Bombay Bazaar — Local services in Madison

Title: Check your Receipts and Complaint to DATCP

On August 2022, we checked out some groceries from Bombay Bazaar. The grocery items included 1 Basmati Murmure, 1 Mustard Oil, 3 Single Mango. We asked for the receipt and Ramesh Chhabra, the store owner, printed us and handed the receipt. My spouse stepped aside as there were customers behind and checked the receipt. She saw that the prices on the receipt were different from the orange price tags pasted on two of the products. According to the orange price tags, the price for the Basmati Murmure was $2.99 and the price for the Mustard Oil was $7.49. On the receipt, the price for the 1 Basmati Murmure was $3.49 and the price for the 1 Mustard Oil was $8.99. When she mentioned this price discrepancy to Ramesh, he mentioned: "the price had increased". This was a misrepresentation of the price on the goods. Then, we wanted to return the items because we felt duped. Had we not checked the receipt, we would not have seen this discrepancy in price.

Then, we calmly waited until Ramesh called us to the side in a tone as if he was frustrated and angry that we had pointed this out. This did not feel right to us, so we asked for a refund on our purchase because of the way Ramesh behaved towards us. He only then hurriedly gave us back the $1.50 discrepancy in cash and yelled at us demeaningly: "Can't we make a mistake?" He did not sound sincere about the fact we were just duped and he seemed as if he had no regret deceiving us. Because of the way we were mistreated, I mentioned that: "This is not right and this is not the first time that you have done this." He then kept yelling over me and asking me "What will you do?" To which I replied: "I am going to complain about this." He then asked multiple times, in a demeaning way: "Who are you going to complain to?"

There were many witnesses around us that saw how the event unfolded and we also have the contact information from some of the people there. We retained the original receipt and the goods with the orange price tags intact, which show the price discrepancy to submit as a complaint to a consumer protection agency.

This was not the first time I have gotten into this situation with Ramesh. There have been at least two other instances when we have been duped on the price. Some people who have shopped there have also mentioned the misrepresentation of the price on goods and the lack of accountability at Bombay Bazaar. Although the prices were not that much different in our case and we received the discrepancy amount back, it feels insulting when a business engages in deceptive practices and feels no shame or regret mistreating their customers.

I promptly submitted a complaint to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and will be sure to follow up. The business needs to be investigated and held...

Bombay Bazaar is a convenient spot for finding desi products, but the prices are quite high. Since there is no direct competition in the area, they tend to charge higher rates for all products. For those looking for an alternative, So Freshmart offers similar products at $2-$3 less than Bombay Bazaar.

One of the main reasons I visit is for fresh vegetables, which are available every Tuesday after 5 PM. However, the selection is limited and repetitive, with the same items appearing each week. I mainly go there for fresh green chilies, but if I find another store with better prices and a more welcoming atmosphere, I would likely switch.

Another inconvenience is that card payments are not accepted for purchases under $10, which can be frustrating for small purchases. Additionally, the store itself is very small, making it difficult to shop comfortably when there are a lot of people.

Overall, Bombay Bazaar serves a purpose, but the high prices, small space, and payment restrictions make it less appealing compared to other options...

This is the best Indian grocery store in all of Madison. Period. I used to stay in East Madison and now I moved to the West side of town. I have been to at least 4-5 other Indian stores in Greater Madison, but this is the best.

a) The owners are very polite and welcome us just like they welcomed us when we first shopped there.

b) The prices (especially for frozen foods) are lesser than other stores in Madison. In fact, they are comparable to Chicago (I used to live there).

c) The store is well-organized. It also a great collection of groceries from different parts of India - in particular they have a good balance between North and South Indian stuff.

Also beware of some fake reviews - they are often written by rival grocery stores. I am telling this as the first time we came here, we were skeptic as the most recent review at that time was...