I shop via the Internet quite a lot, but mostly on American websites, which work because of their tried and tested method of keeping customers happy by excellent customer service and feedback system. Boutique shopping isn’t new in the US and I have purchased many products from websites like Hautelook, Ideeli and Ruelala, and I have always always ALWAYS received my items in excellent condition and IN the stipulated time frame.
Then came along this Indian website (and many followed suit apparently), Fashion and You and I was excited at the opportunity to have the same convenience of buying online as I did with its American counterparts. I did the background check to see their validity and was happy to spot Harish Bahl as their Chairman. When I had started out in the IT industry, I had worked with Mr. Bahl when he was still running Smile (then known as) Studios. Although I have never met or worked with Ms. Pearl Uppal, I am aware of her track record as well. My confidence was bolstered by knowing that there were recognizable names behind this venture and I registered and bought my first item.
The first shopping experience lived up to the websites promises and the item was delivered within 2 days of confirmation email that my order has been dispatched. No need to wax eloquent but I was happy. The website was genuine, it worked- what more can an online shopper ask for.
I placed a second and then a third order and recommended the website to my HR for our annual Diwali Gift shopping. HR placed a large order for 23 items by Ravenn, we were all excited and happy about the discounts offered. The bliss didn’t last too long.
My 2nd order is now officially 10 days delayed. Just 10 days you ask? Well remember, my last order was shipped within 2 days of confirmation. This is like your husband wishing you Happy Birthday at 11pm, my disappointment was huge. I placed numerous calls to their ONE listed number, which incidentally is never free. I finally lucked out in between my incessant calling and got a disinterested Customer Care Employee and she casually informed me that the order is delayed. I asked for a tracking AWB no. so I can track the order myself with PANCITY (courier service via which my order has been dispatched) and her response was- Why do you need that? There is no AWB on your order. Brilliant! I insisted and she gave me the number of a Mr. Roshan (#9312937459) in PANCITY who will help me with this issue. Mr. Roshan was a rude jackass, who argued and finally hung up on me when I asked for the details of my Order #39327. How sweet!
I promptly logged on to my inbox and sent support@fashionandyou.com a lengthy email of my predicament and well, it’s been 2 days now no response. I get on the internet now, feeling completely betrayed and after surfing their Facebook page and Mouthshut complaints and reading abusive reviews, Fashion and You turns out to be another giant, colossal Epic Fail!
Shoppers are lemmings (don’t be offended, I’m an addict myself) and will jump off the proverbial cliff cause we see others are happily jumping off too. THIS is the sales strategy behind most boutique shopping online. Create enough hype, unbelievable discounts, a snazzy looking website and viola! You will guaranteed have a 1000 join and start buying like little crazed lemmings. The trick is to have the lemmings dust themselves off from the bottom of the cliff (padded with cotton- this is the TRUST factor) and climb back up and repeat the performance. THEN you have what we call Amazon.com, Ideeli.com, Etsy.com etc.
Fashion and You FAILED grossly in figuring their logistics out. They have NO customer care to speak of. Shopping is a SERVICE oriented experience. If you don’t get the service no matter what you are selling, shoppers will take their money elsewhere. Shoppers need to have their trust handled with delicate care, and if you cannot provide the service don’t lie and cheat the shoppers with these promises. It’s business suicide for companies when customers start banding together and posting these reviews, consistently complaining about lost orders, delayed orders, damaged orders, no call-backs, no responses- we are lemmings but once a lemming dies you have lost your revenue from that shopper. When enough lemmings die, your business model will die as well. Websites like Rediff, Sify, Fabmall etc. suffered similar fate and have slunk back into oblivion.
I’m sure Mr. Bahl and Ms. Uppal are laughing all the way to the bank, but is the cost of damaging your reputation in this small industry really worth it?
I’m sincerely hopeful that my order(s) will be delivered and that the large order placed by my company’s HR on MY recommendation will be delivered in excellent condition as well. I would hate to have to hunt down legal resolutions on Fashion and You if this fails.
UPDATE 25th Sept 2010-
I received a call from FNY few days back after they read my review on mouthshut.com. Surprised? I sure was!
The lady was polite and wanted to reassure me about their credibility and explained to me how they are trying to fix these giant holes in their customer service process. I was quite appreciative of this call-back, majorly cause I really did believe that no one would pay attention from their end, I’m one in a million customer after all. She took the time to listen to my frustration, and admitted that theirs is a start-up company and they are still going through the motions of stabilizing their customer care and service. I appreciate the honesty as well, but no offense FNY, but this part you should have figured out and tested thoroughly before you went live with it. I did make it a point to let her know in my professional (I run a company too after all) opinion that they will need to study this business process and work out the logic behind the success of its American counterparts. Handling other peoples money requires a lot of responsibility after all.
I won’t lie, my confidence in this website wants to be restored. But they definitely have a long way to go before it accomplishes that. I liked the fact that she gave me her contact info to get in touch, with if I need to, with my orders (btw- the last order was delivered a day before the call came) and took the time to check and see the orders placed by my company’s HR as well.
Nice, eh? I just hope she doesn’t quit her job before my orders arrive!
FNY- if you are still scouring reviews (and esp. since I told the lady I will be updating my review to reflect the call-back) my most urgent recommendation to you would be to get a toll-free number that allows multiple call routing and an Email client that scans order# and prevents mails from being routed to the Spam/Junk folders.
Good luck to you guys!