False Advertising and Poor Returns Handling

I ordered a First Dutch Brands pedal bin from Takealot, which was advertised as stainless steel, after my Brabantia bin of 22 years finally needed replacing. I cleaned the exterior with a wet cloth, exactly as I had done for over two decades with my Brabantia stainless steel bin. However, I immediately noticed that the streak marks left by the water on the sponge did not disappear. This raised serious concerns about whether the product was in fact stainless steel as advertised. I logged a return on the basis that the item was not as described. The response I received was: “Unfortunately, we cannot accept your return request as the item has been used. Item dirty, cx may have used a wrong chemical or detergent. Our returns policy states that a return can only be accepted if the item is unused.” This is completely inaccurate. I did not use any detergent or chemicals, only water, and the visible streaking clearly demonstrates that the material is not stainless steel as advertised. Cleaning a newly purchased bin with water does not constitute “use” in any reasonable sense, especially when the issue relates directly to the product’s material and quality. The bin was sent back to me without a refund, which I find extremely unfair. I explained my position clearly, yet the matter was dismissed without proper consideration. I would not recommend purchasing a “stainless steel” bin from Takealot if this is how misleading advertising and legitimate return concerns are handled. Very disappointing experience.