The Online Shoe Saga: A Disappointing Unboxing Experience

As of the week before the just-concluded festive holiday, I wanted to travel home and thought it'd be nice if I brought some gifts for those at home. Among those gifts were some shoes I saw at a popular online store, and with excitement, I placed an order anticipating the shoes. Unfortunately for me, the excitement fades away the instant I unbox the shoes from their package, and today I'll love to share my experience with you.

Since the advent of technology, most sectors have experienced a drastic and positive change going forward that has made their ways of doing business much easier and more seamless, and one of such was online retailing. Technology innovation has brought about a change that has made it possible for both retailers and consumers to meet and discuss terms online without the need to go out or set up a shop to do that. Basically, online shopping brings us right to our doorsteps in our comfort zone.

And over the years, the experience has been great, and many people have positive reviews about this new means of transacting business. I, for one, am pleased with it, and I have had some great memories buying goods online, although I've had bad experiences too, but they weren't as often as what I used to see others complain about.

I mean, when you surf through the internet, you'll see different people's rants about what they ordered versus what they got, which is mostly laughable, but then it doesn't downplay the disappointment of those buyers, and unfortunately, I had to be the one sharing my own experience now about my experience of what I ordered versus what I got.

A few days before Christmas, I paid a visit to one of the biggest online marketing stores in my country, simply known as Jumia, and was in search of what to buy as a gift for my brothers. While surfing, I came across some beautiful-looking pictures of some shoes that looked firm, beautiful, and presentable as a gift. I decided it's definitely what I'm going to buy alongside other gifts, and I placed an order.

They each cost around 6700 naira each, that's about $7 each and a total of $14, so after making the order, I basically just expected it eagerly with joy that I'd be presenting what looks quality to my loved ones as a gift for the festive season.

To start with, I remember vividly choosing one black color, and the other color I chose was a plain white, but when the order arrived and I unwrapped it from the package, I was welcomed by a disappointing ash color, which I never ordered. I was literally foaming, but that wasn't all.

Checking the sizes of the shoes, I realized they were both the same size. Meanwhile, I chose one to be size 45 and the other to be size 44, but here before me, I've got two size 45 shoes sitting in front of me. How could they make such a mistake, or was I the one who chose the wrong sizes? I logged on to their website to check the order and transaction details and realized I wasn't wrong; they were the ones who delivered something else entirely.

And that's not forgetting that the sheep's pictures online that looked firm are now looking rumbled, and somehow, no matter how hard I tried to make it look firm so I could manage it and just present them like that, they never stayed firm, and I was like, This doesn't look presentable, and they might not even believe it's how they're looking.

So out of disappointment and anger, I returned it to the nearby outlet, stating my multiple disappointments and irregularities with what I requested and what was delivered. By the time that was returned, I knew I wouldn't be getting another one in time to travel, so I just sorted for another one and paid a visit to a physical store to purchase some other gift items before I traveled.

Unfortunately, since I returned that, they've been going back and forth for almost a month's, not delivering a new peer, and not refunding my money. Well, I've given them until next Monday, which was their last deadline, and if by then nothing is done, I'll call them out online so they can change their ways and refund money.