1425) A bad experience at buying an item from Flipkart online: The issue has still not been resolved and delivery of the item has not taken place so far, even though the date of delivery was marked "latest by 12th July 2020":
Right after the Chinese Wuhan Virus (also called Corona Virus & COVID - 19) was found to have infected Indians and we went through successive lockdowns to contain/eliminate the incidence of the affliction pan-India, several reports came, particularly from the USA of how people were contracting the Wuhan Virus at solons and hair-cutting establishments.
I thought that trying my hand at "being my own barber" was perhaps the safest way to keep myself from getting infected. After all I am a senior citizen and still "too young to die" as I have several more posts to share with my worldwide audience on this blog.
Therefore, being an old (I mean "very long" and not "elderly" and loyal customer of Flipkart), I immediately scanned and purchased a "heavy duty" hair clipper " Earjoy/Mr. Realtech Heavy Duty Hair Clipper" which had got a good rating through online customers of Flipkart. I paid a sum of Rs.1211/- (Rs. 1,000/- through a gift card & Rs.211/- through online banking). The Order was marked for delivery latest by 12.07.2020.
The tracking progress recorded on Flipkart:
EKart Logistics - FMPP0493152956
EKart Logistics - FMPP0493152956
Mon 6th Jul 10.23 am New Delhi
(Your order has been dispatched from the Flipkart facility)
Tue 7th Jul 10.51 pm New Delhi
(Shipment in-scanned at Bamnoli Sort Centre)
Wed 8th Jul 2.36 am Gurgaon
(Your order has arrived at our Flipkart facility)
Sun 12th Jul 5.06 am Pune
(your order has been dispatched from the Flipkart facility)
Tue 14th Jul 8.54 am Pune
(Your order has arrived at out Flipkart facility)
Tue 14th Jul 9.24 am Pune
(Your order has arrived at our Flipkart facility)
First the delivery was expected latest by 12th July, thereafter as 12th July passed without any delivery being made, the date was changed to 13th July, which is the last date mentioned for delivery, after which there has been no update. Clearly, the item is lying at Flipkart facility).
Feeling totally clueless about the delivery I tried the online help. A chat- bot answers everything with pre-written answers, that provides no help to you individual query:
My query:
Tue Jul 14:
"The item which was marked for delivery latest by 12.07.2020 has still not been delivered to me, although it had exited the Pune Flipkart facility two days before and I have also not been advised the reasons for the delay in delivery. Now on checking tracking, I find that another item has reached the Pune Flipkart facility. What happened to the earlier item and when is the "new" item likely to be delivered has still not been intimated to me. Rather sloppy work at Flipkart."
I followed this up with another message:
Wed Jul 15:
Item meant to be delivered latest by 12.07.2020 has still not been delivered. It is three days after the item was earmarked for delivery. Really poor service by Flipkart"
"It is a prepaid item by me and has still not been delivered to me. How can you treat the complaint as resolved???"
The last thing that the Chatbot" asks you is "Cancel your Order?" . Now when the delivery is in the last stages, why would I want to cancel my order? Thereafter the issue/matter is recorded as "resolved" and no matter how much you try, it stays "RESOLVED".
As my efforts could make no headway, as to when the item would be delivered to me, I also, wrote on Flipkart's FaceBook (FB) Complaints wall:
12 July at 20.06 pm:
" What is the present status of my Order no. FMPP0493152956 which was marked for delivery today, but has not been delivered yet. Should I expect it to be delivered tonight. In case delivery is not possible at all for some strange reason, then let me know and I will cancel the order"
Flipkart's reply:
"Rajeev, sorry for the delivery delay of your recent order. We will assist you. Be assured, one of our specialists will get in touch with you over the call or via email to have this addressed accordingly at the earliest. Appreciate your patience. Going forward please ensure that you do not share your order ID, email ID contact details or any other personal information on social media as it is visible to others."
(How convenient for Flipkart. Without sharing my Order ID how am I supposed to tell them as to which of my orders has been considerably delayed for delivery).
I wrote again on Flipkart's FB wall on 13.07.2020:
"This morning a lady executive called promising to call back with details. No communication thereafter. Seems that your teams are totally clueless to give her a proper response. The item has still not been delivered although it had left the Flipkart facility at around 5.00 am yesterday. The "Chat bot" gives recorded messages, including one that says "delete order"? Have I made a mistake ordering from Flipkart? Do let me know whether it would be better for everyone to cancel the order & a great relief for your ground team".
Upon receiving a similar response as above, I wrote back:
"Okay, Will wait to find out from your representative as to the reasons for the delay. I may add, that I am a senior citizen and have been a loyal customer of Flipkart since long and do not expect such sloppiness from the group.
Flipkart wrote back:
"Sorry for the experience, Rajeev. We assure you that we are working on it and will get back to you with an update at the earliest."
I wrote again as follows:
Now it has over three days over the last date for delivery i.e. 12.07.2020. The tracker indicates that the item has been returned to the Flipkart facility on 14.07.2020. The delivery date still indicates that the item has been returned to the Flipkart facility on 14.07.2020. The delivery date still indicates "to be delivered between 12 & 13 July". Complaints/queries lodged on Flipkart website get closed after an interim email to me. What is exactly going on at the ground levekl. I anm a senior citizen and this is the worst service that I have experienced from Flipkart. Can I be given a definite date by which me pre-paid item would be delivered."
Prompt came the response:
"Rajeev, sorry to keep you wait(ing) this long. We assure you that we are sorting this out and will get back to you with an update at the earliest. Your patience is much appreciated".
I had the last communication:
"I hope this interim reply translates into some concrete action now."
The matter rests unresolved and no one is in a position to give me a proper answer. Meanwhile, I had grown a mop of hair that first gave me a Boris Johnson look and now I have an Albert Einstein look.
I have noted to record all updates in this post, as and when they come to my notice.
Feeling totally clueless about the delivery I tried the online help. A chat- bot answers everything with pre-written answers, that provides no help to you individual query:
My query:
Tue Jul 14:
"The item which was marked for delivery latest by 12.07.2020 has still not been delivered to me, although it had exited the Pune Flipkart facility two days before and I have also not been advised the reasons for the delay in delivery. Now on checking tracking, I find that another item has reached the Pune Flipkart facility. What happened to the earlier item and when is the "new" item likely to be delivered has still not been intimated to me. Rather sloppy work at Flipkart."
I followed this up with another message:
Wed Jul 15:
Item meant to be delivered latest by 12.07.2020 has still not been delivered. It is three days after the item was earmarked for delivery. Really poor service by Flipkart"
"It is a prepaid item by me and has still not been delivered to me. How can you treat the complaint as resolved???"
The last thing that the Chatbot" asks you is "Cancel your Order?" . Now when the delivery is in the last stages, why would I want to cancel my order? Thereafter the issue/matter is recorded as "resolved" and no matter how much you try, it stays "RESOLVED".
As my efforts could make no headway, as to when the item would be delivered to me, I also, wrote on Flipkart's FaceBook (FB) Complaints wall:
12 July at 20.06 pm:
" What is the present status of my Order no. FMPP0493152956 which was marked for delivery today, but has not been delivered yet. Should I expect it to be delivered tonight. In case delivery is not possible at all for some strange reason, then let me know and I will cancel the order"
Flipkart's reply:
"Rajeev, sorry for the delivery delay of your recent order. We will assist you. Be assured, one of our specialists will get in touch with you over the call or via email to have this addressed accordingly at the earliest. Appreciate your patience. Going forward please ensure that you do not share your order ID, email ID contact details or any other personal information on social media as it is visible to others."
(How convenient for Flipkart. Without sharing my Order ID how am I supposed to tell them as to which of my orders has been considerably delayed for delivery).
I wrote again on Flipkart's FB wall on 13.07.2020:
"This morning a lady executive called promising to call back with details. No communication thereafter. Seems that your teams are totally clueless to give her a proper response. The item has still not been delivered although it had left the Flipkart facility at around 5.00 am yesterday. The "Chat bot" gives recorded messages, including one that says "delete order"? Have I made a mistake ordering from Flipkart? Do let me know whether it would be better for everyone to cancel the order & a great relief for your ground team".
Upon receiving a similar response as above, I wrote back:
"Okay, Will wait to find out from your representative as to the reasons for the delay. I may add, that I am a senior citizen and have been a loyal customer of Flipkart since long and do not expect such sloppiness from the group.
Flipkart wrote back:
"Sorry for the experience, Rajeev. We assure you that we are working on it and will get back to you with an update at the earliest."
I wrote again as follows:
Now it has over three days over the last date for delivery i.e. 12.07.2020. The tracker indicates that the item has been returned to the Flipkart facility on 14.07.2020. The delivery date still indicates that the item has been returned to the Flipkart facility on 14.07.2020. The delivery date still indicates "to be delivered between 12 & 13 July". Complaints/queries lodged on Flipkart website get closed after an interim email to me. What is exactly going on at the ground levekl. I anm a senior citizen and this is the worst service that I have experienced from Flipkart. Can I be given a definite date by which me pre-paid item would be delivered."
Prompt came the response:
"Rajeev, sorry to keep you wait(ing) this long. We assure you that we are sorting this out and will get back to you with an update at the earliest. Your patience is much appreciated".
I had the last communication:
"I hope this interim reply translates into some concrete action now."
The matter rests unresolved and no one is in a position to give me a proper answer. Meanwhile, I had grown a mop of hair that first gave me a Boris Johnson look and now I have an Albert Einstein look.
I have noted to record all updates in this post, as and when they come to my notice.
Posted on 18.07.2020:
The Order details & the entire correspondence so far mentioned in my post was put up on my Twitter page through a link to this post.
Flipkart-support has responded mentioning that they are looking for an early resolution of the matter.
I am waiting to see what happens next .
Posted on 19.07.2020:
An item called Zilant, similar to the one I had placed an order for, has been received by me this morning - a whole week after the scheduled date for delivery i.e. 12.07.2020 (inclusive of a brief period of total lockdown in my city on account of the Chinese Wuhan virus pandemic).
The matter now stands closed.
The Order details & the entire correspondence so far mentioned in my post was put up on my Twitter page through a link to this post.
Flipkart-support has responded mentioning that they are looking for an early resolution of the matter.
I am waiting to see what happens next .
Posted on 19.07.2020:
An item called Zilant, similar to the one I had placed an order for, has been received by me this morning - a whole week after the scheduled date for delivery i.e. 12.07.2020 (inclusive of a brief period of total lockdown in my city on account of the Chinese Wuhan virus pandemic).
The matter now stands closed.
Ajay Mahajan has commented:
ReplyDelete"Pathetic service."
Absolutely, Ajay. I have already given up on this order, but have also written on their Twitter page with copies to Walmart and Walmart India, their parent company. They only answer thru chat bots. I am now going to make a real person answer and take responsibility.
DeleteMahesh Dwivedi has commented:
ReplyDelete"I was flipkart customer since the time they started by selling books online. Had some bad experiences and their customer service was absolutely unhelpful. Logged out of Flipkart and have not dealt with them for more than a year now. Flipkart is no longer what it used to be. 👎👎
They seem to be doing their best to log me out too. Corona Virus has provided them with an excuse for inefficiency.
DeleteShailendra Vyas has commented:
ReplyDelete"I think Pune is under complete lockdown so no deliveries will be made."
The complete lockdown started one day after last date of delivery ie 12.07.2020. The packet was out for delivery but mysteriously got returned to Flipkart facility on 14.07.2020. even the lockdown was not implemented on 13.07. I wrote a tweet to the CM office on 14.07, which got picked up by the cabbies pool and lockdown got implemented within the hour. The courier had the packet on 13th too and returned it on 14th.
DeleteShailendra Vyas has further commented:
Delete"Now wait for lockdown to be lifted."
I guess that is the only option left now, Shailendra.
DeleteRsanker Sharma has commented:
ReplyDelete"Oh, very poor service."
More than that, Sharma sahab, no one is giving me an answer as to what is the tentative revised date for delivery. I have always preferred Flipkart over other online stores.
DeleteRam Lalingkar has commented:
ReplyDelete"Rajeev, similar experience I got when my daughter Aparna booked ‘online’ the Finger-tip Pulse Oximeter for my use only one month back, she paid full amount online and asked the supplier in Bangalore to send the parcel on my Pune address. However, despite clear instructions given when order was placed, the parcel was not delivered to me even after 2 weeks passed. After repeated calls with them my daughter ultimately was successful in getting the Oximeter delivered at my present Pune address. Such is the position of Courier system in our country."
Absolutely shocking state of affairs, Rambhau. I have written a Tweet to Walmart, Walmart-India and Flipkart-support. The latter has promised to help me out. Lets see how things develop.
DeleteJagdish Keswanihas commented:
ReplyDelete"The item was out for delivery but surprisingly not delivered. This is somewhat unpalatable. Nevertheless, after so much of follow up by you, they must at least inform you the exact status as to where the packet is held up and the expected date of delivery. This is really improper on their part."
Yes, Keswaniji. Normally, Flipkart delivers one/two days before time. All I have requested them is to indicate a tentative date of delivery. Now the Twitter support has been quite helpful, but let us see, if the ground staff gives him the details.
DeleteSantosh Khanna has commented:
ReplyDelete"Help small business houses in your area bit costly and help them during this crises."
Thanks, Khanna sahab. We are doing just that, but this hair clipper was only available online, as most of the shops have not opened yet.
DeleteAshok Borate has commented:
ReplyDelete"Bekaar Service!!"
nice
ReplyDelete