Quick commerce platform Zepto has come under fire for sending an inappropriate message to a customer, igniting a heated debate on the ethics of digital marketing.
“I miss you” i-Pill notification:
Zepto sent a notification to a customer, Pallavi Pareek, which read: “”I miss you, Pallavi, says I-pill Emergency Contraceptive pill”, followed by three teary-eyed emoticons.
Pareek, a seasoned legal expert in workplace diversity and sexual harassment prevention, took to social media to voice her outrage actions.
“So many things wrote about this,” she wrote.
““I have never ordered an emergency pill from you. Even if I did, you should know that this is not something that should be missing me or I should be missing it. You want me to have a need of taking an emergency contraceptive? But most important why am I getting this when this order has never been placed with you.”
“Messaging is right only if it is sensitive or humorous or has some logic to it. I draw a line when your notifications are flirty or trying to be sleazy cheesy. But this is a little too much,” she added.
Read Pallavi Pareek’s post below:
Pareek made it clear that her intention was not to disparage Zepto or its products. Instead, she praised it as “a huge backbone to my life considering I rely heavily on such apps to place orders.” She emphasized that her complaint was specifically about their specific marketing actions.
Online Backlash:
The incident quickly gained traction across social media, sparking a heated conversation about the morals and boundaries of marketing in today’s digital age.
“100% agree Pallavi Pareek. This is the challenge that happens when companies rely solely on AI. All brands need to have a human presence to monitor this!” a user wrote.
Another added, “How could this happen? Companies need better training!”
Many others echoed their support for Pallavi, with sentiments like, “Thank you for speaking up; we need more awareness around these issues.”
Some suggested practical solutions, such as turning off notifications from such apps. However, Pareek defended her stance by asserting that, “Ignoring or looking the other way isn’t the way to participate in solutioning.”
Zomato Responds:
“Hey Pallavi, We messed up, and for that, we’re truly sorry. We understand how thoughtless and potentially harmful it was,” they wrote.
Zepto also assured her that they have taken immediate action, updating its processes and restraining its marketing team in order to prevent such an issue.
