False advertising

25 November 2017

I am absolutely appalled at the level of service and lack of professionalism from DSTV’s staff and those of representing stores. Yesterday was BLACK FRIDAY at 7 o’ clock after going onto GUMTREE, a big add popped up at the top of the front page. The adverti*****t was from DSTV offering an Exlora 2, fully installed at R899 for black Friday. Arriving at High Fi Corporation at 8 o’ clock, the manager told me that there is no such deal with them. Only one of R899, without installation. To not waste time I went to Makro and was there at 9 o’clock. The representative ladies and manager there told me that they had 2000 decoders but already sold out the previous day. Yet the deals were advertised for Black Friday. They sold them for R1499 with full installation and a Wi-Fi router and R899 without installation. From here I went to the DSTV agent in Newton Park, 3rd Avenue. The results were the same. The lady told me to bring proof of the add, but they can only question it with DSTV. They also gave me the number of Shiraaag Sufeyam whom I can phone as he is the contact person between DSTV and the Merchants. My first call was at 09:58 to the office and again at 09:59 to his cell with no response even after I left messages. I downloaded the add to a stick and took it to the dstv agent in 3rd Avenue. After seeing the add, two of the staff members admitted that the add was legit and the offer was R899 for an Exlora 2 Fully Installed. They contacted Shiraag and got hold of him immediately. The add was uploaded from my copy and send to him. This was at 13:00. I called him again at 13:18 and 13:20 to the respected numbers but with no luck. Shiraag only called me back at 15:04. Telling me they cannot find the adverti*****t on his phone and that they only placed an adverti*****t on the TV. I went back on Gumtree and the adverti*****t was still there. I called back at 15:28. He answered and I told him everything regarding the adverti*****t and that he might not see it on his phone but must log on with a normal computer as the adverti*****t is over the width of the page. I offered for him to come to my house and see for himself, which he turned down as he was at Makro. I tried phoning again this morning at09:01 and 09:13 to the two respective numbers with no luck. This is nothing but a case of false advertising and no member of the public should be ********** like this. If it was a mistake in their advertising they must take the punch. I did a research and found that Sizmek did the adverti*****t for them. I request of each member of the public who bought a decoder for R1499 with installation to claim there R600 overpayment back. Alternatively, if you bought for R899 without the Installation, go and claim your installation voucher which includes a smart LNB, Dish, Wi-Fi router and the installation thereof. Also add your detail to this letter and forward to the ombudsman. My name is Joe Calitz and I fight against *******ion.