Experiencing worst service exchange an item

Yesterday, I visited the Foschini store at Golden Acre to exchange a pair of Luella slides (R799) that my late mother purchased. Unfortunately, my mother passed away and I am now handling her belongings. Upon entering the store, I explained my situation to the gentleman working there, showed him the shoes, and he referred me to Marry-Anne in the shoe department. I explained the situation to her as well, stating that I wasn’t asking for a refund, just an exchange for a new pair, as the shoes were faulty.

However, Marry-Anne informed me that an exchange could not be processed without a receipt and that I would need to take the shoes back to the store where my mother purchased them. I’m unsure of the exact store because she was already unwell at the time of purchase, and sadly, she’s no longer here to confirm the details.

I then requested to speak to someone in charge, and another lady came to assist. She did not introduce herself, but I assume she is the store manager. I had to explain the situation a third time and showed her the shoes. The slides are still new, with the price tag attached, and the protective plastic still on the soles. Despite this, the manager said she needed to confirm with someone else if the shoes had been launched in June before proceeding with the exchange. She mentioned that she would call me, but unfortunately, she did not take my contact number before leaving.

I am unsure if my race played a role in this experience, as the same shoes are still on display in the store at the same price, with the same SKU/barcode. Nothing has changed regarding the shoes, yet I was not offered the same exchange that I requested.

To clarify, I am not seeking a refund or a different pair of shoes. I simply want to exchange the faulty pair for a new one of the same style and size.

I do not have a receipt because the shoes were a gift from my late mother, and unfortunately, I cannot provide any additional purchase details.

And I’ll just quote their response as it is “ Dear TFG Customer,

Trust this email finds you well.

Unfortunately, we would need a proof of purchase for the shoes. We can be able to assist if you can provide us with the following information: Did your mom have an account with TFG maybe we can retrieve her statement? If so, please provide her ID number/ TFG account number. Do you perhaps remember the month she bought the shoe? Which Foschini store was the shoe purchased in?

Stores are able to retrieve information that is three months or less so maybe we can be able to get a reprint if it is still within the three-month period.

Kindly awaiting your feedback.

Kind regards”