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Efficiency and Effectiveness of Consumer Dispute Mediation: An Empirical Study of Government, Private, and Online Dispute Resolution Forums

Sony Kulshrestha

Conflict Resolution Quarterly2026https://doi.org/10.1002/crq.70034article
ABDC B
Weight
0.50

Abstract

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR), specifically mediation, is one of the major tools that are now used to address the rising number of consumer market disputes in the physical and online marketplaces. With increasing numbers of individuals referring to the government agencies, private mediation centers, and online dispute resolution (ODR) platforms, the question remains: which of them is more productive, just, and efficient as an institution? This study examined the effectiveness of consumer mediation across government mediation forums, private mediation centers, and e‐commerce‐based ODR platforms. The research design was a mixed‐method one. The 500 consumer mediation cases were analyzed quantitatively to ascertain the degree of resolution, time to settlement and compliance on the postsettlement aspect in the institutional forums. This was complemented by the qualitative data that were acquired on 75 semistructured interviews with consumers and mediators, and enabled the gain of a better understanding of procedural fairness, power relations and experience by users. Qualitative data were analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings demonstrated significant variation in mediation outcomes across institutional settings. Private mediation centers and ODR platforms exhibited higher resolution efficiency and compliance rates, while government mediation forums showed comparatively lower performance, particularly in cases involving pronounced power asymmetry. Qualitative findings further revealed that perceptions of procedural fairness, mediator intervention, and institutional follow‐up mechanisms played a critical role in shaping trust and satisfaction with mediation outcomes. The paper concludes that the issue of institutional design has decisive power in the effectiveness and sustainability of consumer mediation. Procedural transparency, capacity of the mediator, and enforcement may be very beneficial in enhancing access to justice and consumer confidence in dispute resolution mechanisms, particularly in government forums.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/crq.70034

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@article{sony2026,
  title        = {{Efficiency and Effectiveness of Consumer Dispute Mediation: An Empirical Study of Government, Private, and Online Dispute Resolution Forums}},
  author       = {Sony Kulshrestha},
  journal      = {Conflict Resolution Quarterly},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/crq.70034},
}

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

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