Home Town — Delay in refund of my Money from Home Town Pune

Dear Madam/ Sir, This is with regards to our shocking experience at your Home Town Store located at Ishanya Mall, Pune. I am reaching your customer service for an urgent intervention from your end. Brief details: I had made a purchase of curtains worth Rs. 4077/ from your Ishanya Mall, Pune store on 28th July, 2013. After the purchase, we realized there was some minute damages in the curtains which we had purchased. These damages were on the curtains which were completely packed and were so small that it was only visible once we decided to open the curtains in our home. Basis communication from your store staff, our understanding was that the Policy allows customers to return the purchased products within 15 days and also in cases where the product is damaged we can avail full refund. Basis this understanding, we requested your store to return the curtains on Saturday 3rd August, 2013 (6 days after the purchase) and requested to provide us with a credit note so we can make another purchase. When we reached your store and highlighted the small damages in the curtains to your store employees, they blamed us for the damage and clearly said we cannot return these products. It was a situation of a complete shock for us realizing that a store of this stature and repute was blaming its customers for their damaged products. Your employees could not contemplate that how the product could have been damaged from their end. The entire discussion was focused on interrogating us so as to why we didn’t check all the 4 curtains before the purchase. Somehow, your store staff wanted to make us believe that we must have intentionally made one minute hole in the curtains and are trying to cheat the store. After one hour of arguing, shouting, convincing and being labeled as ‘CHEATS’, someone from the Management team had to be involved. Thankfully, good sense prevailed and they decided to return the curtains. By this time, in our mind the store had lost all its repute and we didn’t intend to make any further purchases. Therefore, under the Policy we requested them to refund the entire amount. After nearly 30 minutes of the process, we were assured that the money will be refunded in 20 days back in my credit/ debit card account. Till date, it’s been more than 30 days and I have no clue where my money is. When my wife tried reaching the store customer service executive Ms. Sneha numerous time, she seems least interested in helping us. After numerous follow ups to understand the current status of the refund, Sneha has stopped taking our calls and there is further help coming from your store. I request your urgent intervention in this matter. I am saddened by this experience from your store. Being in Corporate for so many years, I have fundamentally believed in big brands and blindly trust them because of their customer centric policies. However, this store of yours reflects essence of any local small time outlet. Its employees and customer service executives lack basics of dealing with customers. If avoiding customers is the new way of doing Business, than I am sorry to say that you will no longer be able to sustain such a Business. I would humbly request to expedite the process of refunding my money. Kindly let me know the current status. Thanks & regards, Ashok Kanojiya +91-[protected] P.S. For your reference, I am attaching along the payment receipt and Gate pass for our refund. Reference: Receipt No. 0003299 dated 28th July, 2013 amount of Rs. 4077/