Worst service in my life - ever!

On 1 December 2025 I placed an online order to the value of R2,186.89 for delivery of 21 items, and naturally paid for it – as far as I’m aware, that is the only way to place an online order with Leroy Merlin (“LM”). The holidays were approaching and I had some marriage saving DIY planned which would, all things considered, be cheaper and more relaxing than engaging legal counsel over marital matters. LM gave a delivery date of 4 December 2025 for all items except Item #21 (“I21”) – a 24w Magnetic LED Replacement Module – which was due on 12 December. This suited me perfectly, as I was going into hospital for an operation on the 2nd and would be discharged on the 5th. Everything appeared to be lining up nicely. On Thursday 4 December I received a notification that I21 had shipped. I’d only expected it on the 12th, so this was at least some good news, especially as it was the most important item. There had been no communication regarding the other 20 items (“O20”), which were due that same day. Still being in hospital at the time, I was in no state to follow up on the silence or the non delivery. By Monday 8 December, I21 still had not arrived, and there was still no word on O20. I assumed the weekend had caused delays. Later that day, instead of a delivery, I received an email stating that the order for O20 had been cancelled due to non payment. How? One cannot place an LM order without paying, and I had both payment confirmation and order approval. Still very debilitated, I rolled out of bed and slithered over to the phone to spend 30 minutes of quality time listening to deafeningly loud, awful music before finally speaking to a human over a crackling, and ,suddenly, barely audible line. A very effective filtering mechanism to **** out “trivial” matters such as mine… I queried the non arrival of I21 and the total lack of communication regarding O20, apart from the single accusatory email suggesting I trade in bad faith. I21’s disappearance was a complete mystery. Promises were made about follow ups and returned calls – which, in hindsight, simply meant I would be the one doing the following up, which I indeed did several times over the next few days. By the 11th, the alleged non payment issue for O20 had been “resolved”, but the entire order needed to be placed from scratch. I21 was still missing. Had the courier crossed the Limpopo and smuggled it across the border to bring light to darkest Africa? Should we notify William Shatner? Nobody knew. On 18 December I finally received an email: O20 had been re ordered, freshly repacked and – hopefully – on its way. Sadly not. Instead: “Your order has been cancelled because it had not been paid.” After regaining consciousness, I returned to my now-fami**** sound therapy phone sessions. More nonsensical explanations followed, involving internal transfers between branches, and some vague assurance that attempt number three at O20 might succeed. I21, meanwhile, would definitely be found. It was apparently originating from a mysterious “Electrozone Electrical”, who seemed to have crossed into a different zone altogether.

Amazingly, on the 19th I received notification that O20 had been packed for courier pickup. Just one day between cancellation and repacking was impressive; I can only assume the poor worker tasked with repeatedly packing and unpacking the same box had given up and had Knock off early the day before. On the 23rd, O20 was finally picked up – and I, having returned to hospital, couldn’t care less. Still no word on I21.

On the 24th I received a survey asking me to rate LM’s service from 0 to 10. For the first time I felt absolutely confident in my answer and clicked 0 without hesitation. The response was immediate: “Your survey session has expired and you cannot continue taking the survey.” My patience had also expired, and I asked the nurse for pain medication.

For the hell of it I asked for follow-up over Christmas. I was still in hospital and bored.

O20 eventually arrived around the 29th – about 25 days late, when the holidays were essentially over. Any thought of DIY was left in the dark.

In January, having recovered enough, I resumed the sound therapy calls. On 6 Jan - nearly a month after my initial request - "Electrozone Electrical", the shadowy light bulb dealers, finally responded. It read "This order has been delivered last month already. We do not have this order in our warehouse. So it means whoever signed for it haven't given you. But from our side we have nothing for you." The warm response gave me the chills. Who would be trying to withhold my lightbulb from me? The Grinch? These are clearly people who do not appreciate paying customers stepping on their turf. They were not to be trifled with.

With a quaver in my keyboard I hesitantly, but bravely and firmly typed that I would not be chasing items supposedly delivered for almost a month a go.

Twenty minutes later I received the following response: "Here is our signed POD which clearly states that someone signed for the stock when it has been delivered. So you should go and confirm with that person who signed for the stock. Because here is our proof that it has been delivered." The "Proof" being a clear photo of the Delivery Note, with my name and address clearly and correctly typed out, but signed for by someone else at a different address. I pointed out that they had just proven I had not received it.

Further follow-ups were made on 20 and 29 January. On 31 January I drove to a local electrics shop near Leroy Merlin and bought the same unit for less. The 20 km round trip took less time than my first call to LM. With school starting again, the family had grown tired of attending to their ablutions in the dark. Having now seen me post op, opinions vary on whether the replacement light was really necessary.

The tone of this review is my attempt to avoid saying what I truly want to say about these despicable businesses and the contempt with which they treat their customers. LM shines in its unwillingness to assist customers of the marketplace trading under its own name. Any business with scruples would have found a way by now to make good on this utter mess. Not even a thought was given to refunding a customer for paying for goods never received. I consider it theft.

I no longer want or need I21, and if that light ever does arrive, I will ensure that that same light shines where the sun does not. And although LM is my two young sons’ favourite shop, I will make certain that neither they nor I ever set foot in that place again.

I'm done - I need to head over to Facebook. There is something I need to quickly go and paste.