Very disappointed with Makro online

<p>We placed an order with Makro online on the 26th of November, for a PS 4 bundle. We specifically checked the stock online before placing the order and the website clearly stated that all stores had stock, with Centurion stock being low. Based on this information, we placed the order and made payment.</p> <p>For a week we did not hear anything from Makro, but with delivery being advertised as 3-5 working days, we were not concerned.</p> <p>This past Saturday, 3rd December, we get a call from a gentleman from Makro in Mbombela to tell us that unfortunately there is no stock available and we'll have to take a refund or wait for stock. Apparently the stock on Black Friday has flown out of the store and now there is no more. He goes on to explain however, that the Crown Mines store has 5 of these bundles on back order and we can possibly get one from there.</p> <p>We then phoned the Crown Mines store immediately, only to be told there is actually no stock.</p> <p>Upon phoning the gentleman in Mbombela back, he explains that he can try and secure one of the back order stock items for us. He phones us back later the same afternoon to tell us that actually he cannot secure this stock for us as he has phoned the supplier and the product has been "discontinued".</p> <p>It is incomprehensible that a company like MassMart would not be able to manage the stock on their website. We specifically checked the stock before placing our order on Saturday morning around 10h00. Further to that, it took Makro a week to contact us to let us know that there was a problem, all the while knowing that their stock had run out. Surely in this day and age with scanning techniques available, it's nearly impossible for stock taking to be so poor that every store in the country so called had stock when actually they did not.</p> <p>The reality is that Makro has advertised a product as being available and has then further left us to believe for a week that there was no problem with the order. The Consumer Protection Act refers to this as "overselling" and specifies that the supplier should at least make an attempt to offer an alternative to the client.</p> <p>Not only was no alternative offered to us (other than geting our money back), but having escalated the complaint with the gentleman who phoned us on the 3rd, we are still awaiting a phonecall from someone in the online department who is willing to take enough responsibility to have a discussion with us.</p> <p>We have also not heard from anyone about our money which is of course conveniently for Makro, tied up in their account whilst they do not even attempt to help us sort out our complaint.</p> <p>We have however been offered a R200 gift voucher to compensate us for the difficulty experienced in ordering online; which is of course done without bothering to contact us directly and just have a human conversation with us. Just because we have ordered online does not entitle Makro to think that an sms suffices to sort out a client's complaint.</p> <p>This bundle was supposed to be a gift for our son and quite frankly, at the age of 9, he does not begin to understand the principle of "running out of stock". His disappointment alone is reason enough for us to take the time to take Makro on about this unprofessional conduct.</p> <p>Frankly, the service received from Makro has been shocking to say the least and quite honestly, I am advising anyone not to buy from Makro online as they obviously have no problem with advertising products they do not actually have in their stores to deliver. You don't want to find yourself in the disappointed position we find ourselves in now.</p>