My Ozon Love Affair Hits Rock Bottom
I used to swear by Ozon, it was my go-to marketplace because I never had any issues with orders, returns, or product quality. I always felt confident that if there were any problems, Ozon would sort them out.
But over the past few months, I've noticed a major delay in order delivery, and the packaging has been pretty subpar. I've had to refuse orders at the delivery point because the products were damaged. Prices have skyrocketed for many items, sometimes unfairly - although it's more the sellers' fault, the marketplace can influence this too.
The most concerning thing is that Ozon has started to abuse customers' trust and push the boundaries. I'm a regular user of Ozon Fresh, and I often order groceries for home delivery. I used to be confident in the quality and that if there were any issues, Ozon would resolve them in my favor. I never took advantage of this, always reporting issues as they arose if the product quality wasn't up to par. But now, the quality has started to suffer, and it's really disappointing. Many products that were once good and tasty have become unrecognizable. Take the mozzarella cheese, for example - it's from Ozon's own production, but it doesn't even melt properly, and it gets a burnt crust when heated.
This time, I hit my limit. I ordered a delivery of groceries, including olive oil from Monini on sale. My usual oil had run out, so I was excited to try this one. They delivered the oil and the other products. As I was unpacking, I immediately noticed that the oil's label was peeling off, which shouldn't happen during factory production. I immediately initiated a return, saying I wouldn't use the oil and that they should collect it.
Five days went by, and I still hadn't received a response! So, I sent a follow-up message. And finally, I got a response.
I've had some pretty dodgy experiences with products on Ozon, and this one takes the cake. They claim to check the products before shipping, but in reality, it's just a joke. I got a bottle of oil that hadn't even been checked in the fridge, let alone thickened up. And they have the nerve to tell me it's the real deal, with labels that fall off at the slightest touch. That's just embarrassing. The customer service is closed off, and I'm not even allowed to dispute the issue. Great job on the customer-centric approach, Ozon!
I'm really not a fan of this kind of thing. It's not cool when you feel like you're being taken advantage of. One bad experience can be enough to make me lose trust in a store, even if everything else was fine. I just can't stand the feeling of being ripped off.
I've had other issues with Ozon too, like when they refused to give me a refund for a damaged product. And don't even get me started on the fake products that are constantly popping up. Ozon claims to check all the documentation before allowing products on the platform, but I'm not buying it.
When you feel like you're not protected, it's a real downer. You start to feel like you're just not going to get a fair deal, and that's not a great feeling. People tend to avoid situations like this, and it's not hard to see why.
That's why I think Ozon is losing a lot of customers lately. Wildberries had a similar problem when they introduced a paid return policy, and a lot of customers ended up switching to Ozon. Now Ozon is messing up. We'll see where this all leads.
Of course, I don't want Ozon to fail. I hope they can turn things around and start heading in the right direction.
I've been a loyal customer for a long time, but it's getting harder to justify my loyalty. I've tried to give them the benefit of the doubt, but it's getting harder to do so. I'm starting to wonder if it's time to look for a new marketplace.
I know I'm not the only one who's had issues with Ozon. I've seen a lot of other customers complaining about similar problems. It's not just me, and it's not just a few isolated incidents. There's a pattern here, and it's not a good one.
So, what can Ozon do to turn things around? First and foremost, they need to get their customer service in order. They need to respond to customers in a timely manner and resolve issues quickly. They also need to improve their product quality and packaging. And they need to do something about the fake products that are popping up on their platform.
It's not too late for Ozon to make a change. They can still turn things around and regain the trust of their customers. But they need to act fast and take concrete steps to address these issues.
For now, I'm giving Ozon a rating of 1 out of 5 stars. I hope they can do better in the future.