I generally buy every piece of PC component from Prime, but they were out of stock with 3TB WD Green for quite some time. Hence I ordered it from Flipkart. I'd just like to inform everyone to think twice before buying internal hard drives from them unless you have no other option. Two issues:
1) As some of you already know, their Bhiwandi & Mumbai warehouse ship internal hard drives in thin cardboard box usually reserved for books and physical media. The only protection they used to secure the hard drive inside was a loose bubble wrap (without duct tape). As the warehouse was less than 10 km from my location, it would not have involved any major transport ride and I got it in working condition barely. It does have physical dent in its outer body due to bad packaging. Drive functions normally to the best I know, I would eventually have RMA'd it down the line.
2) The drive they sent was a recertified drive, not a brand new piece. Didn't see that coming (especially from Flipkart). I gave them benefit of doubt and continued using the drive as long as the WD accepted the serial number and offered full 2-year warranty (the process which involves sending email to wdsupport@microland.com to get exact 2 year warranty from invoice date). I was under the impression that recertified drive may be eligible to be sold as new (because I had past experience from other HDD manufacturers in which replacements came with labels calling them "Refurbished" specifically).
WD Support emailed back informing:
I forwarded the email to flipkart with scan of HDD label and copy of bill (which had same serial number written on it). They initially tried to sweep it under the rug like it was no big deal sending used/recertified/refurbished product as new. They claimed to not have stock of the same drive (false! they were accepting orders on their website). After escalating the issue and following up, they offered to refund the money. I had all my data on the drive and couldn't just return the drive. I would have to purchase another another drive, transfer data from existing to newly purchased drive and then send it over to their warehouse. So I had to make those arrangements before I agreed with their refund option (they would have arranged pickup same day).
Next day, Flipkart customer service got back saying they could arrange replacement but I would have to send the drive back to them first. I politely informed them that a customer should not suffer and jump through hoops for their wrong doings (sending recertified drives as new to customers). Then I explained them what a recertified drive means - a product which is used, had a defect which was supposedly fixed by manufacturer. I requested them to send the replacement drive first so that I can transfer the data and return the first drive back to them the following day. After some explaining to different customer service representatives, they agreed to send replacement first. And guess what? they immediately initiated pickup of the first drive. Another round of explaining and asking a single Flipkart representative to handle the issue, they agreed to send replacement (day before yesterday). Still no word if and when the replacement drive will be shipped. Hopefully, all goes well with the replacement.
Long story short, not worth it buying these internal hard drives online. Get them locally if you can. If this was any big ticket item which couldn't be RMA'd so easily, I would have definitely not taken this so casually. Mind you I still had to play the legal-action and reveal-the-scam card to get the solution I got.
Please ensure you receive a brand new Internal Hard Drive without any mention of recertified/refurbished on them.
I've personally come to the conclusion that Flipkart is no savior of Indian ecommerce, they are no different that the rest of the dealers or e-tailers who would do anything to make extra unlawful financial gains. Who knows how many other customers Flipkart may have scammed by sending recertified drives as new and end users never realizing it. Definitely a fraudulent practice by Flipkart if this is not a one-off incident.
1) As some of you already know, their Bhiwandi & Mumbai warehouse ship internal hard drives in thin cardboard box usually reserved for books and physical media. The only protection they used to secure the hard drive inside was a loose bubble wrap (without duct tape). As the warehouse was less than 10 km from my location, it would not have involved any major transport ride and I got it in working condition barely. It does have physical dent in its outer body due to bad packaging. Drive functions normally to the best I know, I would eventually have RMA'd it down the line.
2) The drive they sent was a recertified drive, not a brand new piece. Didn't see that coming (especially from Flipkart). I gave them benefit of doubt and continued using the drive as long as the WD accepted the serial number and offered full 2-year warranty (the process which involves sending email to wdsupport@microland.com to get exact 2 year warranty from invoice date). I was under the impression that recertified drive may be eligible to be sold as new (because I had past experience from other HDD manufacturers in which replacements came with labels calling them "Refurbished" specifically).
WD Support emailed back informing:
I forwarded the email to flipkart with scan of HDD label and copy of bill (which had same serial number written on it). They initially tried to sweep it under the rug like it was no big deal sending used/recertified/refurbished product as new. They claimed to not have stock of the same drive (false! they were accepting orders on their website). After escalating the issue and following up, they offered to refund the money. I had all my data on the drive and couldn't just return the drive. I would have to purchase another another drive, transfer data from existing to newly purchased drive and then send it over to their warehouse. So I had to make those arrangements before I agreed with their refund option (they would have arranged pickup same day).
Next day, Flipkart customer service got back saying they could arrange replacement but I would have to send the drive back to them first. I politely informed them that a customer should not suffer and jump through hoops for their wrong doings (sending recertified drives as new to customers). Then I explained them what a recertified drive means - a product which is used, had a defect which was supposedly fixed by manufacturer. I requested them to send the replacement drive first so that I can transfer the data and return the first drive back to them the following day. After some explaining to different customer service representatives, they agreed to send replacement first. And guess what? they immediately initiated pickup of the first drive. Another round of explaining and asking a single Flipkart representative to handle the issue, they agreed to send replacement (day before yesterday). Still no word if and when the replacement drive will be shipped. Hopefully, all goes well with the replacement.
Long story short, not worth it buying these internal hard drives online. Get them locally if you can. If this was any big ticket item which couldn't be RMA'd so easily, I would have definitely not taken this so casually. Mind you I still had to play the legal-action and reveal-the-scam card to get the solution I got.
Please ensure you receive a brand new Internal Hard Drive without any mention of recertified/refurbished on them.
I've personally come to the conclusion that Flipkart is no savior of Indian ecommerce, they are no different that the rest of the dealers or e-tailers who would do anything to make extra unlawful financial gains. Who knows how many other customers Flipkart may have scammed by sending recertified drives as new and end users never realizing it. Definitely a fraudulent practice by Flipkart if this is not a one-off incident.
anyway the problem we have is no matter how popular or strong any brand is in India it is still throttled by clueless idiotic and/or crooked employees at the last mile. and they are plenty of them around.
