Online Shopping Websites Comparison - Super Sunday

Hey all! :D I hope you all are doing superb! :D


I was willing to talk about this topic since sometime, and finally! I thought today to be the fine day to talk about it.

So what are we talking here about is Online Shopping Websites. I would be particular to those trading in India, since I have always been in my own country, so I have experience with those catering to India only. I hope it still finds readers, LOL! :D


So the first one on the list is: eBay





I guess that one is popular amongst most of you, even if you are not an Indian, right? So let's talk about eBay now. eBay is an American multinational internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide. Founded in 1995, eBay is one of the notable success stories of the dot-com bubble; it is now a multi-billion dollar business with operations localized in over thirty countries. eBay expanded from its original "set-time" auction format to include "Buy It Now" standard shopping; shopping by UPC, ISBN, or other kind of SKU (via Half.com); online classified advertisements (via Kijiji or eBay Classifieds); online event ticket trading (via StubHub); online money transfers (via PayPal) and other services.


What my personal experience says about eBay - Since at eBay we buy directly from a seller and not eBay, we cannot be sure of the product. Actually, eBay can be considered as an online shopping mall where there are lots of stores with different owners. In such a case the liability of the products sold is not of eBay, it is rather that of the seller. Thus, one has to be a bit cautious while buying at eBay.


Tips from my side: Most of the products don't have that Cash-on-Delivery option available. That means, you have to pay for most of the goods online. So make sure you do it from your own PC that has firewall and anti-spyware installed and working! Apart from that, make sure that the reputation of the seller, from whom you buy any stuff, is good enough(preferably 99%)


So in all I would give a 4 star(out of 5) rating to eBay.


Next on my list is: Flipkart

Flipkart is an Indian e-commerce company headquartered in Bangalore, Karnataka. It was started by two IIT graduates, Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, in the year 2007. They were working in Amazon.com previously. Earlier, Flipkart mainly dealt with books but now, it has expanded to electronic goods and a variety of other products.


In October and November 2011, Flipkart acquired the websites Mime360.com and Chakpak.com. Later, in February 2012, the company revealed its new Flyte Digital Music Store. Flyte, a legal music download service in the vein of iTunes and Amazon.com, will offer DRM-free MP3 downloads. Flyte offers browse by language options where users can download international as well as regional songs. Flipkart has listed the music based on its genre on the new music store and has given a lot of variety. Users can shop for tracks from various albums starting at INR6 on the store. A purchased song can only be downloaded maximum 4 times on an internet enabled device.


What my personal experience says about Flipkart: My personal experience with Flipkart was not good to be honest! Actually, I ordered a RAM and a Hard Disk Drive for my PC. After I ordered, 3 days later, both the products went "out of stock". I wasn't worried because I had already placed my order. 6 days after I placed my order, I received a call from Flipkart reporting that there would be a delay in delivery of the products I requested. I said, it's okay, I understand. 9 days after I placed my order(I had still not received my goods), I called them. They told me there would be an additional delay of at-most 1 day before the goods get delivered to me. Then I saw that the things I ordered, were again in-stock, and were priced lower than before! I was highly agitated, but took no action on that. 3 more days later, I still didn't receive anything and sent them an e-mail telling them that the products now cost lower than earlier, so they should charge me less since it has been long delay in delivery, else I shall cancel the order. Seconds later I got an e-mail telling me my order was cancelled! So my personal experience with the website is BAD, WORSE, WORST!! >_< Though my friends say it's a good website, and I don't find a reason to believe them any-longer! Moreover, in a couple of months the prices of most goods which were earlier cheaper on flipkart in comparison to others, are now higher than other websites!

So in all I would give a 2 star(out of 5) rating to Flipkart, based on my personal experience, which may change in future but I'm not sure all because how readily they cancelled my order, it was actually offensive! >_<






Next on my list: Letsbuy

2012: Letsbuy.com, India's second largest e-retailer in electronics. Flipkart has bought the company for an estimated US$ 25 million. Letsbuy is acquired by flipkart is the only reason why I have no longer much trust in it. What can I do? Flipkart itself gave me such a worse customer experience that I am forced to be not be trusting most of it anymore! Anyways, I bought a USB Hub using letsbuy. To be honest the things went on fine all because I wasn't in an urgent need of the hub. Else, they took so long in delivering the hub that I nearly gave up the hope of receiving it! Similar to what happened with Flipkart, happened with letsbuy order too. But as I said, it wasn't urgent so I let it take the time it wanted.


So in all I would give a 2.8 star(out of 5) rating to Letsbuy.


Next on my list: Homeshop18

HomeShop18 is the online & on-air retail marketing and distribution venture of Network 18 Group that was launched as India’s first 24 hour Home Shopping TV channel on 9 April 2008. It is part of the Network 18 Group. The company operates homeshop18.com, an e-commerce platform in India. The television network can be seen on cable, satellite, and some terrestrial channels in India. HomeShop18 acquired CoinJoos.com, an online books, movies and music retailer in August, 2011 for an undisclosed amount.


HomeShop18 has partnered with major brand owners such as Reebok, Nokia, LG, Motorola, Philips, Kaya, and Godrej. G S Home Shopping of Korea, the third largest home shopping company in the world, has a 15% stake in the company. Network 18 has the controlling stake of 51%.


Homeshop18 is one website that earned my trust with it's nice service. Apart from eBay, if there is one website I don't hesitate in buying with is Homeshop18. I ordered books from that website, and I was delivered in no time! Moreover, I could easily find coupons of this website on the internet that was the best part! hahaha! That means, easy discounts on already nice prices! :D The range of products available on HomeShop18 is awesome, they have got almost everything! :D


So in all I would give a 4 star(out of 5) rating to Homeshop18.


Last on my list for the day: Myntra

Myntra.com is another emerging online fashion store in India. But my personal experience would suggest this site has a poor customer service! The collection of goods though, is quite nice! I ordered a sling-bag from the website when they delivered me a duffel bag. I wasn't much agitated since a mistake can occur anywhere. I asked for a return and refund. The return occurred after I called and e-mailed them repeatedly for many many times! See a bad customer service! >_< And then I wasn't refunded my money(IT WAS THEIR MISTAKE! >_<) Rather I was forced to buy something else from their site. When I looked for the bag I originally ordered, it was nowhere to be found! I had to buy something else in order to get something out of the money I already paid! In all my experience with the website was bad, but when I ordered again, I was sent the right thing in perfect condition. So I don't have any hard-feelings for the website, and thus in future I may look at it again to buy something, but I'm not sure about it.

So in all I would give a 3 star(out of 5) rating to Myntra. The rating may improve or aggravate depending on how is their future service!


I won't be comparing anymore for today, may someday later. My opinions about 3 of the websties are not very good. Though I hope they may improve in future, but well! I'm not sure all because their first impression is so bad that I'm reluctant to go for another purchase! Anyways, I gotta go. A short post, right? Well! It's Sunday and exams are on my head. I have to study also and enjoy my Sunday too! haha! So good day all my friends, have fun. Your comments and suggestions are always welcomed! :)