Refusal to honor lifetime guarantee

Be warned not to waste your money on Targus products. I have recently gone to the prescribed Targus retail exchange supplier namely Axiz Pty Ltd to exchange a laptop backpack that was purchased in 2006. Upon arrival I was informed that the rules of the company had changed and that a proof of purchase is required to fulfill their guarantee. This is apparently and was made clear to be so a new rule of the company. I have also taken this matter up with a Mr.Siboniso Nkosi the manager in charge at Axiz. Unfortunately, it seems ignoring customers seems to be the way guarantees are delt with. I have not been able to get a response from him via email or 2 phone numbers. I don’t quite understand how a lifetime guarantee will be honored in this manner. I ask this for two reasons. One in South Africa laws and regulations, never mind company rules, cannot be made in retrospectively. The new rules of Axiz or Targus don’t apply to old customers of Targus products. Thus, if such a rule was implemented should all previous customers not be notified and given some form of grace period or way to maintain there guarantees? Secondly if the proof of purchase is required, post 5 years as is the legal stipulation for recordkeeping by SARS, how will I now find such an invoice? I would love to request that Axiz and/or Targus provides me with a proof of my purchase 16 years ago in another location. Supporting hereto the rights of the consumer as per the consumer protection act 68 of 2008. According to Section 15 and 20 relating to repair or return of goods. Neither of which was offered to me, as well as that the guarantee of time of purchase applies to the situation in question. After which in section 26 reading to sales records that nowhere states the records need to be kept indefinitely, also assuming that the company should then have a database and counterpart to the sales record that could be verified. Where is Axiz/Targus’s records of my purchase to show that I am the rightful owner? No forgetting that Section 46 (Changes, deferrals and waivers, and substitution of goods) clearly states that “The supply of goods or services as a result of a change to an existing agreement, or a deferral or waiver of a right under an existing agreement, is not to be treated as creating a new agreement”. Thus, my agreement is still the same as when my purchase was made in 2006 and cannot be amended without my notification and subsequent consent. If this was obtained by Axiz/Targus please provide me with proof of such an new altered agreement? Supporting hereto Section 49 (Notice required for certain terms and conditions) in no uncertain terms provides that notification needs to be provided to the consumer. No reasonable notification has been given. Furthermore, the section clearly states that a notice must be written “in a conspicuous manner and form that is likely to attract the attention of an ordinarily alert consumer”. Again, I will ask where is the notification adhering to this stipulation of the law? Finally, Section 50 of the act provides that the supplier needs to have some form of record of an agreement. Again, I will ask that Axiz or Targus provide me with a invoice of proof of acceptance that our guarantee agreement has changed? I would love to see that the guarantee of lifetime replacement is honored as per the original agreement or where the notification, acceptance of guarantee changes have occurred.