False Claim made by Big Bazaar in Newspaper advert. Review on Big Bazar I, Bangalore

Big Bazaar had given an advertisement on 24 Dec 2011 in Times of India Bangalore and Hyderabad editions(among other places) claiming that they were selling electronic items at cost price with zero percent profit on 24th & 25th Dec 2011, (copy of advertisement is attached). I purchased an Akai LED TV at Rs 21990 vide bill no: 0183929 from Big Bazaar Lido Mall in Bangalore on 24th Dec 11. Three days later the TV was delivered and a delivery challan was handed over to me which showed that the cost price of the TV for Big Bazar was 17201.39/-(copy attached). This meant that Big Bazaar had charged a profit of over 20% on their cost price.

I immediately took up the matter with Big Bazaar through mail to sharewithus@fvrl.in and I received an acknowledgement vide case no: 75444 and subsequently the Store Manager of Big Bazaar Lido Mall got in touch with me over phone and fixed up a meeting for resolving the issue. During the meeting, the Area Manager Ms Y and the Store Manager Mr R were present. They tried to explain the difference in the cost price and the selling price as their handling charge and VAT etc. When I disagreed with them about the explanation, they offered to give me discount coupons worth Rs 2800(Being the difference in the selling price 21990 less VAT 1989/-). I accepted the discount coupons with the condition that the proof of payment of VAT would be shown to me or atleast a written confirmation would be sent to me stating that the VAT had been paid for the item by Big Bazaar. This was not done despite my mails to Big Bazaar as well as to the Area Manager and Store manager.

My complaint is that Big Bazaar has made a false claim to the public that they would be selling the electronic items with zero% profit at cost price. They have failed to disclose details of VAT paid by them for the TV sold to me and would have cheated numerous unsuspecting public with this false claim.