A social media row has ensued after a Hyderabad-based tech professional alleged that Zomato overcharged for water bottles at a concert venue. Pallab De posted photos of the water counters and a receipt showing they were charged Rs 200 for two water bottles, which normally cost Rs 10 each. "How is Zomato allowed to sell Rs 10 water bottles for Rs 100 at concert venues where no one is allowed to bring their own bottles?" Mr De wrote on X and shared a photo showing the amount he was charged for two water bottles.
See the tweet here:
Zomato issued an apology, explaining that they were merely the ticketing partner for the event and not the organisers. They assured their users that the feedback would be taken into consideration to improve their services at future events.
"Hi Pallab, we're sorry for your experience. While we weren't the event organizers but the ticketing partner, we've noted your feedback and will ensure it helps us improve our own events moving forward," Zomato replied.
The techie then targeted Eva Live, the event organizer, by tagging them in his post and accusing them of overcharging for water bottles.
Despite Zomato's apology and clarification, the backlash on social media continued, with many users expressing their outrage and frustration over the inflated water bottle prices. One user wrote, "It's funny… any time any consumer raises an issue, you guys just wash your hands off… we just deliver, we're just this partner… or that partner!! Take some responsibility, man! That's the way to build a brand."
Another wrote, "These Organizers make an Idiot out of you and the highly educated, well-placed, intelligent and smart people are victims." A third said, "Going to a movie, concert or a match is like entering the proverbial "Squid Games", won't allow outside stuff and sell everything with 10x markup. They take away your dignity and rights at that metal detector!"
A fourth added, "This is not fancy, this is outright theft and everyone should raise their voices against these people."
