If it’s too good to be true…
Shopping websites or TV channels keep coming up with attractive goods. If you find something worth buying, take a few precautions before and after purchasing it
E-commerce in India is on a roll with more and more buyers getting attracted to the web to buy merchandise ranging from grocery items to luxury stuff. You would find a host of websites like www.homeshop18.com, www.olx.in, www.flickr.com, www.jabong.com, www.snapdeal.com, www.flipkart.com, www.ebay.in, www.naaptol.com, www.yebhi.com and www.futurebazaar.com selling almost everything from home & living items, kitchen & dining wares, home appliances, gadgets, gift and grocery items. Then there are live shows on TV offering heavy discounts on a host of items like clothing, jewelry, watches, furniture and kitchen appliances.
However, when buying any merchandise through web or TV, there are certain ‘to-do’ things you must be aware of whether you are paying before delivery of the goods or after.
Watch out for red flags
If something looks too good to be true, it probably is. So goes the cliché. This surely applies to online deals. For instance, a machine that you are told would reduce fat and give you the shape of a movie star without much effort is mostly likely to be a hoax. When you plan to buy an item from an online seller promising a good deal, make some effort to find out whether it’s a real offer or just bait. Many unscrupulous vendors post fake items on sale online or cover up their offer in order to push sale. One of the big risks of buying online is that you could end up buying a fake or broken item or something different from what you were promised, no matter whether you are paying on or before delivery.
Another red flag is the mode of payment. Shopping sites offer multiple modes of payment, namely, debit card, credit card, internet banking, cash on delivery, cash before delivery, cheque/DD and EMIs. There are many portals on sale whether on websites or on TV shows for which you can make payment on delivery. However, there are some sites where you have to make payment upfront before it’s shipped to you. There are risks involved in both these cases.
Payment before delivery
When you make payment upfront before the delivery, check the authenticity of the website you are buying from. Normally, well-known companies don’t ship substandard goods to their customers, but don’t take chances. Ask your neighbors, friends, etc., and try to find out the dependability of the website or TV channel you’re planning to buy from.
Once you’ve got the positive feedback, you can proceed to place the order. Don’t forget to read the terms & conditions, shipping policy and return policy of the company. This will help you in case you’re not satisfied with the product.
Payment after delivery
If you are not comfortable making an online payment, you can opt for the cash on delivery mode. You can pay in cash when taking actual delivery of the product at home. However, just because you’re paying on delivery, don’t ease up on the precautions. For instance, before taking the delivery, check the packaging of the item you ordered; it should not be torn. If the packaging is tampered with or damaged, don’t take delivery. Immediately lodge a complaint by calling up the respective online company’s customer care and give your details like your name, product ordered and reference number. Take the delivery only if the product is in good condition. Even then don’t forget to get a bill/invoice with the product that was delivered to you. If you don’t get the bill at the time of delivery, don’t delay in calling the company’s customer care team for the same.
If the product is damaged
There are certain circumstances beyond your control. The packaging might look fine from outside but the item may be damaged. If the product is defective/damaged, you should not use it. As a second step, get in touch with the customer service team of the company within maximum 48 hours of delivery. Some companies give a 30-day window to return the product for a replacement and many of them replace the damaged product at no extra cost.
Another very important factor to remember while returning the damaged merchandise is to keep the price tag, labels and invoice of the product with you. Also, keep the goods in their original packaging, failing which the company might turn down your replacement request.
Also, not all products you buy can be returned/replaced as there are certain restrictions depending on the nature and category of the product. For instance, goods like innerwear and socks can’t be returned/replaced.
How to get refund
Once you’ve returned the product in a right condition and as per the terms of the return policy, it’s time to get your money back. Shopping sites start the process of refund after receipt of the product and pay you back in the mode of payment of the order.
For instance, if you had paid through credit card, the company will refund your money back to the credit card within a week or 10 days. You can check the refund in the next statement of the card. Further, if you had paid by internet banking, they refund the money back to your bank account. In rest of the cases, the company would refund by a cheque.
