Makro Cape Gate TV & electronics section is useless Buy anywhere else to avoid massive disappointment

Makro Cape Gate TV & electronics section is useless Buy anywhere else to avoid massive disappointment

It was my 63 birthday at the beginning of December 2022 and my wife (“K”) that recently retired decided to buy me a massive 70” Samsung television. “What a wife!!” Makro: Buying, transporting, storing and installing: The transaction at Makro Cape Gate was handled quickly, and this included checking to see that it was in working condition. (“Opening the box, removing the tv from the box. putting it on a stand, switching it on and off and putting it back into the box.”) K also asked them if they are sure that it would fit into her car. They asked her what make it was and after she rep**** they indicated that it would be fine. When she got to the door the guys that sold her the tv just wanted to leave her there. She stopped them and said that she was on her own and couldn’t handle it by herself. They then indicated that the car guards will help her to which she rep****,” but do they know what they are doing?” She was assured by Makro staff that they do and then proceeded with the car guards to transport (“on a trolly”) and load the tv into the vehicle. When she got home I said to my son that I have never seen an electronic system of that size that was obviously too big for the vehicle, that must have been pushed into the space available (“maybe even bumping against the front seat?”) and then upon seeing that there wasn’t enough room, just lifted at the one end (“lengthwise”) and placed on the backrest of the front seats, with nothing to support it underneath. Anyway, not being an electronics person, but knowing that such systems were very finicky, we removed it from the car and carried it (“like a baby”) into a storeroom inside the house where it stayed in its box waiting for the installer. No one went close to it. Take note: never removed from the packaging or even opened by any of the family. Knowing that I wasn’t the expert in lengthening cables to where the tv will eventually go against the lounge wall, we hired a professional with a good record and references to do all that was necessary. He could only come 4 days later, but we had no problem with that as we couldn’t do it any other way. When the installer arrived, he slid the top of the box off and proceeded to install the bracket that will clamp to the wall. Take note: The tv was not removed, then placed on the ground or anywhere else other than where it was in its foam at the bottom of the box. He then proceeded to hang the tv against the wall never touching anywhere else than where he was supposed to. AND HE WAS WATCHED WITH EAGLE EYES!! As soon as he switched the tv on there were lines vertically running down on the screen and he said that it was damaged, and we needed to take it back to Makro which we did after calling ahead. The salesperson indicated that we could bring it to them to have it checked, but if there was damage it was our problem as they had checked it before release.

Back to Makro: We took the tv inside to the salesperson and he opened it and tested it and then all the salespeople standing around came to look and one even pulled off a covering strip (“that we never removed”) on the screen and said he could see that there was a crack underneath. “Neither K nor I could see anything wrong, but what do we know?? The salesman then indicated that we should leave it with them as they will send it off to SAMSUNG to have it tested with their computer that gets plugged into the tv and it will check the time it was in use and all other kinds of things, and they will get back to us within 2 to 7 days. He indicated again that if it was damaged, we will have to claim it from our insurance (“you really do not want to know what I had to say to that”) and that he can see from the packaging that it wasn’t damaged inside the box. Also, that we took responsibility for transporting it (“delivery was never given as an option to K, but seeing that they indicated that it wasn’t damaged in the box it couldn’t have anything to do with the transporting of the item”). When we booked the tv back into returns they indicated that their policy indicates that it could take much longer to get back from SAMSUNG. After 7 days K called and was informed by the Returns Section, that the tv had not been touched and was still standing where we had left it. When she asked the salesperson why it wasn’t sent to SAMSUNG, he indicated that it didn’t need to go there and that they will send a technician to come and check it at their store. The next we heard was that the technician had been there and that the screen was smashed. I asked for the report, and they said that they will get it for me. The salesperson called back after a day or two and said that the Technician indicated that the tv was damaged. THEREFORE!! we must be responsible because they checked it before it was removed. THAT WAS THEIR POLICY, and we could go to the Ombudsman if we wanted. I asked for the report and said that we will come to see him the next day. We called the next day but that specific salesperson was not on duty!!?? Why did he not know this the day before????? 2 Days later we went to the store and again asked the salesperson for the report. Not long thereafter he brought us a tik list that he said the technician completed”). Really???, no computer printout?? (“for all I know a Rep could have completed the tick list”) The tik list was signed off and indicated as follows: - That the box was damaged (“remember that the salesperson indicated (as we did) that there was no damage to the box, and neither could we see any damage when we brought it in. Therefore, it must have been damaged after we left it back at Makro to have it checked”) Anyway, the salesperson indicated that the damage was unrelated to the damage of the tv. - The tv was smashed or beyond recoverable damage. Impact crack to the left corner of the screen. OBF rejected. “I know that there was no impact when K transported it or me and my grownup son moved it into the house and because they indicated that the box was undamaged when I brought it in for the damage report. This, to their mind also means that it could not have been the car guard or Macro as the tv was also checked beforehand. I asked who put it back in the box after they checked it, but they said that they checked the security footage and there seems to be nothing wrong with how they handled it. Remember that the safety strip on the screen wasn’t even damaged when Macro pulled it off when I brought it back. No pressmarks, toolmarks or anything on it!!. The installer did also not remove the tape (like thick two way tape) as he switched it on when it was still in place. They (Makro) could only see a crack when they removed the strip, and the strip wasn’t damaged!! After arguing back and forth and constantly having their policy thrown in our face and being told that it is our problem: a) that we transported it (“forgetting that they indicated that the box wasn’t damaged when we brought it back and therefore the car guards couldn’t have been responsible”) b) They could have transported it for us. Never given as an option to K, but it does not matter as they indicated that the box wasn’t damaged and therefore whoever transported it couldn’t have damaged it. I also asked the salesperson what difference it makes in his way of arguing as he indicated that the box wasn’t damaged. (“No answer.”) c) we moved it from the car into the house (“it can be derived from the fact that they indicated that the box wasn’t damaged when brought back that we couldn’t have damaged it in the box when carrying and storing it. Same as the argument re their car guards damaging it. Only thing standing in this arguments way is that we had reason to be cautious”) d) we removed it from the box (“we did not. Only Macro did when they removed, checked, and put it back in the box at time of sale”). e) we attempted to install it (“The professional installer only removed the top of the box and then placed the bracket on. He did not even put it flat to install the bracket. It was done while still standing in the bottom half of the packaging. He also did not remove the protective strips on the screen. only Macro salespeople did when we took it back.”) When I indicated to the salesman that the only way Makro’s customers can protect themselves against them denying responsibility is to have a Makro person there when the item is installed. To this he answered that it could be arranged on request from the customer. I MEAN, REALLY??!! Macro is going to send someone to all the houses where their product is installed!! I also asked what would they have done if it happened to their CEO and I was told that he would be handled in the same manner, What nonsense!! f) we took 4 days to bring it back. (“Now what has that got to do with anything when it wasn’t removed from the box until the professional installer touched it 4 days after purchase? Remember the undamaged box story?”)

Needless to say, we had to take our very expensive tv that we apparently broke, go home and claim it from our insurer SANSURE (“Elsje Taljaard: Client Services Consultant, you are a star!!), that had no problem in assisting us, and calming me down.