Beware of BIG-Bazaar Exchange schemes

leelal · Mar 27, 2009

Dear Friends,

I am sharing my recent troublesome experiance with the BIG-Bazaar Retail shopping experiance in Chennai. 2 weeks before, BIG-Bazaar has advertised in paper abt a program in which you cna exchange old items like clothes, furnitures, books, vessels and get cash coupons for each kG of weight at a pre-determined rate. These cash vouchers can be used if we make minimum 4 times the purchase value of other items and 8 times the purchase value in case of electronic products.

Since just then we had piled up all old clothes neatly and was thinking of giving to some people. On seeing the ad, we carried this big bundle weighing 15 KGs of old clothes (U know this is the only time weighing machines would even weigh more at such times to give you more cash purchase value). We got vouchers for Rs.3000 so that we were expected to make Rs.12000 to 15000 worht product purchase to avail full benefits. The scheme would also get over in a week's time.

Quiet excited abt the cash vouchers, we stepped into Pondy Bazaar Branch and visited each floor. We planned to buy our next month's groceries upfront, a TV table, Air cooler, roller skates, a suitcase and a printer so that we could fully utilize the coupons and also make our purchases worthwhile. This was the first time we went to this shop.

We checked out furnitute items and liked a TV table. We placed an order with an assurance given by the salesman to get the product delivered in 3 days time as the show-piece was damaged.

Then we checked the electronic items. Salespeople were not ready to show demo of the coolers or the printers as they were single pieces of some china brand. Moreover, they were not aware of the product features to give us any info. Little irritated on the sales team behaviour, we dropped the idea of buying electronics. We then went to check the Roller skates and toys section. We were surprised to know that the exchange coupons are not valid in these sections. (I guess since these are fast moving items, they don't want to pass the offer -)

Lastly we bought groceries worth Rs.2500.00 as we literally took every thing for next month stocks. We had our surprise shock when we reached the bill counter to know that only certain items like dates have the offer, but not on any other common items. we ended up paying the full amount.bonkbonk

We were happy to :rotfl:rotflsee many more customer who were in sucha dilemma including couple of foreigners.

Lastly 12 days have gone by, we have not yet received the TV table order. We have kept following with the sales dept and got replies on saying the warehouse stock is damaged, no stock in warehouse. In-between, they will also call up and say mam the product will be delivered today.. Awaiting the dleivery, we wouldn't move out of our home.

I have never seen such a poor customer service. Now the salesman is asking me to get anything with in the value of the product less cash voucher.:hide:

During such a recession time, every family wants to save money and cut down on their expenses. But events like this will stimulate our buying needs and we end up spending un-necessarily.

HOPE MY EXPERIANCE WOULD HELP ILADIES TO MAKE A SMART and WISE PURCHASE and Protect their savings.

Padmini · Mar 27, 2009

dear leela,
usually i am tempted to go for these offers. infact i am going on pestering my DH,DS. thank you for your timely warning. hereafter i won't open my mouth about this offer.
with love
pad.

Shanvy · Mar 27, 2009

leelal,

Most of these offers do have a glitch or a rider. last year westside had a offer,you spend so much, you get so much free and it was only on select items, which you come to know only while billing.

I don't get tempted by these offers at all now...:bowdownthank god.

but definitely a warning for many who just get carried away.

swathi14 · Mar 28, 2009

Hai

Thanks for the warning signal. My manager too had a bitter experience with Big Bazaar. They told that they are taking old newspapers at Rs.25/- a kilo. Astonished, my manager took the old newspapers thinking that they will give cash. But they gave vouchers which can be exchanged for the purchase of certain items only.

But the quality, is not that much good.

So we must think twice before going for any offer.

andal

roopanair123 · Mar 28, 2009

such offers are really tempting....thanks for timely warning :thumbsup

SHASHU · Mar 28, 2009

Dear Leea,

What a timely advice. They have opened up a showroom near our area and i was to visit today evening. Anyways i will just have a window shopping and come back soon.

Thanks dear

shashu

rpvardhini · Mar 28, 2009

Dear Leelal,

This is really a timely warning!!!bonk Otherwise many people planning to buy in Big Bazaar would have ended up in Big Bejaar!

Thanks,
Vardhini.

roopadadia · Mar 28, 2009

Its not just this their service is also pathetic. If you go late evenings for groceries, the fruits and vegetables are in such a bad state. Above all they will not open all the counters and the 3-4 counters which are operational has a huge q.

Everytime i go, i see that someone or the other has to come back for a missing piece of item or a missing bag. And then they go thru the entire bill agin and cross check the items...that is a waste of another 20 min and 2 people involved so the staff is unnecessarily occupied.

I have stopped going to these stores instead our neighbourhood bania is good, they also give home delivery so while you go out for walks you can place order and they will send it.

If the quality of something is not acceptable they will exchange it too.

sankar2008 · Mar 31, 2009

Its unfortunate even educated people like us getting tempted to go for this. I dont blame Big bazaar. We need to think what is our clothes worth or papers worth. Do anyone can give Rs.25 for Paper/KG. If he is giving why he should give? Can we do this?

They are commercial organization and they need to gain profits. So you cant expect them to give Fast moving items like SURF and Ariel for such offers. Infact they also dont get margins with branded items. They get margin only from low quality brand or china brands so that they throw this offer to public. bonkBut ofcourse,I am not happy with they way they deal with Leelal especially of table.

But we need to resisit outself first before blaming the commercial people.

Let us not get tempted with such adds. Our experience in our earlier days--still lingering--Remesh cars, Anubhav, Devi gold--list endless.

Inspite of my request my cousin went to Prestige to buy exchange offer. He got 20% for very old gas stove for Cooker. 20% is from MRP of the buying item. When he went next day, he was surprise to see for cash purchase they give 20%. Later they told that your gas stove is worth 100 only so that we cant give discount more than that--Any exchange offer, ple check first without exchange if it bought on cash how much discount. You will notice there is no difference in exchange offers.

Thanks.
:cheers

leelal · Mar 31, 2009

Hi Friends,

Thank You for your feedback and experiances too.

You know I am a very choosy lady, not getting tempted by these exchange offers. This is the very first time in my life I have gone in for old-clothes exchange. When we donate old clothes to ashrams, people have difficulty in accepting the clothes as the sizes do not fit the children. MOreover locating one such ashram is time consuming.

I went in there to see and experiance also how come they are exchanging old clothes with such a high value per KG.

I NEVER EVER WOULD VISIT BIG-BAZAARssssssssssss even on normal sales.

You know I am still awaiting my Furniture Order...- My BP has shot up couple of times during the customer service interactions and repeated written emails to them.

I just heard last week in Chennai, they have come up with Old furniture exchange mela.. I started staring at my old TV Table with a gracious look on it..:coffee