Lack of help and support

BUFFALO INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS – SIX MONTHS OF FRUSTRATION AND NO RESOLUTION

On 9 March 2026, I placed an order with Temu. Merchandise was subsequently returned through Buffalo International Logistics.

Buffalo acknowledged receiving and processing my returned parcel. However, contradictory information concerning its contents was subsequently communicated to Temu, resulting in my refund of R3,684.00 being refused.

Since April, I have made extraordinary efforts to resolve this matter.

My husband and I personally visited Buffalo's premises on 8 April, spending two and a half hours seeking answers. A promised follow-up never materialised.

On 14 August, I hand-delivered a formal complaint to Buffalo. Further correspondence with management failed to resolve the matter.

I subsequently approached two consumer protection organisations:

Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO): Declined to handle my complaint, referring me to ICASA.

National Consumer Commission (NCC): Registered my complaint but subsequently closed its file, referring me back to the very organisation that had already declined to assist me!

After more than six months, I remain without my R3,684 refund or a satisfactory explanation of what happened.

My greatest disappointment is not simply the financial loss. It is the apparent lack of accountability and the difficulty an ordinary South African consumer faces when seeking assistance.

Buffalo International Logistics, I am still waiting for a proper explanation and resolution.

And to the CGSO and NCC: Where does a consumer turn when the organisations established to assist consumers refer complaints back and forth without resolving them?