Defective product and no refund? Your consumer rights
You paid for something, a phone, an appliance, a service, and it was faulty. Now the seller is avoiding you: "policy", "no refunds", "come back later". It is the kind of small injustice people give up on, which is exactly why sellers try it. Consumer law is on your side here, and the process is easier to use than most people think.
What you are entitled to
As a consumer you have the right to goods and services that work as promised, and to a remedy when they do not: a repair, a replacement, or a refund. A "no refund" sign does not cancel your legal rights when the product was genuinely defective or the service was not as described. An unfair term in a contract does not beat the law.
The steps that usually work
- Complain in writing to the seller or the company. State the defect, say what you want, a refund or a replacement, and give a reasonable deadline. Keep the bill and any warranty.
- Escalate to their grievance channel if the first message is ignored. Most companies have one, and it often moves things.
- File a consumer complaint if they still do not act. India's consumer forums exist for exactly this. You can file online on the official e-Daakhil portal, and you do not need a lawyer for smaller claims.
Consumer forums are made for ordinary people
Consumer forums are made for ordinary people, and the threat of a formal complaint often gets a refund moving on its own. You do not have to accept "that is our policy" as the final answer.
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