Amazon doesn’t work well for Indian customers
I have been a regular customer of Amazon and have been been buying books and other stuffs for years, even when shipping cost is generally higher than the actual cost of item.
After using their services for more than three years or so, I have decided not to use it anymore unless it’s the only option. I am now a frustrated customer of Amazon. These are the some reasons:-
- Items don’t get shipped on time, even when I pay more for shipping.
- Generally, Amazon doesn’t provide the tracking number that means I can’t track. Amazon actually tries to save money by sending mails through cheaper options (for them), that’s the reason for no tracking-number.
- Their support emails suck big time. It would say same thing except one-two lines replaced in similar mail-template (draft).
- Amazon tries to prove that I (customer) might have given a wrong address or I might have been out and courier got returned, blah-blah.
BTW! Amazon has development and support center in India, still they don’t understand how important Indian market can be for them. There is big-big market for programming (IT) books only.
BTW! There are bunch of Indian websites for books:-
These serve the purpose for old books, not for new/latest books. In India, you get books at lower rates because of lower paper-quality. Most of international books are photo-copied/printed, by partners in India, on lower quality papers (which are good sometimes but mostly sucks).
I hope that some other company provides better services (faster and cheaper shipping, I don’t mind paying $$$ for books) to Indian customers.
Do you know where one can get US edition of Magazines such as Time, Newsweek, Fortune, Forbes, etc? And, not Indian or UK edition.
Is there any place where one can get US edition magazines at low cost i.e., not directly converted into rupees from dollars at newsstand price.
Also, Amazon doesn’t ships books and other stuff to India, this sucks.
I also have ordered books from Amazon. It is few days past their outer timeframe from Delivery. I have sent an email to them and they have replied that it could take a day or two more. Shipping to India sucks. I don’t know whether Amazon uses Indian Post when it comes to delivery in India, in which case Amazon has chosen the wrong partner.
@Manvendra: If you have chosen the cheapest shipping option, then it’s posted through normal post. And it’s Indian post (customs) that holds things for longer time. I have not yet received one of the books, other book I had to pay custom-duty, which I don’t know why? Book was less than Rs. 5000.
I suggest, always choose other two options out three provided by Amazon, then books are sent via courier (DHL). It’s fast.
-abdul
You can try http://www.flipkart.com . Its unlike any other online bookstore in india. Its more customer focussed and provides free shipping too.
Is it advisable to order a NIKON D40X camera through Amazon???
You should go in for vanishbooks.com they are giving free shipping all over india. I managed to get some good foreign books from them at good rates.
I have been ordering on Amazon for years… never had a problem.
Stuff comes with in two weeks…
Guys,
Infibeam Books is a cool store that has the largest collection of both Indian and International books. They also offer the books at 30 – 35 % discount without you asking for it. Try it out!
regards
Vijay
@Vijay Thanks for link.
I’ve bought dozens of books from Amazon over many years now. I’ve never had a problem receiving them in India – sometimes they’re a week or two late – and I’ve never been asked to pay customs. I usually take the cheapest shipping option.
As far as shipping of the Books in India is concerned, BooksCaterer.com
is doing well by tracking personally at each stage till the delivery is confirmed.
Amazon and other US online stores do not ship to ship to India. However, I tried a new online Indian store, 20north.com, that offers almost all the products that you could buy at stores like Amazon or Target and they deliver to your doorstep in India. And they also take care of customs clearance and you could pay in INR using your regular bank card. Yes, thats true! I tried them and it really worked for me!!
I tried buying a few blurays at 20North too. They claim 20 days delivery but delivered the goods in 15 days. Good service and its got the complete amazon collection
I tried 20north.com after reading this thread, after an anxious wait for 10 days, I got my shipment (a bunch of gear, books and dvd’s). Finally a system that works, amazon should have been doing this in the first place!
@Sunbeam: That’s nice to hear. Was it something, you don’t get in India? Was custom-duty taken care well?
i live in india. i wanna buy foreign dvds so where can i get them cheap and easily delievered at my home.
@swarnim: Did you try online stores? Rediff, IndiaTimes, Infibeam?
I used to buy from crosswords and planetm when I was in Bangalore and Pune. In my current city, Kanpur, it’s hard to find any shop for genuine (original) dvds, we have planetm with it’s limited collection. Hence I rely on online shopping for most of things.
-abdul