Misleading Web Listings - Forcing you to buy something else

I do not want a response from takealot as my business with them is concluded, my problem has been resolved only thanks to the intervention of Discovery Insure.

This serves only as a cautionary tale to those wanting to order from takealot. My advice would be look for alternative online local retailers, or even order from Amazon.

I had a damaged camera lens which needed to be repaired, due to the quoted 4 weeks repair time my insurer kindly agreed to replace the lens to avoid the long wait times. Both ORMS and takealot had the item on special - takealot's web-listing for the product claimed 3 to 4 days delivery time.

Discovery paid the money (less my excess) into a takealot "claimscard" which I then used to purchase the lens. After the 4 days no lens had arrived, so I logged in to track the progress, only to see that the lens was going to take a further 7 days.

I called takealot and their response was that the delivery time is only confirmed "After Payment", and that they had sent me an email in this regard. This is contrary to the spirit of the CPA. I demanded a refund so that I could rather purchase somewhere else. Takealot eventually agreed to a refund of only the R750 excess, and the balance would remain as "a credit" on my takealot account. They flat out refused to refund Discovery Insure the balance. Essentially they were forcing me to buy something else for them.

Only after lots of fighting and getting Discovery to fight for me, did they finally agree to refund discovery.

p.s I then ordered the lens from ORMSDIRECT, having to fork out another R5k while I waited for the takealot refund. I placed the order at 2:30pm on the Thursday and it was Delivered to my door before 10:30am the next day.