Big Bazaar. that is a big name to live up to.
I remember the excitement that was felt when the Indore and Raipur entity opened. It was suddenly THE place to visit. The oodles of Ad support, the broo-haha and the hype surrounding it was just awesome. My family was insisting upon a visit at Raipur. Having already seen the format at Indore, I was not particularly keen on the place. Lekin biwi ko koi mana kar paya hai- aur wo bhi shopping ke mamle me?
UPDATE: There is only one outlet in each of these cities
So it was that I was sentenced to imprisonment in Big Bazar for 2 hours two times on two sundays. Whew! Four hours in hell! I could think of several choice and eminently printable nouns, verbs and adjectives for my experience- chaotic, horrible, crowded, pandemonium, confusing.
UPDATE: Three times, now. Why did I revisit? Had to purchase a press on a sunday, and it was the only shop available that was open.
But first the positives:
Megamall: It has most items under one roof. That is a major plus
Breadth of stocking: Excellent in some categories, poor in others{Hold on, guys. I have yet to touch upon the depth} By that, I mean range of lines that are stocked. I have found them to be excellent in their garments section- it has something for every age and gender. They are also excelent in some other sections- utensils, furniture, linen, mens' accessories
UPDATE: The furniture section is recommended, as is the linen section. Truely good prices+ range there
Size: truely big
Footfalls: Massive, I'll say that
Prices: Competitve in some caetgories
Manpower: There is always someone available to attend to you, no matter how crowded the store. You are never ignored
The Negatives:
Infrastructure: Poor in crowd management; facilities like drinking water and availabilities of the loo; poor in signages / maps of sections and faciliites within the sore; poor in AC; poor in eatables and snack parlours; poor in lifts and staircases. This infrastructure point is the most critical. Even for a discount store format, there are certain standards that have to maintained for the customer to return. Big Bazaar has forgotten that today, shopping is more than stocking on requirements, it more of a fun activity
Stocking: Very bad in the depth of lines. By that I mean that within each category, the range of brands / sizes / sub-brands is very poor. This stretches across all categories: F&B, Household, Linen, Crockery, Garments, Accessories, Utensils, Furntiure, Cosmetics, Provisions, electronics. UPDATE: For example: if you want to purchase undergarments, at Indore you will have to buy only VIP! no choice. At Raipur, In presses, you have a specific choice: Koryo, Usha and a few brands of Philips. ACs: Only Samsung, Koryo. In OTGs, only Koryo, Bajaj. Why should I, as a customer, be limited to only a few choices. I would rather purchase from a place which affords me side-by-side comparison! My product choice becomes more astute, more informed that way. Besides, flaws are also hihlighted when comparedwith the competition. In crockery, only one range is kept in opalware. I could go on and on.
Prices: Not best in class in most categories
UPDATE: As regards to pricing, all are requested to keep a carefull check. Mobiles are best not purchased from BIg Bazaar simply because the rates in specialised mobile outlets will be cheaper by 100 - 150 rupees at. least. I have just purchased a Sony Ericsson, so I can say from first hand experience. Similarly, electronics equipment is best purchased from electronics counters because a) the rates will be cheaper there b) the range will be more and c) the service will be better. In my case, for example, I wanted a travel iron urgently. At BB, only a coupleof models were there, so I was forced to go in for a product that was my 2nd choice. Secondly, it was sold to me on MRP! So where is "isse sasta aur achha kuchh nahi"? The same goes for household goods and provisions. We purchased our monthly provisions yesterday. The observations: a) the rates are either comparable or cheaper elsewhere b) the range is very poor- soaps, detergents, oils, chawal-dal etc are not present in full variety, packaged OR loose c) The service is better elsewhere. Note the third point. I simply walked in to another large supermart, picked out my items, gave my address and the items were delivered to my house WITHOUT any hassles, For this at BB, you have to avail to their card which requires documentation! Garments: again check rates with market, I found nightware lower+t-shirts cheaper by 10 to 25 rs, in the open market of a comparable quality- this at a veryposh outlet, mind you!
Ambience: This being a discount store format, not much attention has been or should be placed on this point. Even so, the space available is not in consonance with the breadth / range of categories that have been stocked. BB has made an effort to be a one stop shop, but has not had the courage to budget for adequate floor space. By economising on this vital parameter, it has turned a good experiment bad.
UPDATE: The noise levels of announcements is most disturbing. In fact, on sunday, BB had organised a music contest with blaring loudspeakers at the shop floor! I have visited supermarts and malls in Indore, Raipur, Mumbai, New Delhi, Vadodara, Kuala Lumpur but this was a genuine first!
In short, avoid visiting there. It will be a most trying experience as not even toilet facilities are easily accesible. As most stores are on 3 - 4 floors and customers spend 2-odd hours on the shop-floor, both the loo and snack bars are essential. More so as the modern shopper prefers to snack out when shopping with family. It is considered quality time spent with the family. On this point, BB falls short abysmally. And in Big Bazar, neither is easily available. Just compare with Vishal Megamart{another store along similar lines} where all these points have been taken care of. Given a choice, prefer going to Vishal Megamart
UPDATE: Big Bazaar is OK if you are in a spot, and have few other places to go to. But for regular shopping, try elsewhere. Quite a few people may feel it is economical, but I would strongly suggest to survey the market before rushing to a decision. I have. We have patronised Anmol, Vishal's, Big Bazaar and Gokul{for provisions} and frankly have found BB to be way behind the other three on almost all parameters. The most critical point is the lack of choice, which is essential. That is why I have said small smaller smallest bazaar. Bib Bazaar is like several small shops clubbed together, as only small shops keep a limited range in terms of number of brands
