Man Orders Laptop From Flipkart, Receives Bars of Detergent Soap Instead

The customer had made a purchase from Flipkart's 'Big Billion Days' Sale.

We’ve all heard of incidents where people order phones online but receive something else instead. Adding to that is this latest incident where a student from IIM Ahmedabad ordered a laptop for his father. What he received in the delivery was quite different– detergent bar soaps!

Yashaswi Sharma took to LinkedIn to narrate the incident. He had ordered a laptop from Flipkart's 'Big Billion Days' sale. He explained that his father was the one to receive the delivery. However, they had opted for the open-delivery option, where the parcel has to be opened and checked in front of the delivery executive. Only after the parcel’s correct delivery is assured can the OTP be given to the delivery executive.

However, Sharma’s father was not aware of this option and like normal deliveries, assuming that the OTP is to be given before taking the parcel, he did exactly that. Because of this, Sharma claims that Flipkart is refusing to help him and is not ready to cooperate and accept responsibility.

He also added, “My father's fault is that he assumed the package - coming from a #flipkart assured seller - will contain a laptop and not detergent. Why couldn't the delivery boy inform the receiver about open box concept before asking for OTP?"

Here is his detailed post:

He has also shared some updates about the incident. In the comments, he revealed that he spoke to the delivery executive again, who himself wasn’t aware of Flipkart’s open-box scheme. He also admitted that the package wasn’t opened in front of him. Sharma also said that Flipkart has promised to initiate a refund, but he hasn’t received anything yet. Lastly, he also mentioned that a complaint has been filed at the local police station with the help of some relatives.

Flipkart has also issued a statement following the incident, stating that they have looked into the matter, processed a refund for Sharma, and even "initiated action against the errant party".

The statement reads, "Flipkart as a customer-focused organisation observes a zero-tolerance policy on all incidents that impact customer trust. It is of utmost importance to us to ensure the best possible online shopping experience for our customers. In this specific case that offered an Open Box Delivery option, the customer shared the OTP with the delivery executive without opening the package. Once the details of the incident were verified, our customer service team initiated a refund that will be credited within 3-4working days. We have identified the issue and have also initiated action against the errant party."

Further, it explains how the Open Box Delivery service works and how it was launched to "build a superior supply chain". Read the rest of the statement here:

"Flipkart's Open Box Delivery is an initiative dedicated to safeguarding the customer's interests. As part of the Open Box Delivery process, Flipkart Wishmasters (delivery partner) opens the product at the time of delivery, in front of the customer. Customers need to accept the delivery only when their orders are present in an intact state and then share the OTP. This prevents any financial liability on part of the customer. This is an extension of the various initiatives that Flipkart has undertaken over the years to improve the overall customer experience and build a superior supply chain."