Shoppers Stop's hidden charges in the masks of different names given to discount sales/ Lack of etiquette and clarity of their own products

Recently I went to exchange some clothes I had bought in their discount period and to my dismay I was charged about Rs.51 extra for the exchange of clothes from the same brand and same MRP . The cashier was rude and simply told me that he cannot do anything. So I decided to investigate and after wasting so much of time and going up and down the stairs to the Customer Services Office as well as demanding to talk to their senior, I got an answer though unsatisfactory.

The floor manager was quite pleasant, courteous and helpful. And I was informed by him that according to Company rules I will have to be charged more even though it does not make sense to any customer for paying more for the same items that too bought in discount period just a day before. He explained that according to the Company the stuff I had bought just a day before were actually from the so called Promotions Sale and the next day was the End of the Season sale where 5% tax is charged on MRP. Naturally I found that unfair and unreasonable as whatever said and done because both days were times of discount sales and I felt that there should have been more clarity regarding the same beforehand so that the customer was prepared for it. Instead there was no clear distinction between the two so called name tags given to the discount sales which would help the customers to differentiate between the two.

So I have decided to contact their head office regarding the same. If there was clarity and the customer was not intended to be misled by Shoppers Stop's hidden charges, then the cashier would have been able to tell me the same. Instead the staff at the cash counters were baffled too.

All should carefully examine and understand their bills and specially taxes charged which we tend to overlook sometimes. Everyone who does not know needs to be informed that usually such stores charge five percent extra tax during discounts time and they have different internal rules regarding different discounts they offer on different days which leaves no choice for the customers but to pay extra on the same products. It is very sad that a lot of restaurants too are getting away with charging us extra under the label of service tax which actually they are not supposed to be charging. But I never thought that big companies like Shoppers Stop would do the same in a different way though...

Like Lifestyle their staff's etiquettes and manners also need to be questioned. When I was getting an exchange slip made, their security person was continuously coughing on my face without covering his mouth and while bending to write the slip saliva fell from his mouth on the clothes I intended to exchange. Their staff really needs classes on manners and etiquettes.

Lifestyle needs a makeover

Shopping at Lifestyle can be quite exhausting and unpleasant at times specially during end of season sales time where there is utter confusion and long lines at the cash counters or clothes scattered on the floor. Their home section is always in the state of confusion as it is and you have to really watch your way there as the staff  seems to be always rushing to their restrooms in a hurry and in the process colliding into customers. I always avoid going to the home section for that reason...

Recently I was also disappointed to the see that their clothes were soiled or stained. And when I requested for a certain stained item from the lingerie section to be exchanged, I was met with opposition at first but eventually I convinced the floor manager to do so after a lot of persuasion. But my advice is that always check their items thoroughly before purchasing. I always check the stuff I buy but this time even I got misled thinking and trusting the sales person and not checking it in details as I usually do. I notice that their staff spills big packets of lingerie on the floor so that customers could choose from them. That reminded me of some street shops where clothes are displayed on the floor. I actually did not feel like buying such items as I give a lot of importance to cleanliness...

Long time back I have had experiences of being overcharged in my shopping bill out there as well. And in sales times I even had the misfortune of walking over the puddle of  a child's urine which the Lifestyle staff did not bother to clean immediately and clothes were falling over it. Remember always wash the clothes you purchase before wearing !

Lifestyle certainly needs a makeover in it's cleanliness, staff attitude specially in home section , staff etiquettes as well as maintenance of the clothes they sell.

Wake Up Vodafone ! - Complaints will only accumulate if they are ignored...You will have to deal with them at one time or the other

Problems accumulate when they are ignored ! The same way complaints will accumulate when they are ignored by Vodafone.And there will come a time when Vodafone will have to deal with all those unresolved complaints all at once or lose their customers to other companies.

Vodafone just does not have the right approach to deal with complaints and resolve them effectively ! Their approach is to harass customers to the point that either they are then too tired to pursue their complaints or Vodafone ignores the customers complaints completely to the extent that customers are forced to forget about their complaints in the face of that indifference.

Somehow Vodafone always manages to cover up their carelessness and mistakes in the smoke of time  but they forget that sooner or later their unprofessionalism and dishonesty will be clearly visible to All...

Vodafone's Continuous Harassment of Customers

The harassment does not end here...For a month and a half I am being continuously harassed by Vodafone. The flames of the unfair resolution by Viodafone Nodal Office and Appellate Authority Office had not even extinguished as yet that now another form of harassment had started. Now I am being charged for a service that I had deactivated long time back on the 20th of May 2015.

Even after deactivating ISD55 pack on the 20th of May 2015 and getting confirmation for it, the pack was activated by the carelessness of their Backend team again in my account. So I complained about it and on the 10th of June, I got a confirmation by SMS that ISD55 pack in my account had been deactivated after my complaint. I was assured that I would not be charged for it as it was Vodafone's fault. 

But this month's bill reflects that I have been charged Rs.55 for ISD pack that stood deactivated from 20th of May and another Rs.49 was charged as clip on it.Vodafone will have to do reversal of both charges as it was confirmed to me that the ISD55 pack had been deactivated on the 20th of May. Also I have been charged last month as well as this month for VAS which I have not used.

The reference numbers are 2564011888 and 2569859468. On May 20th Mr. Surinder and their Customer Services Manger Mr, Subhash had confirmed that the ISD55 pack was deactivated and yet I am being charged for it and Vodafone is activating that service in my account repeatedly without my knowledge. This is heights of bad customer service where you are constantly harassing the customer and providing such an unpleasant customer service. I wish to escalate this matter too. Already another issue of last month with Vodafone has been taken to Ministry of Consumer Affairs and now this too will be addressed at the highest level.

Vodafone's lack of dedication in providing good customer service- They should change their motto to " Not Happy to Help !"

One thing is quite evident with my recent episode of harassment at the hands of Vodafone that they are not at all dedicated in being fair to their customers and providing efficient customer service. The number of unsolved complaints of their customers speaks of their atrocious Customer Services Management ! Further their so called specialised Vodafone care team is not at all specialised to provide the right feed backs and their seniors as well as Nodal Office/ Appellate Authority Office is not trained enough to handle complaints of customers with tact and sensitivity. In fact their entire team is just rigid and always out to prove themselves right at the risk of even losing customers through their unfair resolutions. Vodafone is simply unapproachable on the subject of complaints and unequipped to have the sense to co-operate with the customers. VODAFONE is simply NOT HAPPY TO HELP ! :( :( :(

Wake up Consumers !

Through this blog I want to heighten the awareness about Consumer Rights or Individual Rights .It is very important to create some awareness amongst people here regarding their Rights. It is not an easy path to awaken people in this direction but it is worth a try ! I will be gradually narrating my experiences in pursuing my rights both in India and abroad so that people could relate to it and be inspired to do the same for themselves. I hope I can make a difference and some if not all choose to stand up for themselves instead of getting suppressed by people who harass and bully them continuously. 

Vodafone's lies cannot alter facts

It is unfortunate that a conflict resolving office like the Appellate Authority is believing the false feedback of the Vodafone care team without even attempting to investigate the matter. I have informed them that I also regret that I cannot resubmit documents without a proper investigation from their side and their accepting the fact that I did submit the updated documents on the 4th of June 2015. Instead of taking stern action against the false feedback of their Vodafone specialised care team, they all are siding with them specially when the Noida Vodafone Store has confirmed and agreed that I had visited the store to submit my documents and they had verified them.

I have escalated the matter with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs too and if needed will go to the Consumers Court too. As I had told the Noida store, I would only consider re- submitting my documents if justice is served and Vodafone specialised care team is held responsible for their false feedback and action is taken against the Backend team too for barring my calls despite submitting my documents. Vodafone is also deviating from the issue as to why my calls were blocked when I had already submitted my documents. Instead of sending their agent now without any consultation with me, this agent should have been sent before my calls were barred but that could have only been done had they all confirmed with the store that I had submitted my documents.

It is because of the lies of their staff that the system is getting polluted. Had they all not resorted to lies, I would have then co-operated with them again. But they all have continuously lied and covered up their mistakes to save themselves . Even if I decide to migrate to Airtel via mobile portability, I will still continue fighting my case against Vodafone all for the harassment caused to me based on their lies. Vodafone's insisting that the documents were not submitted at the Vodafone store is not going to alter the fact that I did ! The truth cannot be hidden for long. But Consumers please think twice before choosing Vodafone.