Flipkart customer orders iPhone worth Rs 51,999, gets soaps instead; company responds

A Flipkart customer from Chandigarh got the shock of his life when he opened the package that was delivered after he ordered an iPhone 12 128 GB variant from the e-commerce platform on its Big Billion Days sale.

Simranpal Singh found two bars of Nirma soap inside instead of the iPhone worth Rs 51,999. 

"Once the Flipkart Wishmaster (delivery person) arrived, I ask him to open the box and started recording the video," Singh said in his blog. 

A video of the unboxing was posted on the YouTube page 'GoAndroid'.

After seeing the soap bars, Singh said he refused to share the OTP with the delivery person as it would have meant that the order was received.

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Following this, the customer said he raised a complaint with customer care. He said that the company accepted the mistake and initiated a refund within a few hours, something Flipkart confirmed. 

"The issue was resolved by the Flipkart support team and the whole amount was refunded within a span of a few days," Singh shared.

What has Flipkart got to say?

When The New Indian Express contacted Flipkart, the company spokesperson said, "Flipkart observes a zero-tolerance policy on incidents that impact customer trust. When the incident was brought to our attention by the customer at the time of the open box delivery, our Support Team reached out immediately to verify the details and a full refund was initiated. Our team has been in touch with the customer since the incident happened and are currently investigating the matter internally."

Although this is a rare occurrence, customers need to be cautious while making such high-value purchases online. 

It is always advisable to record a video of receiving and unpacking any expensive orders that you make.

Flipkart is said to have an Open Box Delivery option for high-value purchases like mobiles and laptops of select brands, as well as most large appliances. 

As part of the Open Box Delivery process, the Flipkart Wishmaster (delivery partner) opens the product at the time of delivery, in front of the customer. Customers can accept the shipment if convinced that the product is genuine and delivered in a good condition.

In the majority of cases, these online stores accept videos and photos as evidence and do the needful. However, if the seller refuses to refund, exchange or replace the fake or damaged products for you, then you can approach the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) to voice your grievances. 

Here's what you can do to raise a complaint with the NCH:

• You can call 1800-11-4000 or 14404 to register your complaint.

• Or you can SMS on 8130009809 and they will get back to you.

• Alternatively, you can register your grievance online by signing up here.

• You can also download the following apps on your mobile phone and register your complaints - NCH, Consumer, and UMANG.

Things to keep in mind while shopping online:

• Always choose trustworthy websites to shop from.

• Check the seller’s ratings and product reviews before making any purchase online.

• It is advisable to buy “Flipkart Assured” or “Amazon Fulfilled” items if you are shopping from Flipkart or Amazon. It is understood that these products are verified by Amazon/Flipkart and have lesser chances of scamming you.

• Do not accept the parcel if it appears to be tampered with. 

• Always record an unboxing video as videos can serve as the best evidence that will work in your favour even in the courts.