Who is a Consumer ?
Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (India), a consumer is defined in Section 2(7) as:
A person who
Buys goods (or) Avails services
for a consideration (paid, partly paid, or promised to be paid), including through online or offline transactions, teleshopping, direct selling, or electronic means.
Key Points
The definition covers purchases made physically, online, or through e-commerce.
A person who has paid or agreed to pay for a product/service is considered a consumer.
If a person uses goods/services with the buyer’s approval, they also qualify as consumers.
Online transactions via platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Zomato, etc., fall under the Act.
Excludes Commercial Buyers – If goods or services are bought for resale or commercial purposes, the person is not considered a consumer (except when buying for self-employment, e.g., a tailor buying a sewing machine for business use). Employers availing services of employees is also excluded.