Bengaluru-based quick commerce platform, Zepto, has found itself in the eye of the storm after sending an unsolicited and inappropriate notification to a customer in the Silicon Valley of India. The notification that the customer Pallavi Pareek received read, “I miss you, Pallavi. Says i-Pill emergency contraceptive pill,” complete with three teary-eyed emoticons.
Pareek soon took a screenshot of the notification and shared her concerns on LinkedIn, pointing out several issues with the message.
“One, 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,” Pareek wrote on LinkedIn, tagging Zepto and Zepto Cares.
She questioned, “You want me to have a need of taking an emergency contraceptive?” adding, “Why am I getting this when this order has never been placed with you.”
As a workplace sexual harassment prevention and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) professional, Pareek expressed that the company’s approach went too far with this notification. “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.”
Despite her criticism, Pareek acknowledged that she “loves” the app and relies “heavily” on quick commerce services in her daily life. “This post is to highlight the flaw in mindless logic and copy and not against i-Pill promo or availability,” she clarified.
