This review was written a year ago. Back then, Rediff was not listed under the Online Shopping category, so I had posted it under General Portals.
Online shopping can be a great experience, except that there are some proverbial spoilsports. Like rediff.com.
I recently tried shopping on rediff.com and the following mails will explain the horror story. After paying online, the site still showed the order as Awaiting Approval. I spoke to their Customer Service Executive who said that his screen showed ’’Payment not Received’’ and asked me to send proof of payment!!!
From: Subir Ghosh (@hotmail.com)
Date: Friday, August 22, 2003 01:51 PM
To: shopping@rediff.co.in (shopping@rediff.co.in)
Subject: Complaint - Order no. 1643125
Sir/Madam
I ordered a book from rediff.com on 21/08/2003 (Order no. 1643125). I paid online through HDFC Direct Pay and the amount was immediately debited from the account. However, the order status on your web site still shows ’’Awaiting Approval’’. The standard response I get when I call up your toll-free number is ’’We haven’t received the payment.’’
I am attaching with this mail a portion of HDFC Bank’s online statement which clearly shows that the amount has been cleared along with the Order No. & Ref No. I hope you realize that a toll-free number is absolutely useless when yourexecutives can’t sort ouit customer complaints.
Please look into this. An early reply will be appreciated.
Regards.
Subir Ghosh
Tel: (022) 3260
Hurrah! I did receive a reply. So what if it was automated?
From: ’’Shopping’’ <shopping@rediff.co.in>
To: ’’Subir Ghosh’’ <@hotmail.com>
Subject: RE:{Rediff#001-409-511} Complaint - Order no. 1643125
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 18:58:52 +0530
Dear Shopper,
Regarding your order on Rediff.com, I regret to inform you that there has been a delay in the dispatch from our vendor. This is primarily caused by a huge surge in orders which have thrown the vendor’s delivery mechanism out of gear.
The vendor has now sorted the issues out and almost completed the backlog of dispatches. You may already have received your order, if not you will certainly receive it in the next 3 / 4 days.
I regret once again this delay and hope that you will continue shopping with us in the future.
Warm Regards,
Neha
Customer Support
rediff.com
P.S. This is an automated email. Kindly do not reply to the same.
Those 3/4 days passed in eager expectation. When I didn’t receive the goods, I called them up & I was told that my order had been cancelled! No reversal of payment was made to my account. I shot another mail.
From: Subir Ghosh (@hotmail.com)
Date: Thursday, September 04, 2003 05:58 PM
To: shopping@rediff.co.in (shopping@rediff.co.in)
Cc: ajitb@rediff.co.in (ajitb@rediff.co.in)
Subject: Cancellation - 1643125 & 1642420
Sir/Madam
Please cancel my 2 orders nos. 1643125 & 1642420. I have already spoken to your executive (Arti) this morning.
It’s really unfortunate that you put up things in your website that you cannot supply. Let me take you thorugh the events that speak volumes about your efficiency.
I order a book (Order no. 1643125) using HDFC Direct Pay and the amount is immediately debited from the account.
Even on the next day, the order status on your web site still shows ’’Awaiting Approval’’. The standard response I get when I call up your toll-free number is ’’We haven’t received the payment.’’ You executive then asks me to mail/fax the bank statement showing the transaction.
I mail the portion of the bank statement and I receive a mail from you saying ’’You will certainly receive it in the next 3/4 days.’’ The mail is copied below.
The website ’’My Account’’ page keeps showing ’’Out of Stock.’’
I call up your toll-free number today (04/09/03) and I’m told that the orders have been cancelled already!!! No reversal of payment has been done yet.
Please arrange to reverse the payment ASAP.
Regards.
Subir Ghosh
Another automated mail!
From: ’’Shopping’’ <shopping@rediff.co.in>
To: ’’Subir Ghosh’’ <@hotmail.com>
Subject: RE:{Rediff#001-469-329}Cancellation - 1643125 & 1642420
Date: Sat, 06 Sep 2003 17:16:30 +0530
Hello Subir,
Thank you for placing your order with Rediff.com
We apologize for the inconvenience caused to you because of the books that you had ordered being out of stock. I wish to inform you that your orders 1643125 and 1642420 have been cancelled as per your email to us. Please feel free to contact us for further queries or suggestions.
Sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to you.
Warm Regards,
Arti Deshpande
Customer Service,
http://www.rediff.com
P.S.:- Please don’t change the subject line for future correspondence
Phew! Order cancelled, thank Heavens. But what happens to my money? God bless e-mail.
From: Subir Ghosh (@hotmail.com)
Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2003 11:20 AM
To: shopping@rediff.co.in (shopping@rediff.co.in)
Subject: RE:Cancellation - 1643125 & 1642420
Please reverse the payment made towards the cancelled order no. 1643125 by
today, failing which I’ll be forced to take this case to the Consumer Forum.
Subir Ghosh
Another, dumb, robotic reply. No mention of money.
From: ’’Shopping’’ <shopping@rediff.co.in>
To: ’’Subir Ghosh’’ <@hotmail.com>
Subject: RE:{Rediff#001-469-329}Cancellation - 1643125 & 1642420
Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 19:10:19 +0530
Hello Subir,
Thank you for your email.
Thank you for writing in.
I have cancelled your Rediff order numbers: 1643125 as you have requested.
Please feel free to contact us for further queries or suggestions.
Assure you courteous, prompt service on all your visits to https://rediff.com
Warm Regards,
Arti Deshpande
Customer Service,
http://www.rediff.com
P.S.:- Please don’t change the subject line for future correspondence
God, help me, I’m losing control!
From: Subir Ghosh (@hotmail.com)
Date: Thursday, September 18, 2003 04:57 PM
To: shopping@rediff.co.in (shopping@rediff.co.in)
Subject: RE:Cancellation - 1643125 & 1642420
Ms. Arti Deshpande
I hope you understand what I’ve been trying to communicate in my mails. Your
cancelling the order is not enough. PLEASE REVERSE THE PAYMENT, which means
you should advise the bank about the cancellation and the account should
show the credit.
The amount was paid through HDFC Direct Pay.
It’s really unfortunate that I have to follow up so much for a mere payment reversal. If you have problems understanding this mail, call me up (3260) and I’ll explain. I notice that you’ve taken off the helpline no. from the site.
Subir Ghosh
Finally, the good news. Perseverance pays!
From: ’’Shopping’’ <shopping@rediff.co.in>
To: ’’Subir Ghosh’’ <@hotmail.com>
Subject: RE:{Rediff#001-469-329}Cancellation - 1643125 & 1642420
Date : Fri, 19 Sep 2003 10:06:49 +0530
Hello Subir,
Thank you for your email.
I wish to inform you that a refund has already been issued for the order 1643125 on 17th September and the same will reflect on your credit card statement.
Assure you courteous, prompt service on all your visits to https://rediff.com
Warm Regards,
Arti Deshpande
Customer Service,
http://www.rediff.com
P.S.:- Please don’t change the subject line for future correspondence
It wasn’t a credit card payment. It was a direct debit from a bank account. Anyway, all’s well that ends well. I still do a lot of online shopping, but never on rediff.com.