Flipkart’s Big Billion Days (BBD) sale, one of India’s most anticipated online shopping events, has generated both huge excitement and significant controversy over the years. While the sale promises deep discounts and festive offers, repeated incidents of order cancellations, misleading pricing, website issues, and even problematic marketing have led to widespread backlash from customers prompting corporate apologies and calls for better practices.
In this updated article on javatechig.com, we examine what went wrong during various Big Billion Days sales, how customers reacted, the official apologies issued by Flipkart, and the broader lessons for e‑commerce platforms.
What Is the Big Billion Days Sale?
Flipkart’s Big Billion Days Sale is an annual festive sale event that typically takes place in September and October, offering deals on smartphones, electronics, fashion, appliances, and more. The 2025 edition attracted millions of shoppers looking for steep discounts during India’s festive shopping season.
While Flipkart plans “unprecedented discounts,” in recent editions several customers have reported negative experiences, particularly around high‑value electronics like smartphones.
What Went Wrong? Common Customer Complaints
1. Order Cancellations After Payment
During the 2025 Big Billion Days sale, many customers placed orders for products like the iPhone 16 listed at attractive prices, only to have those orders cancelled after successful payment — leaving them frustrated and without clear explanations or timely refunds.
Customers reported being told reasons such as “payment failure” or “stock unavailability,” even when they had already paid and received payment confirmations.
2. Allegations of Misleading Pricing
Shoppers also alleged that prices displayed during the sale were misleading. For example, the Google Pixel 9 was advertised at a steep discount but actually appeared at much higher prices once added to the cart — leading many to accuse Flipkart of “false marketing.”
These experiences triggered social media outrage, including trending hashtags like #FlipkartScam, where users urged legal action or consumer forum complaints.
3. Hidden Fees and Refund Delays
In addition to price and cancellation issues, some users reported extra handling fees, non‑refundable charges, and delayed refunds. These financial frustrations compounded the disappointment customers felt during what was expected to be a joyful shopping season.
4. Controversial Advertising Mistakes
Beyond transactional issues, Flipkart also issued apologies for problematic promotional content during its BBD campaigns. In 2024, a promotional ad that referred to husbands using derogatory terms was widely criticised and eventually removed, with Flipkart offering a public apology for the misstep and promising better oversight in future campaigns.
Official Apologies – Then and Now
Historical Apology (2014)
In 2014, Flipkart faced a backlash during its original Big Billion Day sale when the platform struggled with high traffic, crashed multiple times, and product prices got increased at times — breaking customer trust. After criticism, co‑founders Sachin and Binny Bansal issued an apology, admitting they did not live up to their promises and affirming that they would scale systems better in the future.
Contemporary Responses
In the 2024–2025 period, Flipkart also apologised for a controversial promotional ad during the Big Billion Days sale after social media backlash and removed the offending video content. The company publicly stated it would “do better in future” following criticism.
However, as of late 2025, Flipkart has not publicly addressed the specific ongoing customer complaints about widespread cancellations and misleading pricing during that year’s sale — leaving many customers demanding accountability and clearer communication.
Customer Voices Social Media Reactions
Across platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit, users shared a wide range of experiences:
- Some claimed the sale deals were misleading or fake when orders were cancelled or pricing changed.
- Others recounted delivery issues or receiving defective high‑value products with poor support, fueling perceptions of “scam‑like” behaviour.
- Some buyers reported long delays, repeated cancellations, and conflicting explanations from customer support, pushing them to consider legal actions or credit card disputes.
These anecdotal accounts reflect widespread customer frustration with not only the transactional problems but also the lack of consistent resolution or proactive communication.
What This Means for E‑Commerce Customers
The repeated issues during Big Billion Days sales highlight several broader concerns in festive e‑commerce:
Demand vs System Preparedness
High traffic and demand spikes require robust infrastructure and accurate inventory planning. Failures can lead to cancellations and customer dissatisfaction.
Transparent Communication
Customers increasingly expect clear explanations and real‑time updates when deals change or orders are affected. Lack of transparency erodes trust.
Regulatory Attention
Regulators and consumer rights groups are paying closer attention to misleading pricing or deceptive marketing practices in online sales, which could influence policy changes in the future.
How Customers Can Protect Themselves
Here are some practical tips:
- Take screenshots of advertised prices and order confirmations.
- Save payment receipts and refund timelines.
- Use bank disputes or consumer forums if refund resolution is delayed.
- Check seller ratings and Flipkart Assured badges before purchasing high‑value items.
- Watch social media trends for real‑time alerts on sale issues.
Summary
Flipkart’s Big Billion Days sale is one of India’s marquee online shopping events, but it has also faced multiple controversies — ranging from technical glitches and misleading pricing to mass order cancellations and negative customer experiences. While past incidents led to official apologies, recent customer backlash over the 2025 sale’s execution shows that trust and execution quality matter more than ever in e‑commerce.
As online shopping continues to grow, platforms like Flipkart face increased scrutiny from customers and regulators to ensure fair pricing, dependable delivery, and transparent communication — especially during high‑traffic festive sales.
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