How proud are you with online shopping?
“Murungakkai murukki paakkanum, thengaya thatti paakkanum, vendakkai odichu paakkanum, (Before you buy vegetables: for Drumstick, twist and check the softness. Knock and check the coconut. Break and check the Ladies finger)…”
My mom taught me how to buy vegetables during my childhood days.
Why? What happened? Why am I feeling odd nowadays?
“Ennanga! Order Basmati rice, Tomorrow if we need Biryani then we need Basmati rice, currently, it is very low.”
“Ok, let me order rice 2 kg(required was only 1Kg), anything else you want to buy?”
“Nothing, that’s it” my wife replied
“I think dal’ is very low let me add it to cart, also I think liquid detergent may get over in a couple of weeks, I’ll order that too”
“Why are you ordering all those things now?” my wife reacted.
“Minimum order is Rs 1000 otherwise Rs 30 would be the delivery charge”
“Oh! Ok then order some snacks”. Wow! That was a great suggestion from my wife.
After adding all items, Total came around Rs1700(1kg Basmati rice could be between Rs 90 to Rs 150).
Not sure how many of us experienced this?
COVID situation seems to have brought back a lot of our old memories in different ways.
“You know I tried A****n Pantry this week. Awesome experience. Got delivered within 120 mins.” — I used to proudly share my experience in this tone. I feel proud whenever I say others that, I bought this online.
“No need to go out of the home. Delivery is direct to home”.
After the actual delivery of groceries/vegetables, How many times was I happy after the delivery? How many times have I/we returned the bad quality vegetables?
Most of the time if vegetable qualities are not as expected. we/I just compromise. The worst-case scenario, we try to return. To make such a decision you need to bring all your strength, Your negotiation skills, Your communication skill etc. will the guys accept my return? Will I get my money back?…
But after all those struggles, showcasing your skills, and got your money back in your “wallet”,
“WOW! customer service is very good.“
“They got the product back without any complaint and returned the money.”
“Awesome customer support”
How proud I was!
Ordered food through S***y: Wrong product got delivered. Tried to find out customer support number and found out that, no more call support and it is only through chat. Started to use by thinking, Wow! technology is growing. AI is going to be the next future…
Even after knowing I am interacting with a bot, I continued... The bot asked me to send the photo of the product and immediately got the refund and also got a Rs 100 coupon for next purchase. Wow! that was quick.
I missed my dinner timing. My wife and kid went to bed already.
“Should I order one more time and wait for another 30 mins? Or make Dosa and have it with idli podi?” Ah, Always the later one wins.
While making the Dosa, — It always used to be like winning a world cup moment.
“Wow, I was able to negotiate and got my money back and also got extra money.”
“Customer service is very good.“
“Awesome customer support”
Everything comes to my doorstep. No need to worry about anything. Just watch Netflix and enjoy the weekend. — Past 10 years this was the routine. Life was good.
How proud I was!
Exactly 1 week after 25th March, Lockdown, All my proud memories were passed by.
All vegetables are over. All snacks are over. We are locked down. No online shops. No deliveries. What to do now? It’s been a very long time since I went for vegetable/grocery shopping. Is it safe to be outside? Which shop is good? How many shops are open nearby? Does that shop sell quality ones?
Googled for a nearby vegetable shop and found nothing. No reviews, No user comments.
…
2 decades ago the city where I grew up, In the entire place we used to have one or two vegetable/grocery shops, Annachi (Brother)shops. Should carry our hand weaved plastic wire bag(Koodai).
While going for shopping, Neighbour aunty sometime asks, “ Sundar get me also some ginger while coming by da”
Normally it takes 25–30 mins for the 2 way walk(approx 1Km) and on the way back sometimes, meet friends and plan for the evening meeting. Annachi used to greet me and he knows what I normally purchase. Also, he checks about my family function recently happened… He knows all family in the surroundings personally. The whole shopping process used to be meeting/greeting people…
20 years later, here I am, confused about where to buy, worried about the quality, worried about my credit card points if I am not purchasing it online, embarrassed about carrying things myself, concerned about people may make fun of my past “Proud conversations” about online shopping…
Heard a yelling from wife “Ennanga ippo poreengala illaya? (Are you going or not?)”
Sometimes our actions become a burden for ourselves. Now I don’t have a choice, I have to go out to buy some.
Checked with my security, “Who is the cheap and best vendor around here?”
He didn’t react with any negative bias but seems happy in answering my question
“Sir don’t worry take an immediate left from our apartment and right side there is a shop, that guy offers good quality vegetables also it is value for money”
Google never showed that shop to me?
And my subconscious mind started to converse, “Why didn’t this guy leave a review about this shop in Google?”
Reached the shop. Was a bit reluctant to start the conversation with the shopkeeper? Started to check around the shelves and the vegetables...
The Owner was busy with billing and he didn’t notice me. Went around the vegetable shop and started to pick the vegetables.
a nearby person was struggling to find the quality of vegetables and randomly started picking.
I recollected,
“Murungakkai murukki paakkanum, thengaya thatti paakkanum, vendakkai odichu paakkanum, (Before you buy vegetables: for Drumstick, twist and check the softness. Knock and check the coconut. Break and check the Ladies finger)…”
A smile popped up on my face, And I continued to check the vegetables...
A guy who also came for shopping looked at me with a surprise.
I started the conversation with him, “Bro before you buy vegetables: for Drumstick, twist and check the softness. Knock and check the coconut. Break and check the Ladies finger” I helped him in picking…
How proud I was!
Continued picking the vegetables. Felt happy that all vegetables are good in quality and fresh. Reached the counter for billing, Shop owner looked at me and asked, “Hello sir, how is your kid doing? You didn’t bring him with you?”
“Do you know about my kid?” I was awestruck.
“Sir, Of course, you come to the other shop for chocolates, you are a wonderful father”
I got tears, I was speechless. Someone asked me about my kid, who is completely a stranger to me. I never even met him or greeted him before. Even during the COVID -19 situation, a person is fearlessly running his shop and on the top checking about me and my family. which I never experienced in the recent past.
How proud I was!
Reached home, gave the vegetables/groceries to my wife. She started to check and at the same time, she asked, “Wow! you know how to buy vegetables?” looked at me and smiled
How proud I was!
All this reminded me once again, which I got inspired by Rajinikanth, a Baghvatgita quote,
“Whatever happened, happened for the good. Whatever is happening, is happening for the good. Whatever will happen, will also happen for the good.”
So get over it. Whatever you’re sulking about, forget it. Everything happens for a reason. There is a reason you’re going through a bad phase and there is a reason you might be basking in glory — it’s a cycle and you need to quietly accept it. You need not worry about the future, nor should you pay attention to the past. You only have control over the present, so live it to the fullest.
That again reminded me “Oh! I once used to read a lot of books.. che”…
Next day I took my kid and while buying the vegetables explained to him…
“Murungakkai murukki paakkanum, thengaya thatti paakkanum, vendakkai odichu paakkanum, (Before you buy vegetables: for Drumstick, twist and check the softness. Knock and check the coconut. Break and check the Ladies finger)…”
