Only 10% Evaly sellers join ‘cash on delivery’ service
Evaly had around 15,000 active sellers before its business model and practices raised widespread questions and prompted a government scrutiny last week
Evaly has got only 10 percent of its active sellers back in the newly adopted "cash on delivery" business that started on Saturday.
But, its discount-loving customers' wait for product delivery is getting longer as the majority of the sellers have stopped delivery after Evaly's bank accounts have been frozen.
Like the opting-out sellers, thousands of customers are also facing increased anxiety now. They are writing their complaints on social media groups and pages.
Moshiur Rahman, a customer having Evaly logo in his Facebook profile picture, has written a Samsung AC was picked from Samsung plaza on August 24 to deliver him, but he did not receive it.
Another Customer Wahiduzzaman wrote the seller halted delivering Evaly orders and they need Evaly accounts to be free again.
Sanjib Saha, another annoyed customer, complained that he is yet to receive a Walton refrigerator although three months have gone.
Evaly pledges to deliver products under campaigns within 45 days.
Hundreds of Evaly sellers like Samsung and Walton are off now.
The fastest growing e-commerce start-up that shook the market now itself feels shaky following last week's steps by multiple government agencies to scrutinise the company's business model, practices, transactions and possible cases of money laundering by its entrepreneurs.
The cashback and credit-addict online marketplace platform now opts for "cash on delivery" orders as the central bank last week froze all bank accounts of the company, its chairman and managing director for 30 days.
Evaly has called for support from its customers and sellers to keep continuing with cash orders until the accounts are free again.
But until Sunday, around 90 percent of sellers did not respond. Almost all the large brands and big ticket sellers, including consumer durables, motorbikes, still belong to this group.
The company in a press statement on Monday informed that its "cash on delivery" business campaign has already attracted over 1,500 sellers in two days. Of those, restaurants, fashion and lifestyle items, smartphone and electronic gadgets sellers are dominant.
The online marketplace operator also expressed its hope that within a week the campaign would enlist 5,000 sellers.
There had been around 15,000 active sellers on Evaly before its business model and practices raised widespread questions and prompted a government scrutiny last week.
Evaly is getting a tremendous response from buyers too, alongside the sellers, said its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Rassel.
Social media groups of Evaly customers are also being flooded with support posts for Evaly, alongside demands for delivery of the pending orders. And many customers are desperate to use their cashback balance Evaly has been providing against campaign purchases.
Evaly said, of the currently live online shops, 680 are regular Evaly shops, 620 are express shops who cater to Evaly orders of daily needs as an additional business, and 230 are food shops.
One hundred and twenty-five of the shops joined "cash on delivery" discount campaign – "Friends Deal", said Evaly.
The "Friends Deal" sellers have agreed to cut some price to prove the friendship with their platform company, said some sellers.
They also told The Business Standard, to stay afloat together in the adverse time, Evaly is sacrificing its commission until the situation improves.
A few dozen Evaly sellers have had a meeting with the company officials at the weekend following the freezing of the company's bank accounts.
"'Cash on delivery' is helping the sellers as they are receiving the payments directly from customers," said Mohammad Rassel, adding that customers are also happy to pay after receiving the products.
He said, through "cash on delivery", the company is solving a major complaint against them – that is delayed product delivery despite being paid a long time ago.
Under the "cash on delivery" method, Evaly customers can now pay 100 percent of the product price in cash on the delivery spots. Evaly is also allowing its customers to pay maximum 30 percent of the price from their own cashback balance which was 60 percent before the company accounts were frozen.
The Evaly CEO said, "As state agencies and the industry trade body are scrutinizing, we shall cooperate with them. We believe we did not do anything illegal or unethical, and the investigation would unfold it."
"Besides, we are working hard to immediately solve the issues with our delivery, refund and seller payment," he added.
He assured all the Evaly customers that the company is trying to complete deliveries of the undelivered products.
"But as it involves sellers' payment, we would request the government to free out business accounts at least", said the Evaly chief.
Despite too many customer complaints on delayed delivery and refund, the company has acquired around 37 lakh registered customers, with the help of unprecedented discounts and cashbacks, in only the second year of its inception.