Disgruntled Online Customer

Good Day.

I made my initial Truworths online order sometime late last year and choose my nearest store Truworths Musina Mall as my delivery point. For the sake of relevance let's just say the collection service for that particular order wasn't up to par and left me feeling somewhat helpless as a customer.

Fearing that I would receive the very service or worse next time, I then took a decision to move my default delivery store another town/store (Makhado Crossing) and I must say I have not had any issues there whatsoever.

Fastforward to February 2019, I made another order and glady collected it yesterday from Makhado just before they closed so in essence there was really no time to fit all the 20 plus items without inconveniencing the staff. I then visited to the very store today to return some item which were either big or small. The process was painless and fast however I was informed that they would no be able to accept one Uzzi belt as they did not stock the brand. Being pressed for time, I couldn't return back to town were the main store was and resolved I'll return the item in my hometown, hoping for a better outcome this time around.

I walked into the store and asked to return the item, I was informed that one can't return belt/s, when I asked for further clarity I was referred to someone else who I assumed was a supervisor or manager. She also reiterated the cashier's sentiments further elaborating that it was because a belt was regarded as an accessory and therefore they cannot accept it. I pleaded with her indicating that the item was bought online and there was no way one could be sure it was the right fit thus I am given the privilege to return it to the store. She finally gave in and told the cashier to take the item however as she was authorising the transaction she said to me in a condescending tone that "Next time don't buy something you are not sure of, are we clear?". This was the very tone that drove me aware from this store I mean it's a common challenge for items bought online not to fit. When I didn't respond to her "Are we clear" she asked again and instead of affirming that we are clear, I voiced out that I found the store to be inconsistent with others and I was told in return that I must go to a different store. I honestly don't understand what authority she has telling me as a client what not to do and sending me to a different store.

Having used several other online shopping stores since their early days, I have grown to love and appreciate their convenience and believe there is a need in the case of Truworths to 1) re-look at your return policy to cater for online shoppers, 2) capacitate your store staff on how to handle/assist online shoppers by bridging the gap between e-commerce and physical store operations so that the staff cannot feel as though they are doing online customers a favour and customers not to feel like we bought clothes from a different store whereas we bought them from the same company. Thirdly consider introducing a new return stream which doesn't involve store staff.

My submission.