Amazon ordered to pay Rs 10,000 after customer cancels mattress order, but fails to get Rs 8,000 refund; here's why

A Himachal Pradesh consumer commission has ordered Amazon Seller Services to refund Rs 8,819 to a customer whose mattress order was cancelled after non-delivery, and who received no refund despite the company's own app assuring him the money was on its way.

The order was passed on 3 August 2026 by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Kangra at Dharamshala. Amazon did not appear before the commission despite being served notice and was proceeded against ex-parte.

What happened with the Amazon mattress order?


On 26 September 2024, the complainant, a resident of VPO Dhasoli in Kangra district, ordered a Wakefit orthopedic mattress with a ten-year warranty from Amazon, priced at Rs 9,799. After a bank discount of Rs 979.90 was applied, the actual amount charged to his Visa card was Rs 8,819.10. The order was fully prepaid.

When the shipment did not arrive within the expected delivery window, he contacted Delhivery, Amazon's logistics partner for the order. According to the complaint, Delhivery lingered on the matter under various pretexts and ultimately suggested cancelling the order by sharing a cancellation OTP.

On 7 October 2024, the order was cancelled via OTP verification at Jawali at 3:08 PM. A confirmation message reading "Shipment delivery cancelled" was generated. Amazon's platform displayed the status "On the way back" and carried a message stating "Your refund will be issued soon."

The mattress was returned to the consignor and reached Faridabad on 16 October 2024. The return was complete and confirmed.

Why did Amazon not process the refund?

Despite the confirmed cancellation and successful return of the product, the refund summary on Amazon's platform reflected a "Total expected refund" of Rs 0.00. The complainant followed up repeatedly through email and phone calls. No refund was credited.

Amazon did not respond to the commission's notice and offered no explanation before the court for why the refund was not processed after a completed return.

What did Delhivery say?

Delhivery contested the complaint and appeared through counsel. It submitted that a delivery attempt had been made on 1 October 2024 but could not be completed. It said the complainant himself opted for the OTP-verified cancellation on 7 October, following which it successfully returned the physical consignment to the consignor on 16 October.

Delhivery argued that financial refunds fall strictly within the domain of the marketplace, Amazon, and the seller, and that there is no contract between the complainant and the courier company regarding refunds. The commission accepted this position and found no deficiency in service on Delhivery's part.

What did the consumer commission rule on Amazon refunds?

The commission found that the tracking records, Amazon's own platform messages, and the confirmed return of the product left no room for ambiguity. The order was cancelled, the item was returned, and Amazon had itself assured the complainant that a refund would follow.

The commission held that Amazon's failure to process the refund for an unfulfilled and returned order, combined with its refund summary showing Rs 0.00 despite a confirmed return, constituted a clear deficiency in service and an unfair trade practice. With Amazon having chosen not to appear or contest the evidence, the commission noted the complainant's case stood entirely unrebutted.

What did the consumer court order Amazon to pay?

The commission directed Amazon Seller Services to refund Rs 8,819.10 to the complainant, along with interest at 9 per cent per annum from the date the complaint was filed until full realisation.

In addition, Amazon was ordered to pay Rs 5,000 as compensation and Rs 5,000 towards litigation costs, bringing the total payout to Rs 18,819.10 plus accruing interest.

Check the case judgement here: