As a mom, I always believe that the small choices we make at home like what we eat, how we live, what we buy ,etc all add up to the kind of life we give our families. So when it came to something as basic as a water purifier, I wanted nothing but the best.
On a bright December afternoon, we walked into Reliance Digital to buy an Aquaguard purifier. The store was polished, the salesperson was sweet, and the offer sounded perfect. “You’ll never have to worry about safe drinking water again,” he promised.
I smiled, thinking this was one task ticked off my long mom-list.
But a few months later, when the purifier stopped working, that’s when the real story began.
The After-Sales Reality No One Talks About

When you buy from a big brand store, you expect big-brand service, right? But what I learned was the complete opposite.
After just a few weeks of using our new purifier, it broke down. I tried calling the customer service helpline, emailing, even visiting the store personally. Every time, someone said, “We’ll get back to you soon.”
Spoiler: they never did.
Instead, I was bounced between Reliance Store Service and their CEO help desk each one blaming the other. For over two months, my family, including my little one, had no access to filtered water. We survived on buying water cans, which cost not just money, but peace of mind and a whole lot of strength for the water cans.
And honestly, that’s when it hit me these huge stores may have the fanciest displays and the biggest discounts, but when it comes to responsibility, they often vanish from the picture.
Why Local Shops Still Win Hearts
A few weeks later, I visited a small electronics shop in my area for a different product. The difference was like night and day. The shop owner knew his products inside out. He explained the warranty properly and even said, “Madam, if there’s any issue, just call me I’ll get it sorted.” In my mind I was just repeating to myself that these are just fancy words. But No, he proved me wrong.
And guess what? When I did call for a minor issue, he sent someone the same day.
That’s the beauty of small shops that they care. They depend on every customer’s satisfaction because that’s how they survive and grow. There’s no passing the blame, no waiting on hold for 20 minutes. You speak to a real person who values your trust.
The Pros and Cons: Big Stores vs. Small Shops
Here’s what I’ve learned (and what every mom should know):
Buying from Big Stores (Reliance, Croma, etc.)
✅ Big variety and festive discounts
❌ Poor after-sales support
❌ Endless blame game between store and brand
❌ You become just another invoice number
Buying from Local Shops
✅ Personalized service
✅ Direct accountability — they know you, and you know them
✅ Faster problem resolution
❌ Slightly fewer offers, but the peace of mind is worth it
My Takeaway
As moms, we already juggle enough from mealtime chaos to sleepless nights. The last thing we need is running behind customer care teams that don’t care.
So next time you’re buying electronics be it a purifier, TV, or fridge don’t just look at the offer price. Ask about the after-sales service. Ask who will help you if something goes wrong.
Because once the billing is done, the only thing that truly matters is who stands by you when the product fails.
And trust me it’s usually the humble local shop owner, not the big fancy showroom.