Extremely Poor Service and Disrespect at Woolworths Gezina Gallery

I had one of the worst customer service experiences at the Woolworths Gezina Gallery branch in Pretoria. I returned clothing items well within their 60-day return policy, with my original receipt, and in good condition — only to be treated with complete disrespect.

The store manager was rude and dismissive from the start. She refused the return, claiming the items were worn, even though the Woolworths website does not state that lightly worn items cannot be returned (excluding hygiene items like underwear). Instead of handling the matter professionally, she rubbed her own wool jacket on the pants in front of other customers to try and “prove” they were used — a humiliating and unnecessary gesture.

To make matters worse, she said the clothes had to undergo a 6-week ‘audit’ and quality control check — something not mentioned anywhere in their return policy. This is misleading and goes against both Woolworths’ stated policies and my rights under the Consumer Protection Act.

This branch completely ignored basic customer service and legal obligations. If you expect to be treated fairly or with respect — avoid this store.