Bad service from Makro team!

On October 27, 2022, I purchased an HP 14" 2-in-1 Pavilion laptop from the Makro branch in Gqeberha. At the time of purchase, I was assured by the sales team that the laptop came with a 2-year collect and repair warranty. However, when I checked the HP app for warranty details, it indicated that the warranty would expire on October 27, 2023—just one year from the purchase date.

After raising this concern with the Gqeberha sales team, I was reassured that the laptop indeed had a 2-year warranty. Fast forward to late May 2024, and my laptop failed to power on. The HP website confirmed that the warranty had expired, which was contradictory to the information provided earlier.

I contacted the call centre, where the agent confirmed that my laptop did have a 2-year warranty and that I could take it to any Makro store in South Africa for repairs. Following this advice, I took the laptop to the Makro Woodmead branch in Johannesburg on June 1. I was given a reference number, but by June 5, I was informed that my warranty had expired. After multiple calls to the call centre, which reaffirmed the warranty status, I was directed to speak with the branch manager.

Despite presenting the confirmation from the call centre, the Woodmead branch manager, insisted that my warranty had expired. He provided a printout showing that my warranty had lapsed, even though the Makro system indicated otherwise. Frustrated, I contacted Makro’s head office and spoke with an agent, who advised that I would need to return the laptop to the Gqeberha branch. Due to financial constraints, I was reluctant to courier the laptop and requested that it be transported from a nearby branch. The head office agent, informed me that reopening the process would be time-consuming, leading me to courier the laptop at my own expense.

Upon submitting the laptop to the Gqeberha branch on July 22, I requested that my personal data on the SSD be preserved. Weeks passed with no updates, and when I followed up, I was informed that the repair agent had yet to provide a status update. On August 7, I was told that the laptop had liquid damage and that the warranty was voided. I requested a quotation for the repair and contacted head office again, this time speaking with a different agent. Despite assurances that my case would be escalated, I received no further updates.

By August 19, after not receiving the promised quotation, I called head office once more. The recent agent I spoke to, confirmed that the Gqeberha branch should have contacted me, but I still had not heard from them. I directly contacted the Gqeberha branch and was only given images showing liquid damage, but no quotation.

As of August 22, I have yet to receive a quotation or any meaningful communication from either the head office or the Gqeberha branch. The extensive delays and inconsistent information have severely damaged my confidence in Makro’s customer service and support.

I hope this review will underscore the seriousness of the issues I faced and prompt Makro to address these concerns more effectively. The lack of clear communication and follow-through has been deeply disheartening and reflects poorly on the company’s commitment to customer satisfaction.