How to File a Consumer Complaint Online in India: 2026 Step-by-Step Guide
Published: · By Arjun Mehta, Consumer Rights Researcher | AutoComplaint
TL;DR: To file a consumer complaint online in India, register on the National Consumer Helpline portal (consumerhelpline.gov.in), select the sector and company, describe the deficiency in service, and submit. Or install the AutoComplaint Chrome extension to auto-fill the same form using order-field autofill; you complete, review, and submit, so total filing time varies for ₹99 per filing session.
Why File a Consumer Complaint Online?
Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, every Indian consumer has the right to seek redressal for deficiency in service, defective products, or unfair trade practices. The National Consumer Helpline (NCH), operated by the Department of Consumer Affairs, is the primary government channel for online filing, for voluntary, pre-litigation grievances, not Consumer Commission cases. When should you file a consumer complaint covers the situations that usually justify one.
Filing creates a tracked docket record. Under the voluntary Convergence Program, participating companies are expected to respond within 30 days, but a response or remedy is not guaranteed. A Consumer Commission case is a separate filing.
5 Steps to File a Consumer Complaint on the NCH Portal
- Register on consumerhelpline.gov.in. Create an account with your mobile number and email. Verification is done via OTP.
- Gather evidence. Keep the order ID, invoice, transaction date, delivery proof, and any seller communication ready. Review your evidence for relevance and completeness before submitting.
- Select the sector and company. Choose the right sector (e-commerce, telecom, banking, etc.) and the registered company name. Wrong sector tagging delays routing.
- Describe the deficiency in service. Write a factual grievance with dates, amounts, and the specific failure (non-delivery, defective product, refund refusal). Reference the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 where relevant.
- Submit and track. On submission you receive a docket number. Track status under "My Grievances" and respond to any clarification request within the portal timeline.
Order-Field Autofill with AutoComplaint
AutoComplaint pre-fills more than 22 form fields from supported order pages. You still complete grievance details, upload evidence, review, and submit. Total filing time varies. AutoComplaint is a privacy-first Chrome extension that extracts order data from Amazon.in and Shopify stores and auto-fills the same NCH form using order-field autofill; you complete, review, and submit, so total filing time varies for ₹99 per filing session.
Much faster
Auto-filled order fields; total filing time varies with details, uploads, and review.
Privacy-first
Filtered order-page content is sent to our backend and Anthropic Claude for extraction. Google sign-in and NCH submission are separate data flows.
Clear transaction details
Helps you provide relevant transaction and merchant information clearly and consistently.
| Method | Time | Cost | Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual NCH filing | Varies with manual entry and review | No government fee | Check typed details |
| AutoComplaint | Order-field autofill; total time varies | ₹99 one-time | Check auto-filled details |
Sources
- Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India - consumerhelpline.gov.in
- Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (Act No. 35 of 2019)