In a recent decision, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DCDRC) in Chandigarh ordered beauty retailer Nykaa to pay ₹4,000 to a customer. The ruling came after the company delayed refunding the payment for a product that was never delivered.
The case revolved around a skincare product ordered through the Nykaa app on July 26, 2023. The customer paid ₹2,823.24 but received no updates on the order’s status. Despite multiple attempts to resolve the issue through Nykaa’s help center, the product was not delivered.
Frustrated, the customer sent a legal notice to Nykaa on August 21, 2023. Only then did the company issue a refund. The DCDRC found that Nykaa had wrongly withheld the customer’s money and only refunded it after legal action was taken. The commission noted that this delay caused undue stress and harassment to the customer.
Nykaa argued that it had fulfilled its obligations by issuing a refund and claimed it was merely an intermediary, not responsible for any service deficiencies. However, the commission disagreed, stating that Nykaa had unjustifiably withheld the funds and only acted after legal pressure was applied.
As a result, the DCDRC ordered Nykaa to compensate the customer ₹4,000 for the mental anguish and legal expenses incurred. The case highlights the importance of timely and efficient customer service, particularly when issues arise with online transactions.
