Dishonesty at Apple iStore Clearwater when upgrading my Vodacom contract

On 28 March 2024 my husband and I visited the iStore at Clearwater mall and to enquire about upgrading my i-Pad contract with Vodacom. The i-Pad is used by my self-employed husband who is visually impaired and is a critical device in our household as it supports our income, so this was an important and well-thought decision. The sales consultant KG presented the possibility of trading in my existing i-Pad for the upgrade. He advised that there were 3 options available to me: 1 to receive a voucher for the value of the existing i-Pad; 2 to reduce the new contract with the value of the trade in; and 3, a cash back to pay the value of the existing i-Pad into my bank account. The sales consultant plugged my existing i-Pad into his laptop and ran a full diagnostics check in the presence of my husband and I, after which he requested that I create a profile on Apple’s website to authorise the diagnostics check. Thereafter KG completed the diagnostics check and advised that the battery life was not 100%. I understood as the i-Pad is about 5 years old. He then confirmed a trade-in value of R8800.00 stating that the value is lower only due to the battery life as the i-Pad is in good condition. KG advised the R8800.00 was the actual value to be paid into my bank account and was guaranteed for 30 days. I requested a copy of the value that was given to me and KG advised that it was not necessary as all the information is captured on their system and valid for 30 days. Based on the info given to me by KG I was happy and proceeded to upgrade the i-Pad at the store extending my contract with Vodacom by 36 months, and informed him that I would think about the trade-in and would revert within the 30 days. I returned to the iStore 4 days later to proceed with the trade-in of the existing i-Pad. I was told that KG was off from work but Tebogo assisted me. He checked on the system to confirm the diagnostics that was done for the trade-in however advised that the cash back option was not possible. I disputed this with him and he called his manager Kabelo who advised the same and that he would escalate the matter to the store manager Lufuno as she was off duty on that day. Lufuno contacted me the next day and also advised that the cash back option was not possible. When I insisted that she escalate the matter as this is what KG informed me, she said she would contact her superiors. She contacted me a day later and advised her superiors agreed to proceed with the cash back but the value will not be R8800.00 but rather an amount in the region of R5000 due to the poor battery. I repeatedly informed Lufuno that her employee KG at iStore had given me that information. She did not deny the info that was provided to me, but she also did not want to honour it. I advised Lufuno that when I went back to the store to proceed with the trade, both Kabelo and Tebogo did not dispute the amount that was given to me. She stated the value is lower due to the battery life. Upon my insistence Lufuno escalated the matter to her superiors again and returned to advise the “best” value she would provide is R6800.00 and that was her final offer. I advised that the financial decision I had taken since being provided the final value has put me in a worse off position financially. I had no alternative but to escalate the matter to Vodacom, my service provider. Matome in Shameel Joosub’s complaints team made every effort to rectify the situation however Apple refused to honour the value provided by KG. Matome at Vodacom was sympathetic and understood my situation and agreed that I was not treated fairly and did his best to intervene and assist. In my bid to resolve this matter, I suggested to both Apple and Vodacom that there are many cameras within the iStore and that they could easily obtain the footage to show the laptop screen that reflected the value of R8800 as this was what KG had shown to me to confirm the amount. I did not receive any feedback in this regard.

The blatant dishonesty and refusal to honour the financial information provided to me by the Apple employee KG, has put me in a worse off position then before I stepped into the iStore at Clearwater. I have taken a serious financial decision to renew my contract and am now paying R1499.00 for the next 36 months based on a lie! No one is being held accountable for the employee who represents Apple and gave me the info. I had to ask Lufuno for an apology for the inconvenience, the terrible experience and for how I was being treated. I am shocked to think that they would dispute the value given to me verbally and to my face, insinuating that their customer is a ****. For a difference of R2000 Apple preferred for me to escalate my complete and utter dissatisfaction to Vodacom and to share my poor experience in the public domain. It seems that I was duped into believing I would be paid the value of R8800 for my existing i-Pad just so that I would sign another contract for the iStore and KG was only out to get a sale! Is this why KG refused to provide the value to me in writing? It feels like I have been ******!! I am left wondering if this happens on a regular basis?? The saddest part is that in good faith I approached both Apple and Vodacom and gave them ample time to resolve this matter, however no one could care less that my visually impaired husband and I are now out of pocket. It seems that Apple do not understand what it means to honour and keep their word. Apple as a third party engaged a Vodacom customer in a renewed contract, yet Vodacom have no say in rectifying this situation that was created by Apple and their employee. Apple changed their minds when it suited them and honoured the info that KG gave me about the cash back policy but not about the value given to me. Truly horrific! I am perturbed at the thought that a well-known organisation like Apple conducts themselves in this way, taking no responsibility or accountability for the conduct of their employees!