Seller not delivering and the platform won't help? Your escalation ladder
Last updated: 2026-07-11
If you paid, the seller isn't delivering, and the marketplace isn't helping, escalate in order: (1) the platform's own grievance channel and its grievance officer, (2) the National Consumer Helpline — call 1915, and (3) a formal complaint via e-Daakhil to a consumer commission. Under the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 a marketplace is required to have a grievance officer, so you have a real first place to complain. Keep records — the order, payment, and every message — at each step.
Be clear-eyed about the outcome: this is a process that puts pressure and, if needed, a legal forum behind your complaint. It is not a guaranteed refund. To know exactly what you can ask for, read refund rights under the Consumer Protection Act 2019.
The escalation ladder
Work down the ladder in order. Most disputes are settled on the first one or two rungs; the formal route is there if they aren't.
| Step | Who | What to have ready | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Platform grievance channel + grievance officer | The marketplace's own complaint system and its grievance officer (required under the E-Commerce Rules 2020). | Order number, payment proof, delivery status, and your ask (deliver or refund). | Puts a formal, on-record complaint to the platform. Get a complaint reference. |
| 2. National Consumer Helpline — 1915 | consumerhelpline.gov.in, the government helpline. | The above, plus the platform's complaint reference from step 1. | Independent help to take up your grievance — the easier route before formal filing. |
| 3. Formal complaint — e-Daakhil | edaakhil.nic.in, to the appropriate consumer commission. | All of the above, your written grievance, all evidence, and the remedy you seek. | Puts your case before a consumer commission to decide. See the walkthrough. |
| Know your rights (alongside every step) | Consumer Protection Act 2019. | — | Tells you what you can seek — refund, replacement, or compensation. |
Step 1 — the platform's grievance officer
Start inside the marketplace. Use its complaint or help channel to raise the non-delivery formally, and if that stalls, address the platform's grievance officer — the named contact the E-Commerce Rules 2020 require every marketplace to have. State the order, what was paid, that it wasn't delivered, and what you want (delivery or a refund). Get a complaint reference and note the date.
Step 2 — the National Consumer Helpline (1915)
If the platform doesn't resolve it, call 1915 or use consumerhelpline.gov.in. The helpline gives guidance and can help take up your grievance — a lighter, earlier step than a formal case, and enough to settle many disputes. Have your platform complaint reference ready.
Step 3 — file formally on e-Daakhil
Still stuck? File a formal consumer complaint on e-Daakhil (edaakhil.nic.in) to a consumer commission. Our step-by-step e-Daakhil walkthrough covers registering, adding the parties, writing the grievance, attaching evidence, paying the fee, and tracking it. The commission then decides on the facts.
Keep records at every step
Your complaint is only as strong as what you can show. Keep the order and invoice, the payment proof, the delivery/tracking status, and every message and complaint reference. Screenshots are fine. This is what the helpline and the commission weigh — and it's why a well-documented complaint gets further.
Honest about the outcome
Escalating does not guarantee a refund. What it does is give your complaint an on-record path — from the platform's grievance officer, to the National Consumer Helpline, to a consumer commission — with a real forum at the end. Work the ladder in order and keep your evidence. One caution: if this turns out not to be an ordinary late delivery but an outright scam — a fake seller who took your money by deception — that is a fraud matter, and you should report it as online fraud instead of treating it as a delivery dispute.
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