Bengaluru founder slams Bombay Shaving Company for excessive WhatsApp messages, CEO apologises
A Bengaluru-based entrepreneur has called out Bombay Shaving Company for allegedly spamming customers with frequent WhatsApp promotions, prompting an apology from the company’s founder and CEO Shantanu Deshpande.
Debajyoti Jena, who runs The StartUp Circle, shared a post on LinkedIn claiming he had to block three separate WhatsApp Business numbers associated with Bombay Shaving Company after receiving a barrage of promotional notifications. He said the brand’s messages were arriving multiple times a day from different accounts, adding up to what he estimated as nine or more marketing pings daily. Jena also shared screenshots to illustrate the frequency, noting that he felt compelled to block the numbers to avoid further interruptions.
In his post, Jena addressed Deshpande directly and questioned whether this rate of outreach was an intentional customer engagement strategy. He tagged members of the company’s leadership team and urged them to take ownership of the situation, arguing that this style of marketing can overwhelm users and erode trust. Jena added that he rarely criticises brands publicly, but chose to raise the issue because the repeated alerts had become disruptive. He encouraged companies to rethink how they use messaging platforms and to be mindful of customer fatigue.
CEO responds with apology
Deshpande replied in the comments, acknowledging the complaint and apologising for the experience. He said the situation should not have occurred and that the team is working to balance relevant outreach with respect for user preferences. He also promised that the company would improve its practices to avoid similar incidents.
Wider online reaction
The post sparked a broader conversation online about the limits of WhatsApp marketing and the fine line between engagement and spam. Several users chimed in to say they had faced similar issues with brand promotions on messaging apps. One commenter said the constant nudges had put them off from buying, while another suggested the surge could have been the result of a technical misconfiguration rather than a deliberate policy. Others observed that the messaging cadence appeared to lack behavioural or intent-based targeting, which can make campaigns feel indiscriminate.
Why it matters
The exchange highlights growing consumer sensitivity to how brands use direct messaging. While WhatsApp Business can be a powerful channel for updates, support, and offers, frequent unsolicited promotions risk annoying customers, prompting blocks, unsubscribes, or negative word of mouth. Marketers increasingly face pressure to:
- Implement clear opt-in and opt-out controls that are easy to find and use.
- Cap message frequency to avoid notification fatigue.
- Personalise communication based on user intent and behaviour.
- Consolidate outreach to a single verified channel rather than multiple accounts.
For brands, the episode is a reminder that short-term gains from aggressive push marketing can backfire if customers feel cornered by notifications. Transparent consent practices, thoughtful cadence, and meaningful content can help maintain engagement without crossing into spam. For users, the incident underscores the value of managing notification preferences, leveraging in-app opt-outs or “stop” commands where supported, and reporting unwanted communications.
As for Bombay Shaving Company, Deshpande’s public apology signals a willingness to review and adjust the company’s messaging strategy. If the brand follows through with better frequency controls and tighter audience targeting, it could serve as a case study in course correction—balancing proactive outreach with respect for customer attention.
