Takealot gets shaded on Black Friday for hiccups ... again
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Takealot's Black Friday sale is a “scam”.
This is according to not-so-happy shoppers, who flocked to social media to complain that the discounts offered are "not actually" discounts. On Twitter, the hashtag #Takealotscam trended as customers screengrabbed images of items which were allegedly cheaper days before Black Friday.
Over the past few years, Takealot’s Blue Dot Sale has been hyped as the ultimate Black Friday extravaganza.
With so much advertising put into it, South Africans jumped on their phones and laptops at midnight to look for their first purchase.
However, some customers say that the prices were not reduced as much as expected.
Others social media users complained about the checkout process, claiming that the prices change during checkout and the 'payment page is stuck.'
Takealot defended the pricing complaints, telling TimesLIVE that in some cases there are two different sellers for the same product on the site. The company says that it is possible that one seller of the same product is not part of the Blue Dot Sale.
The company explained that in some cases there is limited stock of an item available. It said once the Blue Dot Sale stock is sold out, the item reverts to its original pricing.
"Unfortunately, this can sometimes happen whilst a shopper is in the process of checking out which seems to have been the case in this instance. Deals are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and stock is only reserved once payment is received."
This is not the first time Takealot has been slammed on Black Friday. In previous years, their site crashed and customers experienced difficulties making payments.
Here is a snapshot of some of the reactions:
#Takealot "black Friday" is fraud. Pure day light robbery. Prices have not changed, some instances increased, disguising as a sale.
— MoAfrika (@sebecks) November 29, 2019
This is precisely why it is important to do your research BEFORE you buy things on #BlackFriday 🙄 #Takealot #BlueDotSale #Blueisthenewblack pic.twitter.com/BLU5pYqBRM
— Chanté Ho Hip (@Chante_Poppie) November 29, 2019
BLACK FRIDAY IS A SCAM🤓
— Gladwin K🌙☀️ (@ManDeepest) November 29, 2019
Look below and see that Takealot is ripping off people with this black Friday nonsense 2 months back I bought a 64gb as card for R159, now on black Friday it's R169, Takealot says privious price is R466🤣🤣 #Takealot #BlueDotSale pic.twitter.com/fvRJElrzCH
Guys #Takealot robs people EVERY BLACK FRIDAY. They increase prices, they take R1 off their "deals".
— Theodorah Manjo †♡ (@MissManjo) November 29, 2019
Don't do it. Check out One Day Deals maybe. Takealot are complete crooks!
They pulled this stunt last year as well. Be careful. pic.twitter.com/x8TUZES8ov
Hayini guys, This is a day light fraud. Please double check before you purchase anything for the #BlackFridaySA. The prices changes when you pay. This increase can't be a delivery fee #Takealot pic.twitter.com/mzbIAwwtIb
— Thojana ya thesele👑 (@2panaPhaks) November 29, 2019
@TAKEALOT I just peeped through my wishlist. Prices have moved from R159 to R359 and a fake R̶5̶9̶9̶ attached to the inflated price. Brilliant scam y'all got going on here.#Takealot
— KB (@TwitAddict01) November 28, 2019
#takealot i bought the toy for R105 and it was not on sale now on the blue dot sale you guys claim the original price is R119 and it been reduced to R90. I wonder how many other items have inflated incorrect original prices. pic.twitter.com/maI3IsrIQy
— The Seed YaMchangane (@Ounalypse) November 28, 2019
@TAKEALOT What joke is this, I had these in my cart for months at the same price of R2512, all of the sudden the original price is R6028 😂 😂 😂 😂, had so much respect for this site, day light fraud#Takealot#BlackFridayMe pic.twitter.com/m9aFj0WTlN
— Literally No-one (@Mappz_ep) November 29, 2019
Can't get pass the payment page stuck ND prices changed at checkout from the main page 😢😢😢#Takealot
— NyambiM (@NyambiM2) November 29, 2019
Same with the 65inch Qled samsung tv...advertised at 14.999..and checkout 19.999😏
— MissY (@y_behave) November 28, 2019
I had an issue with payment. Removed the item from my cart and when I wanted to add it again it had gone up by R1000! @TAKEALOT
— . (@Mlibo_) November 29, 2019
This article was updated to include Takealot's comment.
The day many South Africans have been waiting for has arrived! People lined up at stores from 5am on November 29 2019 to make sure they were first in line to score some of SA's biggest deals.
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