This is just one example how Amazon.in cheats people shopping online

People mostly call me as the window shopping guy who will visit emarketplaces like Amazon.in, Flipkart.com, Snapdeal.com, eBay.in, Shopclues.com etc. but still visit a physical store to make that final purchase.

Yeah call me old-fashioned but there are very good reasons why I still choose a retail store over online shopping.

Let me give you one example right away.

A promotional mail that landed in my Gmail inbox today carries a subject line that says Samsung Galaxy S4 available at Rs 17,999 @Amazon.

I click for more details and see a promotional offer by Amazon.in that says "You Save Rs 23,501" i.e. a huge discount of 57% with a Buy Now box just below it.

After clicking the Buy Now box, I am taken to the Amazon.in webpage that says maximum retail price (MRP) of the smartphone is Rs 23,500 and the deal price is Rs 17,999 thus giving me a saving of Rs 5,501 i.e. a 23% discount on MRP. 

So my discount or the money I save buying the smartphone online is already down from 57% to 23%.

Just to be sure that the 23% saving was for real, I decided to further dig into the pricing of the smartphone on the Samsung India eStore. And what do I find there?

The Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone is being sold on the Samsung India eStore for Rs 17,999. While it also says 'Out Of Stock' it certainly validates the fact that the smartphone doesn't cost more than Rs 17,999 and that price is inclusive of all taxes.

What started as a promise of 57% savings on Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone came down to 23% after checking out the deal on Amazon.in. A further due-diligence on its price gives out a completely different picture, which is 'That I Was Not Saving A Single Penny' buying the smartphone from Amazon.in.

I guess being a window shopper on the various eCommerce platforms has its advantages and disadvantages. I am certainly not regretting because I see more advantages than disadvantages here :-)

Rajeev Menon is now COO of Marriott Intn'l for South-East Asia & Pacific region

Global hospitality major, Marriott International Inc. promoted Rajeev Menon

Rajeev Menon

as the chief operations officer (COO) for the South-East Asia & Pacific region.

Based out of Singapore, Menon will be a key member of the continent’s senior leadership team and will function as the operational business leader for the region, under his new responsibility. He will also help drive key initiatives and ensure implementation of brand discipline programs.

Over the last 7.5 years, Menon was area vice-president - South Asia as well as Pakistan, Malaysia and Australia during various periods of his assignment. Menon has led the growth of India from six operating hotels in 2007 to 27 Marriott managed hotels operating under seven brands (with a pipe-line of another 49 hotels under construction). 

Under his leadership, Marriott has been recognised as one of the best performing international hotel brands in India and has received numerous best employer awards for the past several years. 

Menon joined Marriott in 2001 as the general manager of Renaissance Mumbai Hotel and Convention Center and Marriott Executive Apartments, Mumbai. In 2004, he moved to Sydney, Australia where he served as the general manager of Sydney Harbour Marriott and Country General Manager for Australia.

A global leading lodging company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, Marriott International currently has over 4,100 properties in 79 countries and territories and reported revenues of nearly $13 billion in fiscal year 2013.  The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 18 brands.