Online store inadequate / Poor customer service

To whom it may concern:

In my capacity as a customer of Builders Warehouse Centurion, I am deeply concerned to the functional aspect of the online shopping experience and overall execution of this feature. In August 2021, I placed my order (order number ***), which ultimately led to a battle to get the items paid for.

The end result was contacting support (Ticket ***), and someone at least got back to me the following day. Having partially received my order, I explained the issue and was assured it would be resolved. Within two days, I received an email confirming the cancellation of my order and the refund for the items not in stock (even though I have no proof of receiving the refund). Here is where my frustration is, and I am sure many other customers would agree, the lack of a system that keeps track of valid stock counts.

Based on the above order, when I placed my order, there were over 100+ items in stock, of which I know that stock levels are updated at midnight and so on.

When I placed my order and a few days later the stock count was still high and there was no reason for the item I ordered (Qty 5) to be out of stock. This indicates that your online stock level adjustments do not work. If it works as it should, there must be a problem with the staff not allocating items correctly or simply failing to do their jobs.

This was not the first time I had experienced the same issue.

So, I recently placed another order with Builder Centurion and heading in the same direction of which there was 149 in stock on the day of purchase. Order number: *** was placed on 08/02/2022 and was to be delivered on 09/02/2022.

During delivery day, no correspondence was received via SMS as usual. An online check revealed a new delivery date of 11/02/2022. On 11/02/2022, there was still no delivery, so I drove to Builders Centurion on 12/02/2022 and was assisted to the back area to check on my delivery.

I was informed that my order is ready, but that it has not been shipped. Wynand requested the delivery guys who were just standing there to deliver my items.

I was told it would be delivered in 30 minutes, but it was only delivered a few hours later.

Yet again, when I received my order a second item was not delivered. Once again, I checked the order status of processed, cancelled, processed, cancelled, only to discover that yet again, the item which was in stock of 149 QTY was not delivered.

Even so, when checking the website on the day, there was still sufficient stock to fulfil my order, and there was no reason whatsoever to state it had been canceled due to insufficient stock.

It has become utterly confounding for me how a giant company like Massmart can't have a functional online shopping system for a business like Builders Warehouse.

It shouldn't be that hard to develop a functional online shopping experience. The order I currently have states that the item that still needs to be delivered (***) has been completed and will be delivered on 10/03/2022. Wow, why does it take almost half a month to deliver 5 items of sandpaper if there is stock?

However, the current item Academy Water Paper 220 Grit shows 152 In stock, which is more on the day of the initial order on the 08/02/2022. If this is the case, then there is a serious problem with the non-functional online shopping system in place or a highly *********** staff.

So, guess I will have to wait until 10/03/2022 to see if my order will be delivered, which I have no faith in whatsoever, or even if I will even receive a refund.

Being a developer and working in the online world to e-commerce and more, it's even more frustrating to see a big company like Massmart can't even get it right for their division. Visiting Builders Centurion on a customer service level is not one to brag about.

This letter I hope gets to the right people in HQ to resolve this issue as it's not the way an online experience and customer support in a store should be.

Regards,