Team-BHP - Amazon vs Flipkart - Which do you prefer & why?

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Depending on who you listen to, Amazon & Flipkart have anywhere between 70 - 80% of the market (example news). Still, while I shop on Amazon all the time, I have used Flipkart just 3 - 4 times, and only for stuff that's unavailable on Amazon (e.g. Google Chromecast).

I like Amazon better in every way, be it the familiar interface, variety, shipping, product listings, reviews, Kindle, Q&A section and more. Of course, there is also Prime Video which is included with Amazon Prime membership. Amazon probably accounts for 75% of my online spends & most of my product searches start there itself (not Google). Still, for the sake of competition, I'm glad Flipkart is there :).

Which of the two do you prefer & why? Am especially interested in hearing from Flipkart loyalists.

Initially, I was using Flipkart, have bought a Bridge camera Nikon Coolpix P510) and a DSLR (Nikon D3200) and a few lenses on it. Then I shifted to Amazon on the advice of my son. The experience has been positive on both platforms. Haven't been shortchanged or cheated by either. Very transparent and efficient. Prices are also reasonable. Now I have gotten hold of some camera dealers also for my needs they offer better prices than the above sites. Batteries, adapters, perfumes, etc You don't need to step out. I don't buy apparel online. I prefer to go to a store and those are many in my area!

+1. It is Amazon for me too. I do tend to see Flipkart for costlier purchases to compare prices. But otherwise Amazon is the default option. The main reason is the Prime membership in the beginning and now over time I have just become comfortable with the whole user interface. Also it helps that the same user interface is carried over to Amazon sites across the world ( I use the USA and Dubai portals quite often).

I use both quite a lot. On Amazon, I find the entire process to be quite smooth and delivery is pretty much on time. However, I just can't seem to trust all the vendors on the Amazon platform. Though it is Amazon preferred and as a prime customer, it's still a gamble I would say. Some products are pretty cheap (touch and feel) and do not really have the same finish as shown on the website (yes, this is always the case with every product I know).

Flipkart, I feel the vendors are bit more looked into here and have not faced any issues with the products purchased from Flipkart. However, their delivery SUCKS!! The delivery guys have not clue about the location at times and they are never on time! Never received a single product that says it would reach me the next day morning by 11!!

I usually do most of the purchasing in amazon. My prime account is the main reason. But somehow I end up making my bigger purchases in flipkart. I bought my laptop, mobile phones etc from flipkart. Don't know why it happened, but for the bigger stuff I always get better deals in flipkart.

I use both. Both are excellent in their own way. Amazon has good customer care support but Flipkart has fast deliveries. But amazon is catching up fast in terms of deliveries.

For general household goods, Amazon is cheaper and has better collection, right from soaps to mattresses, Amazon is better. But Flipkart is better in high value goods. Mobile, Tablets and other electronics are significantly cheaper on Flipkart than Amazon, especially on Big Billion Days.

Clothing, Flipkart>Amazon. Their website is simpler and buying clothes is easier.

Overall I had 80 orders on Amazon in the last 365 days but around 20 on Flipkart. But the purchases on Flipkart were of higher value than Amazon.

I use HDFC Smartbuy. It enables me to compare the prices of the same product on Amazon, Flipkart and other retailers. Also, I get a 10x rewards point boost for purchasing the item through this channel, that’s easily a saving of 15% on top of the discounts by Amazon and Flipkart.

Also deliveries are free on Flipkart for Flipkart Plus customers, essentially a free service. But Amazon wants me to pay Rs.999 for Prime membership.

Returns: both are equally good. And the money gets reversed in 6 hours of pickup

Summary:
Small low value rare items: Amazon
Big high value items: Flipkart

Amazon -

1. Cleaner user interface, with better description of products. User questions answered too.

2. Many product reviews available. Additionally, if a product has fever reviews and is a global product, you can read reviews from their USA page, which is generally hyperlinked on the same web page.

3. Easier / convenient return process. Flipkart return process used to be cumbersome, haven't bothered since then.

4. Prime - when you have a prime account with free delivery for many items, why go elsewhere.

The only reason I choose Flipkart, although rarely, is if and only if I am buying something which is not available in stock on Amazon, I check Flipkart. (Still not saying I buy it from Flipkart).

I've been following a simple rule ever since I started shopping online.

Amazon-
For anything related to mobile phones, accessories and any electronic gadgets and appliances(air conditioners, TV sets, Microwaves).

Flipkart-
For everything else be it shopping for shoes, clothes, basically anything that isn't related to electronic gadgets

Never had a bad experience with either of them.

Was equally for both but now favouring Amazon. The Flipkart courier service is terrible (product arrived on 6th October, delivery not done till 16th types) plus, for the past 3/4 times, the product I got was not the one I ordered.

I got reimbursement quickly, no issues there, but why should I take a chance? Flipkart had COD which was working for me in case of a bit expensive products and even today if you are ordering mobiles over 50K or any other product over 50K, Flipkart delivers, Amazon doesn't.

I am on my 2nd or 3rd Prime, so that too helps a bit. Product quality/guarantee and reviews are better on Amazon.

I don't have any experience with Flipkart, at least nothing recent that I can remember.

Took Prime membership last time I was in India and used Amazon to shop for a few items. All items were delivered on time. There was a problem with one order - I had ordered two pieces of the same item, but only one was delivered. The extra payment was refunded promptly after only one call to the customer service. Prime video and ad-free Prime music makes it a sweeter deal. In short, very happy with Amazon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheel (Post 4678288)

The Flipkart courier service is terrible

Very true.

Used to use only Flipkart initially, even when they had higher prices compared to Amazon, out of some misplaced notion to 'support an India-based company over an American one' (with the Walmart deal, I guess both are American companies now :)). But the Flipkart delivery guys were consistently very unreliable, impatient and often rude even.

Used Amazon for a long time, their delivery guys used to be very well-behaved. Of late have seen Amazon delivery go down as well. But unlike Flipkart, they seem to take delivery feedback seriously. So now, just go for the one with lower prices with a slight preference for Amazon.

Checked Amazon since with Prime etc, been tuned in to it better. Used Flipkart before and still do sometimes based on prices.
One advantage of Flipkart is for some orders, even if you order them in evening, you get them by noon next day. Really useful when you need them fast.

Amazon again.

Flipkart used to be better but after the Bansals left it has gone for cats and dogs. Once I remember, they didn't honor an order. Although I got my money back, honoring an order is a basic attribute of any seller. Any lapse on this critical aspect leaves a bad taste.