Unscrupulous Behaviour by Takealot

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Player1

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Good day

What are the avenues I can take to report Takealot for dodgy business practice? Here is the story:

I purchased a laptop from Takealot for R6999, and it was scheduled for delivery early next week. The product was listed as R6999, with a quoted discount of 17% at the time, giving it an "undiscounted" price of R8500 roughly. This morning I get an email stating the following:

We're sorry to let you know that we've had to cancel your order for the following item.


Lenovo Ideapad 320 Intel Core i5 15.6'' Notebook


We've tried our best, but unfortunately we weren't able to source the item you're looking for from our supplier.

We've therefore credited your Takealot.com account with the value of the cancelled item. If you'd rather receive a refund, please let us know and we'll arrange this for you right away.

We're really sorry to disappoint you this time around and appreciate your continued support.
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So, I quickly look for the exact same product on Takealot website and I find it, the exact same one, listed for R8500, now quoted with a discount of 22%, giving it an "undiscounted" price of R11000.

Obviously I am furious that Takealot thinks I am so stupid that I will just buy into this "cannot source the item" nonsense, when they just want to make a quick buck by inflating prices.
 
Then I am surprised it has been accepted for years. Has there been no pushback? No complaints? Again, I am looking for advice on the avenues I can take to complain and rectify the issue.
 
Order it at R8500 and then when it ships ask them how they were able to source it. Then once you receive it, log a return and get your refund. I know it's spiteful, but it's also satisfying to waste their time as much as they've wasted yours.
 
GMAN03 said:
Order it at R8500 and then when it ships ask them how they were able to source it. Then once you receive it, log a return and get your refund. I know it's spiteful, but it's also satisfying to waste their time as much as they've wasted yours.
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I am a marketplace seller on Takealot and this is a huge pain for me.

I stock the CT warehouse. So if someone does a return from Joburg, they don't ship it back to CT for me. It gets stuck up there. They tell you to either come and fetch it, or they will ship my R90 item back for me at a cost of R300. Neither of these are viable, so I essentially have to throw the item away.

Returns take a big chunk out of my potential profit. And it really is no skin off the nose of Takealot. As we all know, they don't care.
 
You need to keep in mind that a specific supplier logged that "special" price. That supplier might not have any stock available but other suppliers have stock at a higher price and that is the price you see for the same laptop.

This has been happening for quite some time and wont change any time soon.
 
Lol I remember them doing that for a whiskey a friend bought - mysteriously disappeared and reappeared in a few days.
 
I see loot has the same laptop on special for under R7000 and it has FHD screen.
 
i got the same laptop, it went on daily deal for R6899 the model with FHD. wootware had it for R7050 at a stage too. loot was my next best option if takealot didn't come through. it did take a while to ship so maybe i got lucky as they were locating stock.
 
Thanks for the comments. I refunded and got it cheaper somewhere else--cutting my hassle. Still find the practice infuriating. Surely if there isn't stock systems should be in place to remove the item before things like this happen. The other thing that grinds my gears is the fake discounts always listed. But that is a whole other issue altogether.
 
Lord Farquart said:
Naspers and its 40 thieves at work. I have a thread here somewhere about their unscrupulous tactics when you return an item.
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Mind linking to it? Returns are where I think Takealot shines.

OP, this move is scummy by Takealot, I've experienced it myself, but they will claim that different sellers offer the laptop at different prices.
 
=Scorp1on= said:
Then I am surprised it has been accepted for years. Has there been no pushback? No complaints? Again, I am looking for advice on the avenues I can take to complain and rectify the issue.
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Vote with your wallet like the rest of us who have endured Takealot's **** service in the past.
 
=Scorp1on= said:
Thanks for the comments. I refunded and got it cheaper somewhere else--cutting my hassle. Still find the practice infuriating. Surely if there isn't stock systems should be in place to remove the item before things like this happen. The other thing that grinds my gears is the fake discounts always listed. But that is a whole other issue altogether.
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So, not going to push back either then?
 
Are you sure it wasn't from a third party supplier? As ever since Takealot allowed that on they've just gotten worse.
 
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