Takealot falsely rejected my return of unused shoes

I bought two pairs of New Balance shoes from Takealot on 28 August 2025 and received them on 30 August 2025. I tried both pairs on once indoors for a few steps in my clean passage and immediately realised they offered no stability despite being listed as stability shoes.

I logged a return the same day and carefully repacked them with all original packaging and tags intact. They were collected by Takealot on 1 September 2025. The next day, on 2 September 2025, Takealot rejected my return, falsely claiming the shoes were used.

This is completely untrue. I have been a loyal customer for years and have returned many items without issue. Their own policy clearly states you can try items on indoors as long as they are unused and in original condition.

The photos they sent me as proof were random and showed no signs of use. Now I am left with two pairs of shoes I cannot wear, and no resolution.

Warning to others:

Take photos and videos of every step when returning items.

Be cautious when buying shoes from Takealot, as returns can be unfairly rejected.

If this happens to you, escalate to the Consumer Protection Ombudsman.

Extremely disappointed with Takealot’s handling of this matter.