Thrillers to tragedies: India’s failed ecommerce pioneer on what ails Flipkart, Snapd

[mkrishna100]

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Thrillers to tragedies: India’s failed ecommerce pioneer on what ails Flipkart, Snapdeal



“Some things are not meant to be,” says K Vaitheeswaran wistfully. He founded one of India’s first ecommerce companies in 1999 and ran it for 14 years before shutting it down.

Fabmart, which later became IndiaPlaza, raised US$5 million from Kalaari Capital in 2011 to scale up as ecommerce began to take off in India. But two years later, it failed to raise follow-up funding, as investors did not see the growth metrics they wanted.

“My pitch to potential investors was a romantic comedy, when all they wanted were James Bond action thrillers,” says Vaitheeswaran over a cup of finely steeped Darjeeling tea at Infinitea, a disruptor from East India offering something different from the cafes in Bangalore.

Vaitheeswaran is a coffee drinker himself but he likes hanging out at Infinitea because it is different.

For more refer the link below :
https://www.techinasia.com/flipkart-snapdeal-troubles-vaitheeswar-explains-why

 

[tbs]

hi

see amazon is doing very good...we need innovative....like in china....ecommerce is very common.....trust and service

after sale is very important....we lack in both.....

 

[tbs]

hi

return policy is also very important ...we lack in that.....

 

[mkrishna100]

hi

return policy is also very important ...we lack in that.....

i doubt whether return policy will work smoothly for a very large and diverese customer base like India .

 

[tbs]

i doubt whether return policy will work smoothly for a very large and diverese customer base like India .

hi

even in USA....all US stores allow return policy except INDIAN GROCERY STORES...there is board in our local indian

grocery here in USA....IT SAYS...NO RETURN....NO EXCHANGE...it shows our indian attitude towards customers...

 

[mkrishna100]

hi

even in USA....all US stores allow return policy except INDIAN GROCERY STORES...there is board in our local indian

grocery here in USA....IT SAYS...NO RETURN....NO EXCHANGE...it shows our indian attitude towards customers...

And you can also add it represents Indian Customers attitude towards return policy and many Indian Customers misuse the return policy .

 

[tbs]

And you can also add it represents Indian Customers attitude towards return policy and many Indian Customers misuse the return policy .

hi

i can understand that.....still ....CUSTOMER IS KING.....

 

[vgane]

I could not find major differences in return policy between Amazon, Flipkart & Snapdeal..I got a defective washing machine through snap deal & it was replaced without much ado within 3 days...Overall I am satisfied by the Big 3 in Ecommerce

 

[mkrishna100]

hi

i can understand that.....still ....CUSTOMER IS KING.....

That phase is over . There was a Marketing & Business Consultant who spoke on SUN TV few months back and he said that Customer is King phase is over now and there must be fairness in both the sides . Abusing the Staff at Restaurants , Hotels by customers in case they fail to deliver porper service will no longer be treated lighlty and they will file police complaint against them and also share the date of that customer in their network so that such customers are denied service . In case there is a problem in the service they need to file a report and bring it to the notice of the management who will take proper action butif they resort to using abusive , filthy language and creating a scene in the Hotel premises in the name of "Customer is the King " attitude then such customers will get the boot .

A year or so back a person abused a Jet Airways airline staff who refused him entry after the boarding time was over and he started abusing her and one passenger Behind told that she better file a compliant against this Passenger and he is ready to testify as a witness and this chap immediatly kept quiet and his tone changed and he pleaded to find an alterantive way to catch the flight as he has an urgent Business meeting to attend in Delhi .

So better is for both the sides to be fair and just .

 

[tbs]

hi

in a capital market system....customer satisfaction is very important....i recently returned GALLON OF MILK to the local grocery in USA..

due to some damage in the container...i got new container with milk replaced....this return policy will not work in india...

 

[mkrishna100]

Tbsji

I understand the spirit behind your posts that Customer's rights must be respected but it will not work when the customer misuses those rights and privileges and unfortunately that is common among Indians both in India and Abroad ( there are exceptions to this ) . My brother who has been in USA for more than 20 years said that many Indians misuse the return Policy in America . Even in India if you are genuine you will get a replacement For eg I got a book from Chennai book fair for my mother from a Publisher and on return I found that some pages were not there and yesterday when contacted them they told they will send a new book by courier . Same with the grocery shop when I found out that one packet of Salted peanuts was stale and he took it and gave me a new one . Return Policy works properly only when the customer is also genuine .

 

[tbs]

Tbsji

I understand the spirit behind your posts that Customer's rights must be respected but it will not work when the customer misuses those rights and privileges and unfortunately that is common among Indians both in India and Abroad ( there are exceptions to this ) . My brother who has been in USA for more than 20 years said that many Indians misuse the return Policy in America . Even in India if you are genuine you will get a replacement For eg I got a book from Chennai book fair for my mother from a Publisher and on return I found that some pages were not there and yesterday when contacted them they told they will send a new book by courier . Same with the grocery shop when I found out that one packet of Salted peanuts was stale and he took it and gave me a new one . Return Policy works properly only when the customer is also genuine .

hi sir

i agreed...i dont deny...even i know many indians misuse BLACK FRIDAY PURCHASES.....after purchase....they return it...

just show the craze...

 

[tks]

Capitalism is in general terrible unless it is accompanies by 'Anti-trust' laws.
True competition for excellence is good for business and for consumers but that is only possible when there are enforceable antitrust laws.

Ma bell (At&T) was broken up because of anti-trust legislation allowing for more companies to compete.

When there is genuine competition - then and only then - the old adage that 'customer is king' applies.

In 2002 or so I was in Chennai and visited a customize greetings card store in Mylapore area with a friend. I was astounded with the level of service and the speed with which things were taken care of. Some items had to be reordered and they took care of it cheerfully.

Most industries in India are monopolies for all practical purposes and are willing to abuse the customers.

Some years ago, bank loan officers used to get all kinds of presents from their clients / customers.

In chennai some years ago hiring an auto means you have to go where he wants to go. I asked him if he can go to the railway station and he says I can take you only to a different point.

The Indian customer also likes to get angry at customer service without reason. They like to yell for feeling better. Such people will abuse return policies.

My view is that if there is genuine competition with enforceable anti-trust laws then customer service will improve, and businesses will know to how to train the customers to be polite in an agreeable manner.

 

[prasad1]

Tbsji

I understand the spirit behind your posts that Customer's rights must be respected but it will not work when the customer misuses those rights and privileges and unfortunately that is common among Indians both in India and Abroad ( there are exceptions to this ) . My brother who has been in USA for more than 20 years said that many Indians misuse the return Policy in America . Even in India if you are genuine you will get a replacement For eg I got a book from Chennai book fair for my mother from a Publisher and on return I found that some pages were not there and yesterday when contacted them they told they will send a new book by courier . Same with the grocery shop when I found out that one packet of Salted peanuts was stale and he took it and gave me a new one . Return Policy works properly only when the customer is also genuine .

I agree with your point. It can work only when both parties are honest. People from Indian subcontinent do misuse the return policy. A fellow student from London university told me of how he used an overcoat for a year and then returned it, he was proud of it.

In USA best buy and other stores charge a restocking fee, if the merchandize was not defective.

 

[biswa]

What about fakes? Do the Indian ecommerce sites take care to weed out fakes?