But it doesn’t get any better if you shop online either. Listen to Anuj Gupta’s experience with Sangamdirect, a much advertised on-line shopping service started by Hindustan Lever (Hindustan Unilever), shows that even large companies have a long way to go before they get their act right. Interestingly, the Unilever Company has sold its business to Wadhawan Food Retail Pvt Ltd (WFRL) since March 31, 2007. When we forwarded Gupta’s experience to the company, it was the Unilever executives who answered our queries, since the business is still in the handover process.

Here is what Gupta says: “I initially tried grocery shopping online because of the convenience and cost. The alternative was the neighbourhood kirana stores or hypermarkets (like Big Bazaar), which I found costlier and time consuming. My horror story of shopping with Sangam started with their poor interface, since products are not categorised by price and one is forced to navigate by brand name and categories.

Consequently, ordering online at Sangamdirect took the same time as shopping at Big Bazaar and with similar savings. I ordered online anyway since I didn’t leave the comfort of my home. Three-four hours after placing the order Sangamdirect begins to call saying that many of the items you ordered are out of stock and you are asked to order alternate ones.

Not surprisingly, the best bargains are out of stock and not removed fast enough from the online system. I now spend another half an hour trying to modify my order over the phone at some inconvenient hour. The real fun starts after you have gone through all this trouble. Once you are a registered member, you receive calls every few days urging you to buy atta, rice or detergent at a special bargain.

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