Bad Service

Dear Woolworths Customer Service Team,

I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction with the service I received from multiple Woolworths branches regarding a defective pair of boots and the lack of proper assistance in resolving the issue.

On 24 April 2025, I received a call from the Clothing Manager at Woolworths Tygervalley, who asked me to confirm the nearest branch to me. I informed her that Willow Bridge Woolworths was most convenient, and she assured me that she would arrange with the manager there, Lumka, to assist me.

I visited Willow Bridge on Saturday, only to find that Lumka was not on duty and had not communicated the matter to the manager on duty, Emeralda. Emeralda had to contact Lumka herself to understand the situation before she could assist. I explained that I was returning boots due to a quality issue, and I asked for a replacement pair of similar style. Emeralda told me that my original boots had been marked down several times, and if I wanted a similar pair, I would need to pay in the difference. I questioned why I should pay anything for a product that was defective, and I informed her that I would escalate the matter.

The next day, on Sunday, I drove to Canal Walk Woolworths after seeing on your system that they had the boots I wanted in size 4. I explained the situation again and provided my reference number and supporting email. However, Manager Normazulu repeated the same response: because my original boots were on sale, I would have to pay the difference.

At this point, my husband, who accompanied me, was understandably upset. He pointed out that we had now visited three different Woolworths stores with no proper assistance. He also works in retail and expressed how disappointing and unacceptable this experience was, particularly given Woolworths’ reputation for customer service.

This entire situation has caused me unnecessary frustration and inconvenience. I purchased a product that turned out to be faulty, and instead of resolving it professionally, I was made to travel between stores, repeat my case multiple times, and was still expected to pay extra for a replacement.

I am therefore requesting:

A replacement pair of boots of similar quality and style at no extra charge, OR

A full refund of the original purchase price.

Please treat this as a formal complaint and. I would appreciate a resolution that reflects Woolworths’ commitment to customer satisfaction and product quality.

Kind regards, Charmonay Theunis