April 14th – 2020
Dear Kapruka Customer,
We wish you a very happy Sinhala and Tamil New Year filled with good health and prosperity.
This year will challenge every one of us and every single business not only in Sri Lanka but all over the world. Especially for emerging economies such as Sri Lanka, the effects on businesses will be much larger and profound. As the country’s first and largest e-commerce platform, Kapruka remains committed to rising to these challenges with resilience, responsibility, and transparency.
Addressing Misinformation
During these unprecedented times, we are aware of certain false allegations being circulated about our pricing practices. We believe it is important to set the record straight.
There were claims that a few grocery items on our platform were priced above newly introduced government-controlled rates. We categorically deny any intentional violation of pricing regulations. The handful of products in question were listed prior to the sudden introduction of these control prices, during a time of extreme market volatility and rapid operational adjustments
At no point did Kapruka intentionally sell items above regulated rates.
Any discrepancies occurred purely due to timing of updates and logistical challenges in an environment where rules and supply chains were changing by the hour.
That said, Kapruka took immediate and proactive action. We voluntarily removed these items from our listings, cooperated fully with the relevant authorities, and swiftly initiated corrective pricing and sourcing adjustments. We continue to maintain full compliance with all government directives. Amidst these challenges, our commitment to serve never wavered
Massive backlogs
The moment curfew was announced the online panic buying hit record highs. Kapruka was compelled to limit taking orders and initiate cancellations due to various restrictions that were imposed on our logistics and sourcing.
We fully understand that at a critical time such as this it is not the refund that matters to you but the actual delivery of the product. We therefore sincerely regret all cancellations which we were compelled to initiate due to numerous constraints. We also wish to assure you that all refunds due to cancellations are being processed.
As everyone else we too grappled with the uncertainties and unknown factors. All regular operations including the call support center were crippled for many days due to staff not being able to report to work. We apologize for not being able to offer you our regular level of service during this period.
Successful Deliveries
Since the lockdown was first imposed Kapruka successfully delivered 45,000+ orders between 19th of March and today the 14th April. I wish to thank the customers and Kapruka’s 400 strong fulfillment team who risked their safety to report to work so that these deliveries could be made. They made these order possible despite the serious health concerns, under tremendous family pressure and facing numerous inconveniences. They form a part of the unsung heroes of Sri Lanka who continue to serve silently.
Going forward
We look forward to increasing our range of products significantly within the next few weeks to include grocery and over the counter medicine. Also, all perishable products such as fruits, vegetables, etc. are ready for regular service from 17th of April. However, consideration is required from our valued customers, as we too are working in a restricted environment.
The situation that came upon us is an unprecedented one. No company no matter how large or organized would be prepared to face this situation. All companies struggled to deliver the service required purely due to the level of uncertainty and risk.
Yet, if we are to emerge strong from this crisis entrepreneurs and businesses need to be protected so that the economy can regain its lost momentum, provide job security and sustain livelihoods. At Kapruka we want to create more jobs and scale up to create more opportunities in the coming months to support Sri Lanka’s economic turnaround.
Once again thank you for trusting Kapruka and we appreciate your continued business with us.
May all beings be healthy and safe.
Dulith Herath
Founder / Chairman – Kapruka.com