Must've been good, and still pretty ok! - UPDATED. Review on Flipkart

I love browsing and buying books at Landmark andCrossword, but the convenience of having books delivered made Flipkart* and other shopping portals very tempting when I wanted a book. With a book, you don't need to try on a book and see how it looks and feels before you buy it. You just need to know that it's your kind of book, an author you enjoy, etc. So Flipkart always seemed like a good option for books. I've also found certain DVDs that I couldn't find anywhere else on the site. So until recently I used Flipkart fairly frequently ad they seemed ok when it came to ordering books, movies, and stationary.

Then I discovered Amazon India and realized not only were their prices more competitive(with discounts on practically all books), but their service is exceptional too. WithAmazon, if you order a book today, you'll have it delivered to your door the day after tomorrow at the latest. That used to happen with Flipkart too, but over the years their service has deteriorated sharply. So I switched my book-buying loyalties toAmazon.

Two weeks ago, I made the mistake of trying to buy products other than books from Flipkart - I ordered a plum-pink bag and the same bag was delivered to me, but in purple. I checked withFlipkart customer service and they admitted it was the wrong color(after making me send them a photo of the bag), but I decided I didn't want the hassle of the whole return and exchange runabout, so I just kept the purple bag.(This was the seller W S Retail, btw).

Around the same time, I also ordered two pairs of ballet slippers - one was fine, the other was defective. I wrote to them(and sent them a photo, because a customer's word is not enough like it is for Myntra, you have to send them proof), and they agreed to have the defective shoes picked up. It has been 2 weeks now and no sign of a pickup happening.(Again, the seller was W S Retail). I've written to them and called them a bunch of times, but to no avail. I'm finally raising a dispute with my credit card company.

I also ordered a Disney baseball bat and ball for my nephew. It came to me over a week late and it was in bad condition. It was flattened out and the packaging was dusty. I understand wanting to get rid of old inventory, but couldn't they at least bother to wipe and clean up products before sending them off to customers? And again - the seller was W S Retail. I managed to uncrush the toy and decided to let it go, instead of wasting time with Flipkart's non-existent customer service.

Flipkart  is improving and I'm giving them another choice. But if you like to order books online, amazon.co.in is good and for other things like clothes, shoes, and accessories, nothing beats myntra.com. I've had several wonderful experiences with both these sites and so far they've never disappointed.

Update: I've used Flipkart a few times since, and their service has improved considerably - it's almost like the old Flipkart back! So I'm back to being a loyal customer and have updated the rating that I'd originally given.