I was sold a defective television whose screen came to me already shattered and no warranty replacement was offered

I bought a Samsung television from HiFi Corp online in late November under order number *** around Black Friday. It was delivered shortly a couple of weeks later which was shortly before I departed for Durban on a combined work commitment and holiday. When I went away hence it was never opened then and I came back around mid December which is only then that it was opened. There are several witnesses who were there when the television was opened out of its box and this includes an independent DSTV installer. Whilst this is an independent person who is not related to me, I challenge HiFi Corp to call on them to verify my assertion that the television was defective. I immediately notified their online complaints department that is was defective and let me mention here that it was a real hassle to be directed to the correct department telephonically whenever I called their number ***. I reiterate that I only opened the television when I came back which was in mid December 2020 and upon doing so, I noticed that the screen was shattered as such there was no way of telling that it is/was faulty/broken before I left unless I physically opened the box before I left of which time didn’t permit for me to do so as I was already scheduled to leave by the time it was delivered. It was never disclosed to me nor was there any disclaimer information conveyed to me that I must open the box immediately. It is worth mentioning that I have already lodged a complaint no. *** with HiFi Corp and a week of dilly dallying, Kelumetse Matsoele responded by rejecting my claim for a replacement with a proper television.

The most upsetting part is that Kelumetse didn’t even have the decency to identify themselves in terms of their position at HiFi Corporation as such I don’t even know whether this is a manager or a call center agent. Be that as it may, I would like this matter to be escalated to a senior manager who will assess this matter objectively instead of blindly looking at the time that has elapsed without looking at the facts as to when was the television opened from its package box. I therefore need Hello Peter to escalate this matter to their senior management because this agent can’t expect me to take a defective television when I paid so much money (i.e. R12999.00). I shall await a favourable response from a senior manager from HiFi Corp who if needs be can evaluate all the facts and conduct a test to see if the television was ever used or dropped both of which will be negative. I am more than happy for them to do a check because to simply apply the 7 day rule doesn’t account for the fact that the television was never opened. The above-mentioned agent sent me highlighted text which says that it is 14 days, but “excluding all panel televisions larger than “32 plasma LCD/LED...”. The size of my television is “55 and therefore they can’t use a rule that was never disclosed to me at the time of purchase because I only opened the box upon my return.

This above text is translated to mean that the larger screen TVs are not confined to the 14 days. If HiFi Corp had given me a warning that I must open it immediately and I did not comply, then it would be a different ball game altogether but I never knew that I must check. As a buyer, one ordinarily expects that when I buy a product, it doesn’t have any factory faults. I don’t want to lodge a formal complaint with the National Consumer Commission about this matter just yet and this is beside the fact the NCC takes too long to respond to complaints. I did mention to Kelumetse that if he/she fails to assist me then I will do so and additionally made a note that I will lodge a customer dissatisfaction with Hello Peter. I reasoned that it is because this is unfair to expect to pay so much money for a defective television that clearly came to me already broken (i.e. shattered screen). The inability to get through to their Helpdesk has already caused an undue delay and inconvenience but I would like to avoid further inconvenience whereas I had hoped that I would the television when I came back. I need to get value for my money and thus far there is no value at all that has been derived from this purchase because the said company delivered a defective television.

Your urgent attention and escalation of this matter will be highly appreciated