In-store product prices that go against section 23 of Consumer Protection Act

I am a customer based in Pretoria. Yesterday, 22 November 2022, I bought a young girl’s dress, age 9-10 and pink in colour from the Ackermans 863 Pretoria CBD, Church Street (241 Kerk Street). The dress’ price was originally R149.95 and when I got to the till, it was marked down to R89.00.

Here is the issue: Today, 23 November 2022, I went back to the very same store to exchange the dress for a navy blue colour instead of the pink one. The till operator told me I had to top-up the price as the price is R149,95 because the dresses' prices are based differently according to their colours and the SKUs – store codes. • I refused to pay and insisted on an exchange with the amount I paid yesterday and they refused to assist. Here is my argument: 1. Originally, the dresses were hanged in the same rail as they had the same (i) design, (ii) material and (iii) price. 1.1. The only difference was the colour. 2. All the dresses on the rail did not have a red tag to show that a certain colour scheme (pink) has been marked down and the other (navy blue) is excluded. The mark-down is illustrated only through the till operations. 2.1. This allows the customer to believe that all clothes of the same range, design, material and price have been marked down 2.2. If the difference in prices was originally meant to differ according to colour. Then the original prices should not have been the same, they should have been determined differently according to colours before the mark-down price was initiated. Instead, originally all pink and navy blue dress are priced R149.95. 3. The Ackermans Pretoria Church Street staff argued that the clothes SKUs (store codes) are not the same, hence the difference in prices. 3.1. It is very immaterial, unrealistic and outrageously ridiculous for Ackermans Pretoria Church Street staff to expect customers to assess or analyse the clothes’ store codes (SKUs) before buying or when buying. That is an internal matter, which should highly be considered by people who work there. The customer is interest in the design, the fit, the material, the price and other matters that make the product attractive or appealing to them. 4. Steps I took to gain further assistance but were not successful: 4.1. I called the Ackermans Cape Town Customer Care Centre and the agent sided with the Pretoria Church Street staff. 4.1.1. The customer care centre personnel refused to provide her surname. 4.1.2. The Ackermans staff member who was linked by the Customer Care Centre personnel to respond to my query gave me a **** name when I asked for her name. 5. I even tried to send Ackermans stores a message via LinkedIn and was not successful. I believe they have blocked people from sending messages directly to them.