@home misleads you!

I ordered two couches from the home.co.za website on their "so called" Black Friday specials. I had been in the market for couches and had specifically intended to spend the amount in question on a couch that fit within my budget and criteria. I had prepared myself by doing research on a number of retailers and had my intended budget.

I purchased a couch from them and the entire weekend I was led to believe that my order had been placed. TFG had readily helped themselves to my funds and I then passed up on Black Friday offers at both Coricraft and MRP Home as TFG had processed the transaction against my bank account and had sent a confirmation email stating to me "it's time to get excited" stating that my order was "placed" and payment was received. Only to receive a cancellation today when everyone's prices are back to normal. TFG has thus willingly misled the public to dupe them into believing that they had sufficient stock available to fulfill orders when in reality they did not. They would then enjoy the benefit of exploiting the funds of the consumer for interest gain over the few days while they're mull over wether they have stock or not. This is not a case of willing buyer willing seller. In a cash transaction at a shop if I was informed there was an uncer*****y of stock I would have taken my business elsewhere, instead I am misled and forced into leaving an entire amount on the table on a speculative transaction. This is irresponsible and exploitive practices by the TFG group. In their cancellation email it is not even made clear the precise reason for the cancellation instead a vague number of reasons are given, there is no indication even when the transaction will be reversed.

I have contacted TFG who do not respond to their email complaints, such arrogance towards the exploited consumer. I contacted their call center - the staff shout on the phone and have music blasting in the background - they informed me that I would have to wait another 5 days to get my money back!

I would like this type of false stock management stopped. I was informed by the call center agent that TFG had purposefully switched off their database on Black Friday in order to process as many transactions as possible. This is something that must be disclosed. If you click on T&Cs apply there is no response. I find it disingenuous to reserve the right to cancel yet wait unreasonably long to do so and not put this in very clear print, and also to expect a consumer to make payment when they have in fact purposefully disabled the code which checks their database which would protect the consumer from being misled about the existence of stock.

I would like to know what recourse one has in an instance such as this?