Over a month later and Takealot still has not processed a refund for a faulty product

I am extremely frustrated with the ongoing lack of service, communication, and resolution from Takealot regarding this matter. We paid R21,999 for a SnoMaster 300L Under-Counter Beverage Cooler on 10 March, and more than a month later we are still without a working unit or a refund. We received two separate units, both of which were faulty. In the most recent case, the unit was only partially unpacked (the top box removed) and plugged in at the exact location where it was delivered, purely to test functionality. The unit did not power on at all. It was not moved, lifted, or repositioned in any way. Despite this, the return was rejected on the basis of alleged “user damage,” which we strongly dispute, as the unit was handled minimally and remained in the same position from delivery to collection. After repeated issues, we clearly requested a refund and confirmed that we do not want a replacement. Despite this, Takealot ignored our communication and proceeded to send another delivery, which we refused. Since then: • The item has been sitting with the courier since 16 April • We have had to follow up continuously with little to no response • We are still waiting for the item to be returned to their warehouse before a refund can be processed We are also Takealot MORE subscribers and pay monthly for their expedited delivery service, where orders are typically delivered within one day. It is therefore extremely difficult to understand why the return process is taking significantly longer, with the item taking close to a week to be returned to the warehouse after already being in the courier’s possession. This inconsistency further adds to the frustration and highlights the inefficiency in resolving this matter. This entire process has been unnecessarily delayed and extremely time-consuming. We have now been without both the product and our funds for over a month, which is completely unacceptable. We are also unable to purchase an alternative unit while our money remains tied up, causing further inconvenience. Based on this experience, we have lost all confidence in the SnoMaster brand, particularly due to poor product reliability and a lack of after-sales support. As long-standing customers of Takealot, this level of service is deeply disappointing and not what we have come to expect. At this stage, we are simply requesting what should have been resolved weeks ago: • A full refund, processed without any further delay. We expect Takealot to urgently intervene and bring this matter to a final resolution.