An HOPCOMS outlet in Bengaluru.
| Photo Credit: File photo
Most shoppers today prefer to compare the price of goods on various platforms before making a decision. While the Horticultural Producers’ Cooperative Marketing and Processing Society (HOPCOMS) has been synonymous with vegetable and fruit shopping in the city, customers have complained about how neither the HOPCOMS website nor its SMS service introduced long ago to get the price list are working anymore.
Back in 2011, HOPCOMS had announced that it would roll out an SMS service under which customers can obtain day-to-day prices of fruits and vegetables by sending a message to a specified number. However, not much was announced later in this regard and customers said that they have never had any luck with the number over the years.
“After seeing news reports, I had saved the number on my mobile phone. But I never really received the price list when I texted the number. I try every now and then, but it has never worked,” said Malavika Rao, IT employee from Malleswaram.
Meanwhile, the price list was available on the HOPCOMS website until last year, but the webpage does not load anymore. “HOPCOMS is the benchmark for quality. Even when we are shopping elsewhere, we usually tend to compare the prices with HOPCOMS to know if we are being overcharged. If it is less on HOPCOMS, then we buy from there. Having their rates on display online will help with this,” said Rohith R., data analyst from Yelahanka.
Not just customers, but even HOPCOMS stall employees complained about the website not working. “Customers often come and ask us why the website is not working. If they can access the website, they will know the standardised rates and will not bargain with us. They sometimes argue with us saying we are overcharging, but if we can show it on the website, it will save us time,” said a salesperson from a HOPCOMS stall in the Central Business District.
When asked about these complaints, HOPCOMS officials said that they had stopped displaying rates online due to private competition. “When we upload our rates, private entities tend to mirror our rates. Sometimes they also sell it for a rupee or two less, which affects our business,” said Umesh Mirji, Managing Director, HOPCOMS.
He added that if customers want to check HOPCOMS rates online, they can do that on Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) where some of the stalls are registered.
