whatever extent possible to deny a replacement to the consumer, even under warranty. Outside warranty service is mostly broken for most brands. In some cases, it takes weeks to just acknowledge a consumer complaint. In many other cases, something as simple as a toll-free number is hard to find for consumers and even after it is found and the consumer approaches it, the customer service agent remains elusive," it said.
Consumers told LocalCircles that after-sales services are largely broken in India and the Central Consumer Protection Authority or CCPA must take suo-moto action against brands that are found selling defective products.
“This has the support of 94% of consumers. The actions of CCPA should be such that they drive a culture change amongst brands to invest in after sale service, for if they do this right, they could have happy consumers for life," the findings revealed.
The study covered sales experience across high-value products, including automobiles, gadgets, white goods, consumer electronics, appliances, etc.
“From laptops to television sets and from automobiles to smartphones, the issue cuts across a large number of products. Passing a verdict in one of such cases, the Bangalore Urban District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed a local firm to pay compensation for selling defective product to a consumer, for their failure to replace the defective product despite repeated requests for about six months," it said.
LocalCircles will share the findings of this survey with key stakeholders in the central government, consumer affairs ministry, and CCPA for action, it said.
The CCPA is empowered to conduct investigations into violation of consumer rights, order recalls of unsafe goods and services, as well as take suo-moto cognisance against brands where a class of consumers is impacted due to a defective product or inefficient customer service.
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
