Takealot - Takealot

Good day

My father is a pensioner and stays in Cape Town. Since my mothers death four years ago I have handled all his affairs. I live in Port Elizabeth and for that reason I ordered a phone from Takealot to be delivered to him in Cape Town.

The phone was a Nokia 2.4 32GB Single Sim - Blue Order #129564975. The phone cost R2 649 and I ordered it on 28 May 2023. The phone was delivered on 3 Jun 2023. My father had trouble with the phone. He took it to a Vodacom shop for inspection. He was told that the phone was so slow in processing that it did not open
apps and struggled with receiving and making calls. So I logged a return request via the Takealot site on 24 Oct 2023 (ref:MRRN-680JN-A7EV). The Nokia phone was repackaged into the original package. The phone was collected via Takealot
courier from 220 Conroy Street, Kraaifontein, Cape Town on 26 Oct 2023.

Cermony.P replied on 3 November 2023 to inform me the return was declined because of visible user damage and screen cracked. I also received an email
(6 Nov 23) from Dawn.P to inform me that the return was declined due to the phone having a cracked screen.They sent a picture of a phone they received.(see attached) It was not a Nokia 2.4 but an old Samsung phone with a cracked screen. I knew that my fathers phone was not damaged. As soon as my father received the phone back,he contacted me to inform me that it was not his Nokia but an old Samsung phone. I sent an email to Takealot informing them that the Phone received was not my fathers but an old Samsung phone with a cracked screen.

I was informed on 9 Nov 23, by Amy.K that the matter will be escalated to relevant departments. On 15 Nov 23 I asked if they received any further information regarding the query. On 20 Nov 23 Amy.K asked if there were any signs of tampering with the boxes. I replied that the Phone with the cables and Nokia booklet was in the Nokia box and the lid could just be lifted off.

Again on 5 Dec I asked if I should open a case of theft with the Police. Nathaniel.V (5 Dec 23) informed me that they are still busy with the query. He asked to allow some time to obtain the feedback. I received another email from Nathaniel.V to inform me that the matter was raised with management. On 12 Dec 23 Nathaniel.V asked if my father still got the old Samsung phone. I replied yes and said that I will check the old Samsung phone to see if I can see any details that can help us. We would see my dad for vacation on Dec 18 '23 and I asked him to bring the old Samsung phone with.

My father then informed me that the old Samsung phone was collected by the same Takealot courier that collected and delivered it. He was not sure when the last collection happened. It must've been between 7 Nov and 5 Dec 23. On 13 Dec 23 Nicole.S asked me to return theold Samsung phone. I informed her that the old Samsung phone was collected by the same courier. I also informed her that I haven't logged a return for the old Samsung phone and it seems they also had no record of the collection.

On 8 Jan 24 I again asked for an update on the query. I received no correspondence. On 23 Jan 24 I again requested contact detail so that I can resolve the matter. The Takealot customer services kept on asking questions regarding the query. I again sent a summary of the query and a screenshot of the correspond-dence. Asking them if all the correspondence was not linked to my Reference number. Every time I asked to be directed to the person dealing with my query, a new person came in contact with me. 31 January 2024 Melissa.A informed me the parcel was delivered. Her message was not linked to my ongoing email exchange.

On 2 Feb 24 Nwabisa.N informed me that the parcel was delivered. On 3 Feb 24 I again told him the parcel was delivered with a swapped old Samsung phone. I requested contact details and again and was not given any detail. From 4 to 6 Feb 24 I received the same email asking the same questions. On 8 Feb 24 Bonisa.S asked if the courier handed my father a collection slip. I must just say that I have never received a collection slip when I return Takealot parcels. Again I requested contact details. Bonisa.S informed me on 9 Feb 24 that no Takealot courier was booked. She asked for a description of the driver and vehicle. I do not know of any person memorising the driver or vehicle.

I informed Bonisa.S on 20 Feb 24 that the original return was logged on the Takealot site. On 20 Feb 24 Vuyolwethu.Mh logged a new collection. I informed Vuyolwethu.Mh that there is no phone to collect seeing that the mysterious Takealot courier picked it up. Again I requested a contact number to resolve the matter telephonically. At this time I raised my suspicion about the Takealot courier.
Only the courier that collected the Nokia 2.4 would've known about the old Samsung being in my fathers possession. Why would anybody collect the delivered old Samsung phone with no collection being issued if not aware of the situation?

From 24 Feb 24 multiple Takealot customer service advisors asked the same questions and I replied to it. I also started to include the Takealot Legal and Marketing Department in my emails. The last email on 28 Feb 24 by Keegan.D told me again that the query will be escalated to the relevant departments. I requested an update on 26 March 2024 but received none to date.

At this point I feel that this matter has gone on too long. Someone at Takealot stole my fathers Nokia phone. I've tried including multiple Takealot email addresses to get help with this situation. I never received any collection slip from Takealot when I returned an item. Clearly there is an opening in Takealots return procedure that someone can misuse. I tried resolving this matter but now need help.

Can you help me please?

Tronel Rabe
0825008163