Poor Lay-By Transparency and Unfair Refund Policy

I am very disappointed with my experience at The Vault by American Clothing in Wynberg Cape Town. On 22 December 2025, I made a purchase worth R7,400, which included two pairs of shoes. I took one pair and placed the other on lay-by, with the intention of collecting it on 15 January 2026. On 3 January, my circumstances changed when my nephew received two pairs of shoes as a gift, making the lay-by unnecessary. When I contacted the store to cancel the lay-by and request a refund, I was informed that no refunds are allowed and that the money must be spent in-store instead. While I understand that businesses have their own policies, this rule was never explained to me at the time of purchase. I was simply asked to sign the lay-by slip and was not verbally informed of this condition. The store later confirmed that this is a common challenge they experience with customers, which raises concerns. If a policy is significantly different from industry norms, staff should be properly trained to clearly explain it before payment is taken, rather than relying on wall notices. As a customer focused on selecting items, it is unrealistic to expect one to stop and read alerts. Now I am being forced to accept a voucher instead of a refund, which I find unfair and unreasonable. This experience has left me feeling blamed as the customer, despite the lack of proper communication. Transparent policies and good customer service require clear explanation, not assumptions. I am extremely unhappy with the service received and believe this situation could have been avoided with better staff training and honest communication.