Dodgy deliveries from third-party vendors on well-known sites a growing problem

CapeTalk’s Pippa Hudson speaks with consumer journalist Wendy Knowler.

Listen below:

Many consumers have purchased items from well-known retail websites, not realising that they are actually buying from unknown third-party vendors hosted by the site.

Only when things go wrong with product or delivery, do they realise that they were not buying from who they thought.

The Consumer Goods and Services Ombudsman (CGSO) says they are receiving numerous complaints from consumers who are stuck dealing with unknown vendors after a problematic delivery.

“Of the 12,207 complaints received by the Ombud’s office between the beginning of March last year and the end of February this year, online complaints were the largest category at 19%... a trend that began in 2020.”

– Wendy Knowler, Consumer Journalist

It's essential to read the terms and conditions to understand who is responsible for the delivery of the goods, who must provide customers with a receipt as proof of purchase, and whether the hosting platform will assist with complaints.

Takealot’s T&Cs state that third-party sellers are responsible for providing invoices, however consumer protection laws require intermediaries like Takealot to ensure consumers are provided with a full record of the transaction.

RELATED: Why you must be careful shopping online, even with major retailers

Knowler advises all consumers to pay close attention to the small print on the listing of any product you are interested in.

This should state who is selling the product, so you can make an informed choice about what you are buying.

Scroll up to the audio player for more.