Buying something for our home is more than just a shopping trip; it is also a lot of trust bestowed on the vendor, the product, the quality, and the right deliverables.But when we do not get what we ordered, it stings.Something similar happened with a man in Bengaluru, who paid Rs 83,000 for a custom-made sofa set and was awarded Rs 88,000 by a consumer commission. The commission found that the single-seater sofas he received were 10 inches wider than the size the furniture store had specified.Let’s dig in to find out what exactly happened.
Bengaluru buyer wins Rs 88,000 after sofas arrive 10 inches too wide
According to The Indian Express report, a Bengaluru man who spent Rs 83,000 on a customised sofa set has been awarded Rs 88,000 by a consumer commission because the single-seater sofas he received were far wider than what he had ordered. The commission then directed the store to return the full price with interest, collect the sofa set, and pay Rs 5,000 for compensation and legal costs.
What did the customer offer
The man booked the sofa set on February 16, 2025. It included one three-seater and two single-seaters, which he paid for through his credit card EMI facility. He also asked for beige fabric, a seating depth increased from 22 to 23 inches, and a dark walnut finish on the wooden frame.
What all was not upto his expectations
As per his complaint, the store’s sales executive shared the single-seater size on WhatsApp: 41 inches long, 37 inches wide, and 41 inches high. The sofas that arrived reportedly measured 37 inches long, 47 inches wide, and 38 inches high, which made them 10 inches wider than promised. He said they were too big for his room, and that cutting them down would spoil the look of the whole set. He also claimed the salesperson later admitted that wrong measurements had been shared.
What does the store say
The furniture store disputed this; it said its manufacturing team had widened the sofas to 47 inches to keep the design and proportions right. It also claimed the buyer had been told about the change and had agreed to it orally. The store added that it had offered to collect and modify the sofas, but the buyer did not cooperate.The buyer kept pushing through messages and emails, then sent a legal notice in April, 2025, asking for a refund. The store replied in May 2025 and refused, following the no-refund policy for customised furniture.
Commission ordered the store to pay back the money with a penalty
The Bangalore Urban II Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission reviewed the complaint and documents from both sides. It noted that the seller itself accepted changing the width to 47 inches and also said that the sofa set came with a two-year warranty.The commission found that the store was bound to address the buyer’s complaint, yet it neither supplied the right product nor returned the money. The commission said, “The act of the opposite party neither replacing the correct measurement product nor making a refund of the amount till date is nothing but deficiency in service and also adopting unfair trade practice on the part of the opposite party.”And directed the store to refund Rs 83,000 with 6 per cent annual interest from February 16, 2025, until payment, and to take the sofa set back. It also ordered Rs 3,000 as compensation for the hardship caused and Rs 2,000 for litigation costs. That adds up to Rs 88,000.
