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Shopping woes: They wanted my credit card details

Last updated on: January 14, 2011 12:42 IST

Shopping is supposed to be fun, but for these folks it turned out to be anything but!

We recently carried the tale of a reader's unpleasant shopping experience and invited you to write in with yours. Here is the next set of responses!

First up is Subhasis Das' story:

I had purchased a mobile phone through Home Shop 18 during Diwali 2009. The transaction was done over phone and I paid through credit card. Few days later I got a call from someone who announced he was calling on behalf of the seller and wanted few verifications. On agreeing to go ahead I was asked about my credit card number, its expiry date and cvv. I refused to divulge those details over phone to an unknown person when there was no proof that the person was actually who he said he was. After that the person thanked me and hung up.

The product was supposed to be delivered within 7 working days but when it didn't turn up within 14 working days I called up the channel. Upon providing the transaction details I was informed that "I myself had cancelled the order". I was clueless and on probing found out that since I had refused to provide my credit card details over phone, the order was cancelled. I told the tele-operator that at the time of placing orders credit card details are taken through an IVR to protect customer interest. So why should the same customer be asked to blurt out those details once again over phone? And if he refuses to give those details to protect his interest, why should the order be cancelled? Further, the person who had called, gave no indication that the order would be cancelled if information was refused. The tele-operator of course had no answers to my questions.

It took me more than 3 weeks to recover my money and that too after several follow-ups.

I found the whole experience to be absolutely stupid and devoid of logic. I never again went back to the same Seller for any more shopping.

Next we have this experience from SM Tariq:

I purchased Blackberry mobile from E ZONE at V3S mall lakshmi nagar on 18th Dec and found a camera problem in 1 weeks and gone again to the store to get it checked and I was told I need to visit a blackberry service centre ..i have gone there too and told that you need to leave the handset for 20 days on fighting with them they issued me a letter of exchange and asked me to go to E ZONE to get a new mobile set on reaching there I came to know they need to full fill certain requirements and I need to wait ..and till now I did not get any answer from them I have got really a bad experience at the same mall at Allen Solly showroom where I have gone to buy a shirt and the sales girl and a guy are so pathetic that they even don't noticed me alone in the showroom and busy in talking each other this I have seen at many stores the young blood don't want to give the services at malls and stores WHAT THEY NEED IS TRAINING FROM THE COMPANY regarding the role they are playing.

Ashish Bhardwas shares his nightmare:

I was looking for a RO Water purifier which I decided to buy from comparatively new company name Aquafresh based at Dwarka, New Delhi.

Company's so called boss cum owner Mr Vijay Sharma was so nice with me while discussing and inquiring about product first time on phone. He assured me best quality product with excellent after sale service.

I ordered 2 machines same time and they delivered as per given date. Immediately after one day of installing product UV lamp of RO system got fused. I immediately called Mr. Vijay Sharma and reported malfunctioning of system which he assured me to change next day.

But after a lot of followups on his mobile and company's land line nos. I received only silly excuses. Even after receiving some calls they stopped picking my calls, so I used to call from some other nos which the picked immediately and upon asking about service they again started giving excuses.

Even there claim that they have support and service centers in NOIDA and Ghaziabad found completely false. These guys are local assembler of substandard products.

Suggest everybody to buy only repute products like Kent even on high cost because after sales service is extremely important in such products.

Rajesh Choudhary writes in:

I had booked a bus on MakeMyTrip.com, for travel from Nagpur to Hyderabad on 28-May-2010. I boarded the bus, but it broke down on the way to Hyderabad.

The passengers were offloaded at Adilabad on 29-May-10 and no alternative arrangements were made by MakeMyTrip, for the rest of journey, so I had to book a taxi and completed the rest of journey. Intially when I called the MakeMyTrip, he kept me on hold saying that they will refund the amount and after a month they started saying that the bus never brokedown and are refusing to refund the amount back to my card.

I also logged a request with ccccore.co.in

This was MakeMyTrip's Reply: The customer had contacted us directly for this case. Please note that we had checked with the bus operator and also with MakeMyTrip's other customers booked on the same bus and no such incident took place.

The customer is not eligible for any sort of refund.

Everytime I call there customer care they keep on saying that they will get back to me in 2 days and they keep on delaying the matter, So finally I have decided to raise the issue here.

Now I too do the same, I stay away from MakeMytrip.

Have you ever been misled by any store? Or, had a bad customer service experience? Write in to us about your worst shopping experiences at getahead@rediff.co.in (subject line: 'My shopping nightmare') and we'll publish your entries right here.

'I am working with a broken laptop'

Last updated on: January 14, 2011 12:42 IST

Nand Kumar Sherman shares his tale of woe:

In May 2010 I had ordered for a pair of Reebok shoes advertised by Bag It Today. The offer included sunglasses, a watch and a holiday for two at select locations.

After a delay of 7 weeks the shoes, the sunglasses and the watch were delivered (they had promised delivery in 3 weeks). I was directed to a website (bookstoday.in/promos.htm) to claim the holiday. I finally got a form to be filled in from the holiday promo company after a delay of over 8 weeks. On receiving the form I was shocked to find that I was could only indicate a choice of location (and not the hotel, and further I had to provide 3 choices from which they would allot one. In other words, the so called "free" holiday would be at a location and hotel totally at the discretion of the promoters and not the wonderful hotels indicated by Bag it today at the time of soliciting the order from me.

Each of these processes -- delivery and holiday voucher took months before completion, with multiple reminders by email and calls from me.

Since I was not content with the holiday offer at their choice of location, I once again mailed them. No response. I escalated the problem to the big bosses of India Today (Bag It Today is part of that wonderful group!).

Tens of mails later, I am yet to receive any clarification or redressal of my grievance.

This is how a premium publishing house treats its online buyers! How will online buying ever take off in India?

Syed Anjum shares his nightmare:

I had purchased a Dell laptop Insiprion at Car Four Dubai in the month of April 2010.

After a couple of months my screen has developed lines which is a problem with led screens the solution was to replace the screen

But how do get this checked the site mailed Dubai Dell they said have to speak to Dell India called Dell India they said speak to Dubai again. I called Dubai said should transfer warranty to India and will take 15 days.

After days of wait, Dell transferred warranty. I called Dell India and they said the warranty is parts only and led screen is not covered. If I want any replacement it will cost me Rs 15,000

I checked with Dell Dubai they stooped taking my mails. Dell India says they are helpless as the product is bought outside of the country and can't help me.

Whose mistake is this? Till today I am working with laptop with hope that the lines will go away as a miracle

Suresh Kumar Bansal

Although this is not the case of shopping, but this is case of deficiency of service to the customers of Golden Gas supply, Palam Vihar Gurgaon. The details are as under:

I am a subscriber of Golden Gas Supply Co. Palam Vihar Gurgaon vide subscriber no. 848933 for LPG. As per procedure, I am supposed to book my requirement of Gas on the given phone Nos. 0124-4070210 and 0124-4078233.

It is a matter of surprise and concern that both these nos. are invariably found busy and if by chance, the bell rings, these calls are never attended.

Every time I had to send my man to get the refill booked.

Ultimately once I got the mobile number of Area Sales Officer Mrs Chadha. I placed my problem before her. Although initially she was pro vendor, but when I questioned her version to try the numbers herself, she cooperated with me in getting the refill on the same day.

She also advised me to do the booking on email. I followed the booking on email.

Now my another problem started. When they will book or reject my request, I was on their mercy.

On January 8, 2011, I was totally without gas supply when I approached Mrs. Chadha (only after trying the phone nos. of the vendor at least 50 times) when she also did not listen to my request and disconnected the call.

Then I had to send my son to the Agency shop. The lady on the counter did not give proper hearing to him. On his insistence, she finally assured to look into the matter what could be done. Ultimately the supply was received in the evening.

The issues for consideration are:

What is the problem that the telephone numbers remain busy all the times (or are kept off the hook all the time)?

If the numbers are really busy, there is a need for additional telephone connections to meet the requirement of subscribers.

Even when the telephone bell rings, why the telephone is not attended;

What is the role of Area Sales Officer who sits in the same shop as of the Gas Agency.