Full delivery slots and delayed deliveries cause distress among online grocery store users.
Consumers that depend on online grocery stores like Big Basket and Grofers for their essential commodities are being turned down due to unavailability of delivery slots. The lockdown in the country has increased the dependency of consumers onto these online platforms.
Samarth Rastogi, a resident of C V Raman Nagar, Bengaluru mentioned that he had to wait for 3-4 business days to even get a booking slot on the Big Basket app. He added, “I was not able to place an order, as it kept on slowing delivery slots are full. The apps are not taking orders, and I have no other way but to rely on these platforms for my essential need amid this lockdown.”
To avoid the crowd and in fear of being infected by the virus, these online platforms come as a rescue to the population. However, full delivery slots and delayed deliveries are causing distress to their users. Ratnadeep Biswas, a resident of Baguiati Kolkata said, “The latest delivery slot for these apps shows by the end of April. My family cannot go without food for such a long time. The nearby shops are running out of stocks. I have an old father at home, and I prefer not stepping out as I fear getting infected by the virus. Shopping for essentials is getting difficult day by day.”
Raging customers are taking to the micro blogging site Twitter to complain.
.@bigbasket_com you are useless. There is no slot for delivery available EVER. How is that possible?
— shunalikhullarshroff (@shunalishroff) April 8, 2020
@bigbasket_com I have ordered 4 days ago through your app and the same delivery day they are denying to deliver essential items saying no stock, and they are not responding saying I don't ha e idea, is this service Of BB…shit service at this lockdown time..
— MadhurDeoDubey (@MadhurDeoD) April 14, 2020
2 weeks & grocery delivery platforms like @bigbasket_comnt opening their slots in #Indore. Its high time @ChouhanShivraj, <a href=”https://twitter.com/PMOIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@PMOIndia@AsheeshSinghIAS@comindore@IndoreCollectorshld intervene! Ration is over now in thousands homes & they might come on roads. #IndoreFightsCorona
— ShubhamLakhotia (@shubhlakhotia) April 13, 2020
Big Basket has replied to complaints with an update on their twitter handle. It has stopped accepting new orders for the time being and is planning to open slots for new orders soon.
The public address on Tuesday, April 14 2020, announced the extension of the lockdown till 3 May 2020. The number of hot spots and infection clusters in India has raised three folds to 150 areas in the past week. The areas designated as hotspots are sealed, and the population residing in these areas are not allowed to step outside of their home. Essential services are to be home delivered in these areas. However, with online platforms being overburdened with orders, residents of these hotspot areas are struggling to manage with their existing stocks.
Rajesh Dubey, a resident of Awadhpuri, Bhopal said, “My locality has been sealed, and we cannot go out for our essentials. The local government has set up a helpline number for home delivery. However, the number does not connect, and when it does, they are mostly out of stock. The shops are closed; the online apps have stopped delivering here. We have one week’s worth of ration and ingredients at our home.”
To meet the increased demand for essential services, online food delivery apps have also joined in to cater to the population. Applications like Swiggy and Zomato have started delivering groceries in several parts of the country. However, with the extension of lockdown till 3 May 2020, stocking up of essential goods and ingredients continue to worry people.
Image Credits- Big Basket
