Karen B

Active since Mar 2009

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Reviews

7 reviews

7 months ago

SA Birkenstock refund and customer support shocker

I ordered a pair of Birkenstocks via the official South African website (Bash) in December 2025 as a gift. Unfortunately the recipient didn't like the shoes, so I returned them via the noted refunds process and within the returns period, and sent a direct request asking for a refund (as the returns form on the website limited me to a voucher option). Once the return had been processed I received a voucher for the website*, and reached out again to support asking for a refund instead. I was informed by support agent Laaiqah that I should have asked for a refund instead of a voucher when completing the refund form, and I couldn't change to a refund now. I pointed out that their form didn't include the option to ask for a refund, and her later response to this is that I wasn't "eligible" for a cash refund, so could only have a voucher anyway. Their Returns and Refunds section says nothing of the sort, and the Consumer Protection Act is clear about my having a choice of refund vs voucher. I've asked twice to be put in contact with someone who can sort this out, and instead I'm in an ongoing disagreement with a support agent who really doesn't care to support. I'm nearly R2k out of pocket while I argue about their own terms and conditions. I'm flagging this report to the US company as well, as there are no local contact details available for Birkenstock that probably aren't going to end up with the same support agent, and I doubt the international parent company would appreciate this type of service being connected to their brand's great reputation. (*Oh, and about that voucher - I briefly considered using it on something else because I'm tired of having the argument, but the voucher can't actually be used online. I would have to go to a store to buy the thing I bought online in the first place because I wasn't close enough to a physical store to go there.)

0 replies

MBD

79 months ago

Telephonic harassment

Received a call from MBD re an outstanding account that isn't mine. Informed them they have the wrong number and asked to be removed from their database. I have since received a call maybe every second day, amounting to dozens by now. Have asked countless times not to be contacted again, have blocked every number I can, and they just keep calling. Absolutely lousy and infuriating business standards.

1 reply

Weelee

86 months ago

Fast, efficient, friendly.

Great experience with company. They kept in touch regularly, made sure I understood the process every step of the way, and followed up afterwards to make sure I was happy with the offer (and service). Would recommend for a quick, pain-free sale.

0 replies

Cipc

100 months ago

Bad service, zero interest

Working with the CIPC is like pulling teeth, only worse. I had to remove some past directors off the company website; couldn't do it the normal way as it hadn't been updated timeously by my predecessor and I didn't have access to the old info. Tried and was rejected a few times with vague details; contacted them directly and was told to get an affidavit from a current director. I have uploaded various iterations of documents for about six months now (no kidding) and have received random errors on all of them. When I contact the help desk they give me conflicting info and refer me back to the online system. When I try the online system it keeps rejecting me based on guidelines that don't apply in this situation. The best of all is that the certified identity docs for my international directors keep expiring and have to be couriered to me every three months (at great cost to my company) because nobody at the CIPC is willing to put in the effort to call me and talk me through my problem.

0 replies

RocketNet

108 months ago

Confusing/conflicting/nio service in signing up with ISP

I decided on a package from RocketNet after having fibre installed via Vumatel. I completed the online request on RocketNet's website to request the package, after which I got emailed acknowledgement of my request, plus instructions on how to get fibre via Vumatel. I reverted to let them know I already had a box and wanted to activate the package I'd registered for, after which they promised to deliver the router. In our email communication I asked for it to be delivered to my work as I wouldn't be at home on that day. Two days later I got a router delivered. To my house. Very luckily a security guard offered to sign for it. It was just a router, with instructions on how to connect it (to an ADSL line, mind you). No other information on the package I'd signed up for, or the ISP itself. I looked up their FAQs online and was again referred to how to get fibre through Vumatel. There is no info on their actual sign-up process. So I set up the router via the fibre box and it relayed me directly to Vumatel's shop page, so I contacted the RocketNet help line and was told I didn't have an account yet and should sign up for the package I want using the Vumatel portal. At this point I'd already filled in an entire form with all of my relevant details online on the RN website as requested, so I checked why they didn't have it, and was told that was how the process worked. I also queried why I'd been sent a router if I wasn't actually signed up with them yet, but was told that I would have to pay for it if I didn't use RocketNet as my ISP. As a next step I tried to activate the package on the Vumatel portal, but they'd captured my address incorrectly so I halted the activation process and contacted Vumatel to update my details first. Vumatel then told me that no, I couldn't activate the package like that, I needed to set up an appointment with one of their consultants to come to my house and register me on their system before activating the package FOR me! Apart from the fact that I've had minimal information shared by RocketNet and have had to chase them for info every step of the way, all of the information I'm getting is inconsistent and doesn't make any sense. Why have someone complete a full registration form on your website if they have to do it all again later? Why send someone a router with no information on how the RN process (and even the Vumatel process, since you're partners) goes from there? I'm being charged a connection fee of about R500 (I can't be sure, because I have no documentation, you see) but I'm spending all my time trying to figure out what's going on with the connection myself. Hopefully once I've been registered by Vumatel on the system I can just activate and it'll be smooth sailing from there, but the lack of information, the time I'm spending chasing them for input, and the repetition of filling in info they should already have isn't filling me with hope.

1 reply

Vumatel

108 months ago

Vumatel installation and activation process an exercise in frustration!

My request for installation from Vumatel was received and actioned amazingly fast - they sent a technician to install within a week of me sending a request. But then. Firstly, they say they require someone to be onsite for 4 hours for installation. I organised for someone to be home for that period of time. When the technician told me that someone else would have to come in AFTER installation to splice the cables (first time this was mentioned was on the day of installation) I told him that it was fine provided that they came within the 4 hour period, because there wouldn't be anyone at home later, so if they were late they should come on Saturday morning. The splicers pitched up very late and security wouldn't let them in, because there was nobody home (as mentioned). They then turned up again a day later in the middle of a working day, and was turned away again by security (because nobody home!). Security relayed to them that they needed to set up an appointment to be sure I was home. Since I got no call for an alternative appointment I assumed they would come on Saturday as actually agreed, but I waited for four hours and nobody turned up. They then arrived AGAIN on some random work day, and security asked them to call me AGAIN. This time they did manage to call and we set up an appointment, during which they finished the process (or so I thought). I then contacted an ISP for a package and was sent a router, but no other instructions. On contacting them I was told that I should now log into the Vumatel portal using the router and pick that same package I'd already requested online. I logged in and chose the ISP package, but on finalising my agreement I noticed that the street address Vumatel had assigned to me was wrong and couldn't be changed by me (and was also not what I'd entered to get the fibre installed in the first place). In the registration process there's this handy button: Notify if incorrect. So I clicked to notify and then stopped the process of registration to wait for them (since I don't want a contract with the wrong details!). A couple of days later I'd had no response, no feedback, no nothing. So I called the support centre to change my address, and held so long twice in a row that I gave up and sent an email. On the basis of the email I then got a call from a Vumatel agent to tell me that I can't register myself; I now need to set up YET ANOTHER appointment with a Vumatel agent who needs to be physically present to activate me on the system and register me so that I can choose a package. This is the THIRD appointment I will have set up with Vumatel to get a simple fibre connection going. Processes keep getting added every time I ask, but to make it worse none of this information is shared off the bat - I have had to spend so much of my time phoning around to figure out what is happening next. Lastly, between Vuma and the ISP I have been given completely different information on how to move forward, and it changes with every step. There is nothing for Vumatel to do on my review except turn up for what I sincerely hope will be the last appointment I will have to set up, but if they want to retain customers and have positive word-of-mouth they really need to relook how they communicate, what they share, and how their processes work (even in conjunction with the ISPs they work with) - this is shabby and painful. I would not recommend going this route to anyone who values their time and their sanity.

1 reply

MTN South Africa

108 months ago

No response from MTN on any channel

Trying to cancel my contract with MTN (ironically due to poor service delivery). Last week I phoned the call centre twice and held for 20-30 minutes before giving up. I then sent an email per their website (which advises that a response will be received in 3-5 working days). No response or acknowledgement a week later. Called a store over the weekend and they told me the call centre has to assist. First call this morning I held for 40 minutes and then got cut off. Am now on my second call for the day (20 minutes and running). Cannot cancel my contract because I can't reach them! It would be funny if it wasn't infuriating.

1 reply

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5 Star

1 (14.3%)

4 Star

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2 Star

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1 Star

4 (57.1%)

Karen B

Reviews

SA Birkenstock refund and customer support shocker

Telephonic harassment

Fast, efficient, friendly.

Bad service, zero interest

Confusing/conflicting/nio service in signing up with ISP

Vumatel installation and activation process an exercise in frustration!

No response from MTN on any channel

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