FNB Cancelled My Confirmed Black Friday Order Without Reason; Then Told Me I “Failed Affordability” for R187/Month

I am extremely disappointed in FNB’s handling of my confirmed Black Friday PlayStation 5 order, as well as the contradictory and frankly unacceptable explanations provided afterwards.

Here is what happened:

At midnight, I joined FNB's official Black Friday queue like every other customer. At exactly 00:20, I was granted access to the Connect Store. I selected the PlayStation 5 Slim deal for R187 per month, completed the full application, and received a successful order confirmation with Order Number .

I went to bed knowing I had secured the deal legitimately and fairly.

Two hours later, FNB cancelled my order without giving any reason whatsoever.

What FNB staff told me afterwards

I contacted support immediately to find out what happened:

Phindile (FNB Secure Chat) confirmed could not give me any reason for the cancellation.

Another FNB agent Zinhle suggested it “might” be stock-related, without any proof.

I then contacted FNB Connect directly:

The first consultant transferred me to Digital Planet.

Digital Planet’s agent, Mphumelelo Pagathi, checked and confirmed that no order was ever sent to them by FNB, meaning the failure was entirely on FNB’s side.

She advised me to ask FNB to investigate internally.

I called FNB Connect again:

Zinhle claimed the order was cancelled due to “no stock,” yet FNB only announced stock issues at 00:34, after my order was already confirmed.

She also stated there was an “influx of orders,” which contradicts their controlled queue system.

None of these explanations aligned. None were consistent. None were factual.

The official email from FNB made the situation even worse

I then received a formal response from Kulani Ngwenya, claiming my application was declined due to “failed affordability.”

This makes absolutely no sense for the following reasons:

I am a Premier Banking client. My monthly bank fees alone cost more than R187 per month.

FNB currently allows me to apply for a PS5 bundle at around R500 per month on the same Connect Store and I pass the affordability check there.

Not one consultant mentioned affordability when attempting to purchase a PS5 on Connect store. Not one system notification displayed affordability failure.

I was issued a successful order number, which according to the Consumer Protection Act constitutes a valid transaction.

The affordability excuse looks like an afterthought to avoid honouring a Black Friday deal that was oversold.

Where the matter stands now

FNB:

Cancelled a legitimate confirmed order

Provided contradictory, unfounded and incorrect excuses

Failed to give any real transparency

Issued an affordability excuse that contradicts their own system

Still shows PS5 bundles in stock today

Has not honoured their end of the deal required under the Consumer Protection Act

All I want is for FNB to honour the order they confirmed. I followed every step correctly, waited in their queue, completed the process, and received confirmation of success.

This experience has severely damaged my trust in a bank I have been with for 8 years, and it is shocking to see such poor accountability from a major institution. Never the less i will move my business banking portfolio and personal portfolio to a different bank as trust has been broken.

FNB, please resolve this by honouring the confirmed Black Friday order.