When my spouse calls me "stupid", she actually mean otherwise, at least she says so. I am told it to be her eccentric way of expressing her adore. Albeit, such a dialect comes with its absolute dictionary meaning for my online buying tendency.
Let me also start with my "self confessed" stupidity. I am an active online buyer with my hands tried in almost all the ePortals. Sometimes I am lucky (a DSLR remote for $4 only, working for last 4 years) and at times wretched too (oversized expensive jacket lying in my wardrobe for 2 years).
In my adventurous voyage of virtual markets, I do not have incessant good experience with any single website for too long. If one shopping site is the best on Monday, it comes worst experience on the very next Monday. Websites like Myntra, ebay, Indiatimes, Rediff, Homeshop18, Lenskart, Amazon have gained and lost the reliance at different point of time.
I am, however contented with FlipKart and without putting any number to the satisfaction barometer I uttered my approval for this shopping portal holding the pledge to declare my disgruntlement as and when I come across at MS.
It all started with my search for an inexpensive children book "Roald Dahl - Esio Trot" and “The God Delusion” by Richard Dawkins both of which were not available around that time. Received the books timely and with good packaging with bookmark slip. Then the second order follwed by third... and so on.
Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, both from IIT Delhi left their Amazon.com job to start the venture with about 4 lac cash in 2007 only to become the largest online store clocking 5 billion rupees as revenue. It acquired the websites Mime360.com, Chakpak.com and Letsbuy.com to become robust and visible. Technocrats from IIT Delhi with MNC retailing experience are bound to deliver in the initial days and hence the growth story. The enthusiasm dies down with time and growing big. I could slowly notice the simptoms of care-less attitude towards the customers. You pay in advance (debit or credit card) and you recieve the items in 8 days and if you opt COD you receive in 2/3 days.
While writing this piece, I am waiting for my Gorillapod GP-3 after receiving a SONY Vaio netbook. It is a noticeable migration from books to other articles. The ecommerce portal deals in 13 categories including Books, Mobile, Computers, Camera, Gaming, Movies, Music, Electronics, Personal Healthcare, Home Kichen, Stationery, Fragrance and Air Conditioners (not seen now). Wtih every addition of category the focus on Books and the efficienty is going down.
A fairly wide variety of products (11.5 million books as they say) with fair packaging and home delivery gives a fair degree of comfort. I had chosen to pay the Netbook in 3 interest free equal installments (now common at all e portals including ebay) and countable card purchases. Mostly the articles (mainly books) are on COD basis. Product display and discounts are satisfactory. It has an unique feature of paying through Credit Card at your doorstep though the delivery guy says you need to inform while ordering. It also flaunts a 30day return policy (Not tried yet). An online tracking mechanism comes as an usual but not much benefiting feature.
Besides these ecommerce features it may not all be hunky-dory. In one occasion I had to wait for about 8 days after placing the order. Who has the time afterall. I was doing online shopping even at bazee.com before it was acquired by ebay.com. I have seen how the service level goes down with the scale of operations.
I need to test them few more times before really recommending an e-commerce site.
NOTE: I have only narrated my own experience and no way reccommending the shopping portal, as online shopping is a matter of personal choice and preference. It has its flipside. I will keep the first comment para discreet to update my future online experience with FLIPKART