Customers pick up the tab for a failing brand

Super disappointed in the business ethics and after-sales service of this retailer.

I purchased a jacket on 23 April at R600 in preparation for a trip the following week, where I expected very cold conditions. After only one day of use, I noticed stitching coming undone on the jacket. Because the stitching was clearly defective, I immediately stopped using it and intentionally avoided washing the jacket to prevent any further damage to the affected area. At the time, I was travelling through the Karoo, so there was naturally a very minor amount of dust exposure.

I returned to the store on 8 May to request either a replacement or refund for what was very clearly a defective product. I was then told that the jacket could not be refunded because it was “not in a sellable condition” due to an extremely small amount of dust on the item. What made absolutely no sense, however, was that they were still willing to exchange the jacket — which completely contradicts the reasoning given for refusing the refund in the first place.

Since they did not have the same size in stock, I was told they could not assist me further. When I questioned how they could consider reselling a defective jacket, I was informed that it would be sent back to the distribution centre for repair and then returned to stock for resale.

At that point, I asked a very simple question: if the jacket can be repaired for resale, why can it not simply be repaired for the customer who bought it in good faith?

The answer was effectively “no,” and I was told to go to another branch myself and attempt to arrange a swap-out there instead. So essentially, I was expected to do the running around to resolve a problem caused by a defective product they sold me.

For the record, the condition of the jacket is easily a 9.9/10. The store themselves took photographs of it, which clearly prove that the jacket was not abused, damaged through misuse, or returned in an unacceptable state. The issue was purely a manufacturing defect. The “not sellable” argument honestly felt more like a tactic to avoid taking responsibility than a genuine concern about the item’s condition. I used a dry cloth to wipe the small dust spots off and it looks perfect. This anchors the fact that the retailer simply didnt want to do the right thing which leaves questionable business ethics on the table...

So in summary:

1. This retailer sells sub-standard products. 2. Their after-sales service is extremely poor. 3. Customers are expected to carry the inconvenience and cost when the retailer fails to meet very basic responsibilities.

As a retailer myself, I genuinely cannot imagine treating customers this way. Mistakes and defects happen in business — what matters is how you handle them afterwards.

I sincerely hope the brand owner, Nino Chidoni from Gemelli, sees this review and addresses the conduct of this retailer, because this experience was unacceptable on every level.

Please consider this carefully before purchasing from this store, because if something goes wrong with your purchase, you may very well be left to sort it out yourself.

he way this was handled, you’d swear I had dragged the jacket behind my car before attempting to return it. Absolutely disappointing.