I recently ordered a 3-seater sofa from Pepperfry, the experience was okay until the time it was delivered. Thereafter I entered pepperfry’s zone of policy-based customer service(customer care or store representative only responds if your problems fit their "POLICY"). Well the sofa was delivered yesterday, within delivery schedule no complaints on that, but soon after the delivery guys unwrapped the sofa 1st surprise, cushions were missing(there was supposed to be 2 cushions) when I asked the delivery guys they said "Picture mey toh kuch bhi reh sakta hey, yehi milega". Then we sat on the sofa and 2nd surprise, it’s even harder than our bonded foam mattress, sitting comfort and feel is not what they mentioned on the website.
Then I picked up phone and called customer care(without knowing 3rd surprise on the way), the representative said "in the order invoice there is "CLEARLY" no mention of cushion", responded that I confirmed with the store people while buying, guess what he said "as per POLICY we cant help, go to the store". Then I said overall comfort level of sofa is not as per expectation what is the policy for exchange or return, he asked "a)termite damage b)broken parts c)fabric damaged)incomplete item" I said my reason of exchange/return is not covered under these 4 categories, to which he adamantly replied "then as per "POLICY" the item cannot be returned or exchanged".
I told him that I have already ordered three more items which are in transit and want to know how to cancel those(because if there is an issue with those orders and I cannot return/exchange them, then there is no use buying those stuff), then came knockout punch the 4th surprise "as per POLICY, cancellations will not be accepted once an order is placed". After the call, I was like a volcano about to explode, and reached the pepperfry store, and told the store representatives the entire episode. They gave me a 5th surprise "as per POLICY for any complaint related issue call customer care". I gave a little piece of mind then the store the agreed to take note of them and said: "we will try to escalate the issue, but in 99% percent cases if there is no visible damage to the delivered item, nothing will happen". So I understood the actual meaning of their brand "pepperFRY", they will literally fry your bheja.
In a nutshell the business model of pepperfry.
pepperFRY will sell you Hrithik Roshan on the website and will deliver Harman Bawaja. And if you raise compliant with customer care they will ask "does he has a broken leg, you say no", to which pepperFRY will say, as per police you have to live with Harman Bawaja only.
So advice to people planning to buy products from pepperFRY, what you see on the website may not be what you will get delivered, and once you order it’s a one-way traffic.
By the way, there are 3 more orders(2 beds, coffee tables) of mine already placed. And the funny part is I can’t even cancel. And once delivered can’t return if there is no visible damage. So I am kinda doomed.
My Order Details:
1.Northwest Three Seater Sofa by Looking Good Furniture(GSTIN: 29AGQPS1018Q1ZK, Invoice No: PLKA181900000239, Order No: 303915419-FN1339777-P-WH14949, Invoice Date: 9th April 2018
)
Price: Rs. 14, 061.00
2.Center Table in Walnut Finish by Crystal Furnitech(GSTIN: 27AMNPB9252A1Z8, Invoice No: MTMH181900000647, Order No: 303915419-FN1593796-P-WH11422, Invoice Date: 9th Apr, 2018
)
Price: Rs. 2, 530.00
3.Stigen Solid Wood Queen Size Bed in Warm Chestnut Finish by Woodsworth(GSTIN: 27AAIHA5893F1Z3, Invoice No: STMH181900000477, Order No: 303913231-FM1605304-P-WH2194, Invoice Date: 10th April 2018)
Price: Rs. 18, 717.00
4.Bari Metallic Queen Size Bed in Black Finish by FurnitureKraft(GSTIN: 27AMNPB9252A1Z8, Invoice No: MTMH181900000992, Order No: 303927648-FN1620820-P-WH4378, Invoice Date: 13th April 2018)
Price: Rs. 4, 745.00
Total Order Amount = Rs. 40, 053.00