Thank you Big Basket.

I grew up in the suburbs of Calcutta. My father used to work for a large firm there for several years. His job required him to travel , often for months together. So very early in life I got used to helping my mother with household chores. Many of them I did not enjoy , but one I certainly did.

That was to get fruits and vegetables from the local 'bazar'. Typically I would get 10 or 20 rupees and a list of couple of things to buy - tomatoes , lemons , potato or anything else ...

There were three attractions to the trip to the local market.

First , there were a few friendly "sabjiwalas" or fruit shops vendors , who would occasionally hand over a banana or an apple . Yes those were the days !

Second , on the way to the vegetable vendors, I could stop and watch something gruesome . I had taken a fancy to watching people shop for chicken and fish. It gave me some thrill to watch the 'dressing down' of the chicken or the or the fish being scaled.

And finally, upon return , I could keep the little change and pop it over into my piggy bank !

Long story short, I retained my habbit of going to the market for fruits and vegetables for very long ........ till yesterday (I mean literally).

I never jumped onto the online shopping bandwagon (especially for fruits and veggies), till Sunday / 31st July 2016. The heavy rains in Mumbai like in several parts of the world forced me to experiment. I downloaded the Big Basket app and decided to place an order. I 'collected' a lot of stuff in my basket , updated my address with all landmarks and GPS mapping. I opted for 'standard delivery' for the 'next day' ( 1 Aug) between 5:00 pm and 7:30 pm. Excited and waiting. You can imagine. My first online grocery order ....

4:34 pm - I get a text confirming Order will be delivered today .... (Super impressed with myself I forward it to my wife :-) )

7:20 pm - My wife is giving me the looks . "Where is your Big Basket" ? Call karo and find out . Promptly I call the 1800 number and the Agent confirms my identity and then puts me on hold, with permission. Speaks with the 'delivery van boy' and confirms , it will be delivered within 20 minutes. (5 mnts on the phone)

7:59 pm - Another call to the call center. Same story plays out. Only this time promise is within 30 minutes (5 minutes on the phone)

9: 18 pm - Another call to the call center. Again I am placed on the hold. Agent is checking with the delivery boy. Again a promise - I will make sure your delivery reaches in 30 minutes. I will personally make sure your order gets delivered. (15 mnts spent)

By now my wife's eyes had begun to roll .

"Apla Bazar, (the friendly neighbourhood shop) is much better" Lets go and buy something for tomorrow.

9:35 pm - I oblige without resistance. We step out , within our apartment to the solitary general store to buy some essentials. I buy her an ice cream too. :-) We need good breakfast in the morning , Don't we ! We get back home at 9:50 pm.

9:59 pm - I receive a call from +91 20 67386302 (Big Basket) . Sir we were at your door step but it was locked. So the delivery boy left.

I still cannot believe what I was told. And now I am writing this post.

My kiranawala does better. My sabjiwala also does better - He calls out as he pushes his cart along !

E commerce companies are not taking away business form no-one. They have much to learn from the service levels of the local stores.

Anyone listening at BIG BASKET ! In the meantime I know where I will be next Sunday morning ....