E-commerce firms drive 70% of ₹52 crore consumer refunds via national helpline over nine months

E-commerce companies have emerged as the largest contributors to consumer refund disputes, accounting for over ₹36 crore or nearly 70% of the ₹52 crore of refunds facilitated through the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) in the past nine months.

Data released by the department of consumer affairs on Tuesday showed that between 25 April 2025 and 31 January 2026, the NCH facilitated refunds amounting to ₹52 crore across 31 sectors by addressing 79,521 consumer complaints related to refund claims. The e-commerce sector alone accounted for 47,743 grievances and ₹36.79 crore of refunds.

Travel and tourism followed, with refunds exceeding ₹4.16 crore across 5,149 complaints. Other key sectors included agency services ( ₹1.53 crore), electronic products ( ₹1.45 crore), and general insurance ( ₹1.18 crore). Together, the top five sectors accounted for more than 85% of the total amount refunded during the period.

Citing a case study, the ministry said a consumer who bought an item from an e-commerce platform faced repeated rescheduling of the delivery date, and the company failed to refund the payment despite multiple follow-ups. After the NCH intervened, the refund was processed promptly, it said.

'Systemic issues remain'

Consumer rights groups said the data highlights systemic issues with online transactions, including delayed deliveries, no refunds for cancelled orders, and inadequate grievance redressal by platforms. “The fact that nearly 70% of facilitated refunds relate to e-commerce indicates that compliance gaps remain significant in the sector,” said Ashim Sanyal, CEO, Consumer Voice, a consumer rights advocacy organisation.

According to a senior government official, the refund figures reflect both the scale of digital commerce in India and the increasing willingness of consumers to assert their rights. “Grievances were reported not only from metropolitan cities but also from smaller towns and remote regions, indicating the growing penetration and accessibility of the helpline,” the official said.

The growing volume of refund disputes in e-commerce is also in line with the Centre’s broader enforcement push through the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), which has stepped up action against unfair trade practices and misleading conduct in digital marketplaces, this official added.

Consumer affairs secretary Nidhi Khare told Mint that pre-litigation resolution by the NCH has helped many consumers secure timely relief. “The National Consumer Helpline is playing a critical role in resolving disputes at the pre-litigation stage. By facilitating early resolution and refunds, we are reducing the burden on consumer courts while strengthening trust in the system,” the secretary said.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, minister of state for consumer affairs BL Verma said that as of January 2026, 574,333 cases were pending before various consumer forums, even as the government had taken steps to speed up cases through digital platforms and virtual hearings.. These included 16,382 cases pending before the national consumer disputes redressal commission, 121,922 before state consumer disputes redressal commissions, and 436,029 before district consumer disputes redressal commissions.

The NCH was established in August 2005 by the department of consumer affairs to advise consumers and facilitate resolution of complaints. It operates as a single-point of access to register consumer grievances in 17 languages. Consumers can lodge complaints through the toll-free number 1915, WhatsApp and SMS (8800001915), email, the NCH mobile app, the web portal, the INGRAM platform, and the UMANG app.