Shocking return I have ever had!!!

I wish I could do 0 stars but that wasn't an option. An item I ordered off takealot arrived at me 15.07.24, however I wasn't home at the time and it was signed for by someone else. By the time I returned and was able to review the product, I found it was damaged. I then logged a return, which the site allowed me to do. The product was then collected and returned to takealot in exactly the same state I received it in. I was then advised that I was outside of the 7 day return policy, but then why was I able to log it and have it picked up?! The product has since been further damaged in transit back to them. They declined my return based on this. The item is now further damaged from them collecting and moving the product back and forth. Yet they are trying to return this now further damaged product to me at full price. I disputed this, spoke with 1001 different agents, 2 then confirmed it would be an exception and be refunded, to have 2 hours later this judgment taken back. Unprofessional, unacceptable and quite frankly just shocking. I will now move my business elsewhere given we have options.