A Takealot client ordered and paid R14 000 for an iPhone 15, but received a calculator which sells for less than R400. Such mistakes are arguably inevitable given the order volumes South Africa’s biggest online retailer deals with. But they should be swiftly corrected. Weeks after reporting the issue, Takelot continued to refuse to accept the client’s return of the calculator. That’s when she approached Wendy Knowler for help.

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Product substitutions or mix-ups are not uncommon in online shopping.

Of course, some are more bizarre than others.

A standout case was that of Birgit Westermann-Winter of Cape Town, who in late 2024 ordered and paid for an office chair from Makro but received a box of biscuits instead.

More recently, there were some interesting Takealot substitutions. On social media, Precious* says she paid R14 000 for a PS5 and a controller, but was sent metal sock hangers instead.

And closer to home, my partner ordered a tech gadget – a wireless Bluetooth transmitter/receiver – and was sent a pack of teeth whitening strips.

Both cases were rectified.

Asked about the crazy mix-ups, Takealot told me at the time:

“On the occasion that customers don’t receive what they’ve ordered, we take full accountability and work swiftly to resolve them by collecting the incorrect item and delivering the right product as quickly as possible.

“Customers can report these issues through our customer help centre or by logging a ‘Not What I Ordered’ return on their Takealot profile.

“Our ecosystem operates with thousands of suppliers and sellers, multiple fulfilment centres, and complex logistics networks.

“This means there can be various contributing factors – from supplier or seller labelling inconsistencies and warehouse picking errors to delivery mix-ups.

“We continuously invest in enhancing our systems, processes, and quality controls to minimise these disruptions and maintain the trust our customers place in us every day.”

But for some reason, that robust system failed Thandi Bila.

She emailed me recently to say that she bought a R14 000 iPhone 15 on the Takealot site on 7 March but received a Casio calculator instead, a model which is currently being sold by several retailers for less than R400.

“I never opened or used the calculator because it wasn’t what I ordered,” she told me. She returned it to Takealot.

“But I received an email from Takealot saying that because I had used the calculator, they will return it.

“And they won’t refund my money.

“I’ve spent weeks sending emails all over, and they keep giving me the same response.”

One of them reads: “Unfortunately, we cannot accept your return request as the return item is missing its accessories.

“Our returns policy states that a return can only be accepted if you return all the parts of the item you received.”

Not a word about the fact that she had actually ordered and paid R14 000 for an iPhone, not a calculator.

Last week, Bila told me that a Takealot driver had tried to return the calculator to her for the fourth time. “We just didn’t open the gate, so he left with it,” she said.

Responding to my query about the case, Takealot conceded that Bila “did not receive the correct item”.

“We have been attempting to reach her directly to resolve this issue and, based on her previous communication requesting a credit, we will be honouring that request.”

Takealot has credited Bila the R14 000.

*Details witheld for privacy.