Laziness and Indifference

I have been a customer of the SHOPRITE -Group for many years; therefore, it pains me to lodge this complaint. Recently on the way home, I bought a paraffin–lamp due to the numerous cases of load shedding in recent times. However, after a week of use, one of the fixtures on the device broke off and was therefore useless. I subsequently went to my nearest Shoprite-Branch being Silverton, which happens to be about five (5) minutes from my home to return the product. This was well within my rights as a consumer. Upon my arrival at the store, with my sales slip in hand, I then duly explained the situation to one of the assistants at the store, who was most willing to give me a refund. However, there was a problem in that particular size of lamp was out of stock in the store at the time. The assistant however made the mistake of asking help from the manager, Rivonia. However, this person was so lazy, indifferent, and not willing to go the extra-mile to assist me. She duly advised me to rather go back to the store I bought it from, which happens to be about 25 km away. According to her, the “Store Policy” that “they cannot refund something is not in the store at the time”. I expressed my dismay in no uncertain terms because that was a ludicrous policy. I consider that to be totally ridiculous as you are not required to do that in other retail stores. It is a small amount by normal standards; nevertheless, I consider it a matter of principle. With all due respect and with no malice intended, but the “Store Policy” smacks of sheer prejudice. The “Call Centre” also does not operate. Taking into accounts the above and in the greater scheme of things, I beg the question; • Am I being facetious in assuming that good customer is reserved only for a select few or a certain sector of the community for that matter?” • How does the SHOPRITE-Group operate a business when they do not offer proper customer service? • What message do they communicate to their target markets?

I feel I have no other alternative to bring this unsatisfactory conduct to the senior management’s attention. Under normal circumstances, I would have let it slide, but it’s just that I'm very irate and disgruntled as I felt very humiliated in the store for such a mundane thing. It is not my intention to put people in trouble, but why is it that no other retailers have any problem with refunding your purchase. I believe that SHOPRITE-Group can ill afford such conduct by its management, not when it strives to position itself as the preferred FMCG Retailer in South Africa. It‘s unfortunate that I had to proverbially; “Rock the Boat” in order to air my grievance. After conferring with my fellow colleagues, also in the retail field, they all concurred that it goes totally against the grain of what “Good Customer Service” is all about and that this behaviour by Shoprite Silverton in Pretoria leaves much to be desired. If this matter does not get resolved amicably I will have no choice but to escalate the matter for resolution. I have never experienced such bad customer service before, not even from your less sophisticated competition. I sincerely hope that not one more SHOPRITE-Group customer has to endure this treatment. I would, therefore, like the Managing Director of the SHOPRITE-Group to explain to me what the refund policy of the SHOPRITE-Group is and to whom it applies.