Online shopping is not so pleasant and advantageous to one and all e-buyers.Most of the e-commerce companies have framed their own policies at their own discretion.
Support system of most of e-commerce websites is not at all appreciable and convenient.They take prides in extending phone support avoid the most convenient mode of communication.
Phone support gives them extra advantage as no proof of conversation is left behind for the caller. Other disadvantages of phone are repeated dialing to get one to respond, disconnection during conversation, entire reply from other end are not always clearly audible.
It is also difficult for a caller seeking support to remember entire conversation, and it does not serve the purpose of making reference of previous contact during later contacts. Phone support is totally useless to aged people or people with weak hearing organs.So, this mode of contact is never so helpful.
Chat support is little better as it leaves footprint in the form of transcript available in registered email address, although chat window does not display date, but time only.
Direct email support is the best mode of contact. But, the e-commerce companies do not at all
prefer it and do not make it available even to registered users.It is because of the fact that
email interaction leaves footprint or proof behind in the hands of the consumer who can a
reference later to the communication. It is clear that this is reason why most of the e-commerce
companies fear email interaction.
They have found out an alternative mode of email support via online contact form.
Here a user finds a very little advantage. He is to follow their dictation meaning that he is to use their pre-created topics, subjects and secondary topics or subjects without liberty to
use his own issue-based topics and subjects. Only a few such e-commerce sites are there who leaves a room for user’s subject by option - Others.
Shipping policies of most of the e-commerce websites are great barrier to online shopping.Most of the e-commerce company shows excuses that product is not deliverable to buyer’s location since their courier partners / logistic partners are not serviceable in this or that location of buyer. With such shipping policy binding on seller, the seller is not free to use other courier services which can reach a buyer’s location. Although these e-commerce companies are not actual sellers, they are restricting the business of seller by their policy and depriving buyer to get certain chosen products.By building partnership with certain logistic companies with limited network, the e-commerce companies themselves reap a extra benefit at the cost of seller business and they are not interested to partner with other logistic companies which is reachable all over India. Their excuses for their incapability of delivery to all over India is not at all acceptable, because there is an alternative courier service which is reachable nook and corner of the India.
This is Indian Postal Service. But these e-commerce companies ignore this service at the cost of Govt. revenue, by building partnership with some private companies which only cover just metropolitan cities and big cities, but not small towns in India. These
e-commerce companies are practically doing no good to sellers or buyers and not contributing
to Govt. revenue. Sellers are hardly to blame as they live in different cities where courier
service which reach all over India may be available, while postal service is available anywhere
and everywhere in India.The e-commerce companies should amend their shipping policy and allow sellers to despatch their products using any courier services available around the seller’s location, other than the courier partners of the e-commerce companies, which themselves are not the actual sellers.
Return & Refund Policies of many an e-commerce companies are quite dis-satisfactory. It is seller who supplies a item and therefore, he is fully liable for delivery of defective product or wrong product. So, it devolves upon the seller to arrange pick-up of returnable product. Once the has got the return, the e-commerce companies can easily make refund in no time.
Entire affairs of despatch, delivery etc. are at finger’s end of the companies. They also find reliable or authentic reports from the websites of courier agencies or India Postal Service website. Moreover, they can collect authentic information by communicating with the related logistic partner’s website. It does not require much time. So, there can be no reason why refund can’t be made within the shortest period of time. Similarly, the seller is liable for non-delivery of products.If he fails to despatch the product within the stipulated time, the e-commerce company can easily take action towards immediate refund.
At times seller’s false report may cause problem to buyer in getting refund. I had experience with a seller who without despatching the product, entered invalid despatch number. Tackingshipment with this number return error report and it was finally confirmed with the courier company that no shipment with this despatch number was booked within past 3 months till date. Either the seller or e-commerce company is liable for such fake entry. They should avoid such practice in future.
Refund is not such a complicated procedure as can’t be made within a short period not exceeding a week provided that intention of e-company is good and fair and sincere.
Now, it is the duty of e-commerce company to look after the satisfaction of the e-buyer and
amend the policies as may be appreciated by e-buyers, being the prime element of e-shopping.