[vinit.merchant]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

I have taken pictures but not video. I will certainly bring it to public forums if Snapdeal fails to keep their words in refund. I don't know if its Snapdeal or dubious sellers who play such tricks but certainly not encouraging much for customers.

From my experience with Snapdeal, if they have arranged for reverse pick up, you will get your refund. If they do not agree to the customers claims, then they plainly mention that with reason and do not arrange reverse pick up.

So far, I have not come across any occasion where my returns were questioned by snapdeal.
Also as per my personal experience, Snapdeal has put in a lot of efforts lately to improve their service and I for one can actually see the customer friendly approach (as against the vendor friendly approach I have often come across while shopping with eBay).

But at snapdeal too, be careful to check the seller feedback score before buying. Anything below 95% (with decent number of ratings), I would give it a pass.

EDIT: Online shopping can be extremely beneficial but we have to be careful. Different sites require different checks. Example
Amazon = Check for Amazon Fulfilled orders.
Snapdeal = Check for Seller feedback.
Flipkart = Check if seller is WS Retail.
Dejavutrends/Timtara = Do not even visit the sites !
Jabong/Myntra = Very good sites. Both sites have restrictions on replacements i.e. some areas they will reverse pick up for replacement. Check for this. But then both will do the reverse pick up at any location if you ask for return and refund.
Pepperfry = Some restrictions on returns. Only order things you are certain you would not want to return. Return due to defects is not an issue thgouh. They are also very slow on their shipping.
FabFurnish = Good experience so far. They sometimes goof up on the quantity ordered. Once they delivered me less quantity and then refunded me that amount + also gave me a gift voucher for the goof up. Then again, they delivered the same product twice, and never came back for reverse pick up of the extra delivery (worth 5k).
eBay = Seller feedback. Do not even think about buying if seller feedback is below 95% (number of ratings should be decent)

Originally Posted by S_U_N

I am curious: What could be his agenda? He is most likely someone calling on behalf of the seller?

The best that I can think of is that the guy that called might have ordered the smaller TV and got the delivery of your product. May have called to check on that in good faith.

[Thilak29]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

What could be his agenda? Is the seller having poor ratings?

I suspect some scam either by seller's staff or gati staff.
Yes, seller had good ratings (4.5/5)

Originally Posted by vinit.merchant

From my experience with Snapdeal, if they have arranged for reverse pick up, you will get your refund.

I am constantly following up on this with Snapdeal.

Agree with your categorization. Another Online retailer who gives pleasant experience is Bigbasket (limited to few cities though).

[hellmet]

Originally Posted by saket77

+1000! It will be great if anyone could suggest an Indian site. Always feel comfortable while shopping on an Indian site if they are genuine. Snapdeal does sells some spare parts, filters, lubes & tires though.

What were (do) you look(ing) for? Just general maintenance and DIY related items or something bigger?

I like maintaining my vehicles in whatever small way I can - lubing, cleaning, and minor DIY, and always end up on US websites.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by rajivr1612

Oh! Sorry in my excitement I missed to mention that. It costs Rs.9950/-.
I also ordered Transcend suction mount for Rs.540/-, since the one that comes in the box is of the 3M sticky type.

Thank you. So this means about 150 USD.
Wonder if it is going to be cheaper to buy it in America...

[rajivr1612]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Thank you. So this means about 150 USD.
Wonder if it is going to be cheaper to buy it in America...

Yup, IIRC it is selling on Amazon.com for about Rs.7700/- odd.

[Thilak29]

Help me understand buy new while exchanging old item concept better. I see that flipkart offers 5k for any working CRT TV, what do they with these old products ?

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

Help me understand buy new while exchanging old item concept better. I see that flipkart offers 5k for any working CRT TV, what do they with these old products ?

Possibly charity or recycling, though I doubt it.
Mostly, just like the physical retailers do, these get sold on to the unorganized sector, refurbished, cleaned up a bit and then they find themselves in tier 3 and 4 towns and villages in the homes of someone who wants a TV but who can't afford to buy a piece of new technology.
In India, in its current economic status, nothing really goes to waste. People don't just 'trash' things the way they do in the US or other developed markets. For this fact, I am glad.

Recently, I experienced wonderful customer care from jabong.com.

I ordered a pair of trousers, which was despatched on 19 Oct 2014 and deliered at my Bangalore home on 27 Oct 2014, the same night I was leaving for Chennai. I wore it and found that the trousers were very tight. So, I decided to return them from Chennai. In Chennai, I logged on to my account and tried to raise a return request, but I was shocked to see a message that stated that return pick-up was not possible from my Chennai residential address. Since jabong's return policy is valid for 30 days, I decided to return them, when I reached Bangalore back on 21 Nov 2014. So, on 20 Nov 2014, I tried in vain to make online request from my account at Chennai before my departure to Bangalore. This time, I got a message that stated that return period had already expired as the 30 days were counted from the date of despatch. I was under the impression that 30 day countdown started from the date of delivery.

Anyway, after reaching Bangalore, I wrote an email to jabong's customer care without any hope, the day-before-yesterday. Within half-hour, I received a reply stating that a return pick-up would be made within 5 days. But, the trousers were picked up yesterday. Now, I am waiting for refund of the amount. Hats off to jabong for their real customer care.

[binand]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

return period had already expired as the 30 days were counted from the date of despatch. I was under the impression that 30 day countdown started from the date of delivery.

Hats off to jabong for their real customer care.

Well, they did do you proud but I'm not too impressed by this idea of counting days from day of dispatch. Sounds sneaky to me. Is that normal practice at all retailers?

Originally Posted by binand

I'm not too impressed by this idea of counting days from day of dispatch.

I expressed my displeasure in my mail. I pointed out that their website simply stated '30 days return policy'. Nowhere it is prominently mentioned that the countdown started from the date of despatch. I requested them to prominently mention that in their website. Had it been clearly mentioned in unambiguous terms, I would have made alternate arrangements to return the product from Bangalore itself. Anyway, jabong immediately accepted my request and took back the product.

[carwatcher]

I wish to share my ordeal with Snapdeal.
I ordered a product on 3rd Nov. which was to be delivered on 14th.
The courier company alloted was XpressBees which is having only a call center number and calls get connected not before holding for less than 10-15 minutes.
The tracking status showed product has arrived in Panjim, Goa on 13th. But it wasn't delivered to me. On 17th I called the call center as it is reported by many Bhpians that even if you follow up with snapdeal, they will instruct you to call the courier company. I was assured delivery within 24hrs but even after 48 hrs. no delivery was made, no local office address/contact no. was provided so that I can pick the product myself.
Then on 21st morning (after 8 days) I got the SMS intimating to keep the cash ready as the product is out for delivery, but till evening no delivery happened. When I checked the tracking status I was shocked to see that the product was out for delivery at 11:56 AM and No consignee available at 11:58 AM (i.e. within a gap of two minutes) and the return was initiated by the courier company to Snapdeal at 11:58 AM. (Till date its showing in-transit to snapdeal).
When reported the matter to snapdeal and requested them to check the matter seriously as due to courier company's mistake their business and reputation (whatever little left) is being taken for a ride.
Now the real twist.
The reply email I got after 3 days from snapdeal contains exact sentence, "Our courier partner has made multiple attempts for the delivery but due to certain issues at courier end, these attempts have turned out unsuccessful." I don't understand what they are trying to convey. As I have made multiple purchases from the snapdeal in the past (ordered few diwali gifts 7-8 days before diwali and was delivered 10 days after diwali), so address was not an issue.
One more interesting thing I observed that whenever I log in to my snapdeal account, I see a different item under this particular order for 1-2 seconds and which automatically changes to the item which I ordered, so is it a possibility that a wrong item being delivered to courier agency which they tried to rectify on their own with snapdeal, which explains the defending of courier agency by snapdeal, rather than punishing them.
All in all this ongoing fruitless and time wasting ordeal since last 25 days is enough to shake anybody's faith on online shopping, but as someone said, we will still continue to buy products as long as we get a good deal, not service.

[lambuhere1]

Any experiences with Shopclues.

Planning to buy small ticket items to see the response.

[vinit.merchant]

Originally Posted by lambuhere1

Any experiences with Shopclues.

Planning to buy small ticket items to see the response.

Shopclues is good for small value items only. I do not trust them with anything more than 1-2k in value.
Moreover, the price difference between Shopclues and others has come down pretty much to being immaterial as far as items of Rs. 2k + are concerned.

[lambuhere1]

Originally Posted by vinit.merchant

Shopclues is good for small value items only. I do not trust them with anything more than 1-2k in value.

Placed a COD on item less than 1k. Will keep guys posted on the experience.

Thanks a ton again

[jkrishnakj]

For the second time in 2 weeks, Amazon kept me happy. Ordered a Lumia, opted for next day delivery at the cost of Rs. 99/. and it was promptly delivered. Was a gift to someone and I had opted for a gift pack and I was told on the phone that it indeed was looking pretty with the gift wrap.