ONECART WOOLIES DASH: MISLEADING MARKETING AND BLATANT DISCRIMATION

THEY WILL TAKE YOUR MAONEY AND THEN ZONE YOU OUT IF YOU ARE FROM THE WRONG SIDE OF TOWN!

I am incredibly disappointed by the OneCart Woolies Dash app having experienced a rather blatant case of **************.

I had no idea that this app was run by OneCart and would not have used it had I known because I have had tried to use its native “OneCart” app in the past, but my purchase was declined based on the area I live in (which is actually pretty decent although situated on the Cape Flats).

On Saturday, 31 July 2021, I discovered the Woolies Dash app and was pretty excited to find a delivery service for this store in my area. I went through the whole process of selecting products for my trolley. It was almost lunch time so I included some ready-made food from the deli for my kids. The payment went through immediately and the app indicated delivery between 1 and 2pm. Next, I noticed a message in the chat area of the app and started engaging with the shopper who was preparing my goods, and substituting goods that were not available.

It was almost 1 pm when I finished and put the phone down. The kids were already restless but I had to wait since there was nothing to make them. I waited and waited and checked the app but didn’t see any notifications.

By 2:30pm, things were getting out of hand and per chance I put on my laptop to do some work when I noticed an email from OneCart. I was a little confused but then realised that they ran the Woolies Dash app. The email advised that my order was cancelled, “…because we do not service your area. Your residential address is out of our delivery radius.” No call. No sms. No in-app comms. Instead they send an email.

Any other time I may have just shrugged this off but not at this point while we are stuck in a global pandemic which compels us to maintain social distance if we wish to survive. I feel discriminated against because my money was taken, up front without problem. The whole process seemed to progress smoothly until somewhere, someone realised where they were delivering too after everything had already been finalised. When you take my money you have an obligation to deliver on the goods. I was out of pocket, had two hungry kids on my hands and my weeks budget was stuck in OneCart’s bank account till further notice. I called in and spoke to a consultant who understood but nothing really came of it. It seems that these issues need to be called out publicly, addressed and pursued tirelessly if one wants any sort of fair treatment. And, since this sort of nonsense infringes on our basic rights consumers, we should not let it slide. It is a direct violation on, 1.) my right to free and unlimited access to goods and services (denying me a service after taking my money, there is a Woolworths store less than 800m from my home at Vangate mall so why can this not be made available to my area?) 2.) my right to high-quality goods and services 3.) my right to fair and responsible marketing (I was mislead into thinking this app belonged to Woolworths and would not have proceeded with the order had I been aware that this was OneCart) 4.) my right to accountability from suppliers (simply refunding the amount for the purchase does not acknowledge the impact this issue had on my family - I had to make plans and borrow cash to cover the shortfall till the money was refunded on Thursday 5 Aug, and I am liable to pay interest as well as bank service fees for tall transactions. This is not right!)

I want to say that it is a particularly cold and ****** way to operate when more affluent and historically privileged areas are fast tracked and receive these services immediately. But neighbourhoods that now house all those displaced people who were forced away from their homes in those privileged areas by the atrocity of the group areas act, these places are not good enough and remain off the priority and servicing lists of companies like OneCart! I’m pretty sure that your drivers, agents (confirmed) or shoppers live in the same areas and yet you refuse to service… and if that is the case, does that make them your slaves?

In the current global climate where it is actually a matter of life and death, how dare they deny this essential service to historically disadvantaged people without any remorse or legal recourse?

TakeAlot, Superbalist, Mr. Delivery, Uber, Bolt and many others have no issue servicing our area, so what is the problem with OneCart and when do they play to come right?

We should not use companies that operate by the ******, heartless fascist principles and who discriminate against us so shamelessly. I will never use this app again!