How do I file a consumer complaint against an e-commerce company?

Start by exhausting the company's own grievance process — send a written complaint (email is fine, but keep it clear and dated) explicitly demanding a refund and stating that store credit is not acceptable, and reference the order number, delivery date, and photos of the damage. This creates a paper trail you will need later and sometimes resolves the issue without escalation.

If the company still refuses, you have two main routes. First, the National Consumer Helpline (1915, or the INGRAM portal at consumerhelpline.gov.in) lets you register a complaint that gets forwarded to the company with a formal grievance ID — many e-commerce disputes get resolved at this stage because companies respond faster to platform-registered complaints than direct emails. Second, if that doesn't work, you can file a formal complaint with the appropriate Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, alleging both a defective product and deficiency in service (the refusal to honour a reasonable remedy).

For a claim of this size, you would typically file with the District Consumer Commission, since claims up to Rs 50 lakh generally fall within its jurisdiction. You can file either where you reside or where you made the purchase, which is convenient since online transactions no longer require you to travel to the seller's location. The Consumer Protection Act also specifically recognises e-commerce entities and their obligations, including grievance redressal timelines, so the fact that this was an online purchase works in your favour, not against it.

Keep all your evidence together — the order confirmation, payment receipt, photos of the damaged product, and every email exchange — before filing, since a well-documented complaint moves faster. Many consumer commissions also allow e-filing now, which is worth checking for your state.