I knew what I was getting into when I ordered a product from Indiatimes Shopping. Yet, the entire experience has been so horrible that I am compelled to vent my frustration.
I ordered a mobile phone from Indiatimes Shopping on 19 August 13. To be fair, I was told to expect the delivery by 29 Aug 13. The particular model was sold out on other portals so I had no other choice but to order it from Indiatimes Shopping. I surmised that the delay would be attributable to sourcing the product or for shipping it from some far away warehouse/seller. I’ve been regularly buying from Flipkart and the delivery has unfailingly reached me on the third day.
This was the first time that I was ordering from Indiatimes Shopping so I was not aware of its business practices. I can now vouch that these are still in the age when TOI first started printing i.e. more than a hundred years ago. For instance, after placing the order and PAYING UPFRONT, the status of the order is "in process" for the first 24 hours, "being verified" for the next 24 hours, "verified" for the next 24 hours, "to be shipped" for the next 24 hours and finally on the fifth day(i.e on 24 Aug 13) I was conveyed that the package has been delivered to the courier company. And on the sly, the expected date of delivery has been delayed by another day.
Enter Aramex, a transnational courier company based somewhere in an Arab country. The following data has been faithfully reproduced from their shipment tracking link:-
Shipment History
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Location Date Activity
Gurgaon, India 8/27/2013 11:20:00 PM Out for Delivery - Beyond Delivery Area
Delhi Hub, India 8/27/2013 5:56:00 PM Forwarded to Aramex delivery office
Mahipalpur Branch, India 8/26/2013 11:13:00 PM Departed Operations facility – In Transit
Mahipalpur Branch, India 8/24/2013 4:02:00 PM Received at Origin Facility
Mahipalpur Branch, India 8/24/2013 4:02:00 PM Record Created
Anybody who is aware of the geography of NCR will understand my frustration. I mean, they move the package from the Delhi-Gurgaon border to their Delhi Hub and onwards to Gurgaon over a period of three days! They must to be using bullock carts for delivery and kindergarten kids for processing the shipment details.
What is more, the destination City is shown as Dehradun whereas the shipping address clearly mentions Haldwani. That’s 400 km away on an entirely different route. I wonder if the next stop is Dubai?
Clearly, Indiatimes Shopping and Aramex couriers are a match made in heaven. No wonder, when you look online for reviews of Indiatimes Shopping and Aramex you’ll find them to be predominantly negative. It’s time that someone in Indiatimes Shopping should review their association with Aramex. I’ve had enough of both of these.