Scores reflect the Overall AI Score for each category
Based on recent customer reviews, Old School SA shows a stark divide between strong product quality and severely broken post-purchase operations. Customers praise the premium feel and craftsmanship of Springbok and rugby apparel, but report widespread delivery failures, missing items, unanswered support emails, and rigid return policies. The brand's reputation is being undermined by an unresponsive online operation despite genuine love for the product itself.
TrustIndex
2.6
Ranking
#15
in Fashion & Clothing
NPS Score
-71
Recommended: Unlikely
Jul '25 - Jun '26
Based on recent customer reviews, Old School SA shows a stark divide between strong product quality and severely broken post-purchase operations. Customers praise the premium feel and craftsmanship of Springbok and rugby apparel, but report widespread delivery failures, missing items, unanswered support emails, and rigid return policies. The brand's reputation is being undermined by an unresponsive online operation despite genuine love for the product itself.
Old School SA's biggest strength, according to Hellopeter's AI analysis, is Product Quality & Value. Product Quality & Value (2.6) draws consistent praise from satisfied customers for premium fabric, stitching, and the boxy fit of Springbok jerseys. However, complaints about slim-fit sizing surprises, faded collars after one wash, and perceived overpricing pull the average down significantly.
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Share Your Experience1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Pathetic and disgusting service. *********** people is what they do. You pay a lot of money for a poor quality garment. And then they reject your return using their return policy which lacks integrity. I was told I can send the poor product back via email after I explained that I wore it once and washed it. They then come around and tell me I can't return it back because I washed. When they agreed in writing that I can. Rather buy from your local black owned shops.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Pathetic and disgusting service. *********** people is what they do. You pay a lot of money for a poor quality garment. And then they reject your return using their return policy which lacks integrity. I was told I can send the poor product back via email after I explained that I wore it once and washed it. They then come around and tell me I can't return it back because I washed. When they agreed in writing that I can. Rather buy from your local black owned shops.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Complaint: I am बेहद disappointed with the service and rigid stance taken by Old School regarding a simple and reasonable exchange request. A sweater was purchased for me as a birthday gift on 24 November 2025. I only received the gift on 1 April 2026 (the date of my birthday), at which point I discovered that the item was the incorrect size. Naturally, I approached the Sandton City store to request an exchange. What is particularly frustrating is that this situation was explained to the store manager, who escalated it to the regional manager. At that stage, I was given the impression that this was not an unreasonable request under the circumstances. However, I have now been met with a blanket refusal from their support team, who are rigidly hiding behind a 30-day return policy, without any willingness to apply discretion or common sense. To further add insult to injury, conflicting rationale is being given by the regional manager (refusing on the basis of no price tags on the item despite having an order number) and the support team (who are refusing on the basis of the 30-day return policy. Let’s be clear: This was a gift, not a direct purchase by me. I only became aware of the sizing issue upon receipt. I approached the store in good faith, simply requesting an exchange for the correct size — not a refund. Despite this, Old School has chosen to prioritize policy over customer fairness, even where the circumstances clearly justify an exception. This level of inflexibility is extremely disappointing, especially for what should be a straightforward customer service resolution. Retailers should understand that gifts are often received well after purchase, and a one-size-fits-all policy approach is not always appropriate. I am not asking for anything unreasonable — just an exchange for the correct size of an item that is otherwise perfectly fine. This experience has left me questioning whether Old School values its customers at all, or whether policies are simply used as a shield to avoid assisting in legitimate cases. I hope Old School reconsiders its position and demonstrates a more customer-centric approach going forward. — Khotso Motloung
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Complaint: I am बेहद disappointed with the service and rigid stance taken by Old School regarding a simple and reasonable exchange request. A sweater was purchased for me as a birthday gift on 24 November 2025. I only received the gift on 1 April 2026 (the date of my birthday), at which point I discovered that the item was the incorrect size. Naturally, I approached the Sandton City store to request an exchange. What is particularly frustrating is that this situation was explained to the store manager, who escalated it to the regional manager. At that stage, I was given the impression that this was not an unreasonable request under the circumstances. However, I have now been met with a blanket refusal from their support team, who are rigidly hiding behind a 30-day return policy, without any willingness to apply discretion or common sense. To further add insult to injury, conflicting rationale is being given by the regional manager (refusing on the basis of no price tags on the item despite having an order number) and the support team (who are refusing on the basis of the 30-day return policy. Let’s be clear: This was a gift, not a direct purchase by me. I only became aware of the sizing issue upon receipt. I approached the store in good faith, simply requesting an exchange for the correct size — not a refund. Despite this, Old School has chosen to prioritize policy over customer fairness, even where the circumstances clearly justify an exception. This level of inflexibility is extremely disappointing, especially for what should be a straightforward customer service resolution. Retailers should understand that gifts are often received well after purchase, and a one-size-fits-all policy approach is not always appropriate. I am not asking for anything unreasonable — just an exchange for the correct size of an item that is otherwise perfectly fine. This experience has left me questioning whether Old School values its customers at all, or whether policies are simply used as a shield to avoid assisting in legitimate cases. I hope Old School reconsiders its position and demonstrates a more customer-centric approach going forward. — Khotso Motloung
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Misrepresentation and Poor Service – Old School Online Store I am extremely disappointed in the service I received regarding a Discovery Bank voucher purchase valued at R500, redeemed through the Old School online store. • I purchased the item online and later sought to exchange it for a long-sleeve version. • Rosebank store confirmed I could exchange in-store but did not have the size. • Sandton store confirmed stock in XL, but after traveling 45 km, they claimed no stock and redirected me to Springbok store. • Sandton then attempted to issue me a gift card with only R99 loaded, citing that my original purchase was via voucher. This is misleading and feels *****ulent. • When I requested Ombud details, staff could not provide them, which is unacceptable for a retail store. This experience has left me feeling insulted and cheated. I will never purchase from Old School again and will ensure my friends and family are aware of this treatment. I request immediate resolution and accountability for this misrepresentation.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Misrepresentation and Poor Service – Old School Online Store I am extremely disappointed in the service I received regarding a Discovery Bank voucher purchase valued at R500, redeemed through the Old School online store. • I purchased the item online and later sought to exchange it for a long-sleeve version. • Rosebank store confirmed I could exchange in-store but did not have the size. • Sandton store confirmed stock in XL, but after traveling 45 km, they claimed no stock and redirected me to Springbok store. • Sandton then attempted to issue me a gift card with only R99 loaded, citing that my original purchase was via voucher. This is misleading and feels *****ulent. • When I requested Ombud details, staff could not provide them, which is unacceptable for a retail store. This experience has left me feeling insulted and cheated. I will never purchase from Old School again and will ensure my friends and family are aware of this treatment. I request immediate resolution and accountability for this misrepresentation.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Terrible exchange experience. All I wanted to do was exchange an item from an L to an XL, but the process was unnecessarily complicated and frustrating. I couldn’t find a return or exchange option on the website, so I had to manually log a query. After that, I received an email telling me to purchase a return coupon. Once I did that, there was again no further communication, and I had to follow up myself to find out what the next steps were. Then I was asked to send my physical address for collection, followed by another email asking me to confirm which item I wanted to exchange and what I wanted in return. On top of that, I had to find access to a printer just to print the Aramex shipping details. This entire process required multiple follow-ups from my side and far more effort than should be necessary for a simple size exchange. Overall, this was a very poor customer experience. A basic exchange should be quick and straightforward, not this complicated. Please improve the process — it definitely makes me think twice about ordering again in the future.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Terrible exchange experience. All I wanted to do was exchange an item from an L to an XL, but the process was unnecessarily complicated and frustrating. I couldn’t find a return or exchange option on the website, so I had to manually log a query. After that, I received an email telling me to purchase a return coupon. Once I did that, there was again no further communication, and I had to follow up myself to find out what the next steps were. Then I was asked to send my physical address for collection, followed by another email asking me to confirm which item I wanted to exchange and what I wanted in return. On top of that, I had to find access to a printer just to print the Aramex shipping details. This entire process required multiple follow-ups from my side and far more effort than should be necessary for a simple size exchange. Overall, this was a very poor customer experience. A basic exchange should be quick and straightforward, not this complicated. Please improve the process — it definitely makes me think twice about ordering again in the future.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
I have been trying to exchange or get a shirt refunded from the 3 of December . This has taken numerous emails . The shirt was picked up finally on the 4 February. I still have not received a refund or communication. So now I have no shirt and no refund . I’m so disappointed with their lack of service and ethics . In my opinion they have a total disregard for the customers and the consumer act. I’m just so flabbergasted . I will definitely never do business with them again . I’ll also attach a part of the email I received from them… terrible company to deal with “Good day Marilie, Please accept our sincere apologies for the delays and for the lack of follow-up, despite your multiple emails and patience throughout this process. This is not the level of service or ethical standard we strive to uphold. We fully understand why this situation has left you feeling let down, and your concerns are completely valid. We regret that this experience has negatively impacted your trust in us. We are urgently reviewing your case and are prioritizing the resolution of the outstanding refund. To proceed, we kindly ask that you confirm your collection address, after which we will provide the relevant details and advise you further regarding your refund. Thank you for your patience, and we look forward to resolving this matter for you as soon as possible. Kind regards, The Old School Team” Whatever … don’t trust a word they are saying
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
I have been trying to exchange or get a shirt refunded from the 3 of December . This has taken numerous emails . The shirt was picked up finally on the 4 February. I still have not received a refund or communication. So now I have no shirt and no refund . I’m so disappointed with their lack of service and ethics . In my opinion they have a total disregard for the customers and the consumer act. I’m just so flabbergasted . I will definitely never do business with them again . I’ll also attach a part of the email I received from them… terrible company to deal with “Good day Marilie, Please accept our sincere apologies for the delays and for the lack of follow-up, despite your multiple emails and patience throughout this process. This is not the level of service or ethical standard we strive to uphold. We fully understand why this situation has left you feeling let down, and your concerns are completely valid. We regret that this experience has negatively impacted your trust in us. We are urgently reviewing your case and are prioritizing the resolution of the outstanding refund. To proceed, we kindly ask that you confirm your collection address, after which we will provide the relevant details and advise you further regarding your refund. Thank you for your patience, and we look forward to resolving this matter for you as soon as possible. Kind regards, The Old School Team” Whatever … don’t trust a word they are saying
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
I purchased a rugby to from Old School and was not what I was looking for. I have tried to make contact with them via [email protected] as per theirs instructions and 8 emails later and now over 2 weeks late NOT ONE REPLY. Shocking service. Oh and there NO contact No that I can find to call them directly. Great way to do business
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
I purchased a rugby to from Old School and was not what I was looking for. I have tried to make contact with them via [email protected] as per theirs instructions and 8 emails later and now over 2 weeks late NOT ONE REPLY. Shocking service. Oh and there NO contact No that I can find to call them directly. Great way to do business
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
I received a T-shirt from Old School as a gift from friends, but it was too small. I tried for months to exchange it; however, the company insisted on an original order number, which I do not have because it was a gift. Despite explaining this multiple times over email, they refused to help and have now completely stopped responding. I even couriered the T-shirt back to them so they could see it in person—it was completely brand new and unworn. What I’ve learned from this experience is that Old School products should never be bought as gifts. For context, I own four Old School rugby jerseys and used to love the brand. That’s exactly why, when friends asked what I wanted for my birthday, I suggested an Old School product—unfortunately, this experience has completely changed my view of the company.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
I received a T-shirt from Old School as a gift from friends, but it was too small. I tried for months to exchange it; however, the company insisted on an original order number, which I do not have because it was a gift. Despite explaining this multiple times over email, they refused to help and have now completely stopped responding. I even couriered the T-shirt back to them so they could see it in person—it was completely brand new and unworn. What I’ve learned from this experience is that Old School products should never be bought as gifts. For context, I own four Old School rugby jerseys and used to love the brand. That’s exactly why, when friends asked what I wanted for my birthday, I suggested an Old School product—unfortunately, this experience has completely changed my view of the company.
The most common complaint about Old School SA, based on Hellopeter's AI analysis of recent customer reviews, is Customer Service & Support. Customer Service & Support (1.2) is overwhelmingly criticised. Customers report no contact phone number, completely unanswered support emails over weeks, ignored Instagram and Facebook messages, and template replies that fail to resolve issues. In-store managers occasionally help but online support is described as non-existent.
Old School SA scores 1.7 out of 5 on Hellopeter's AI analysis of service quality in Fashion & Clothing, compared to the Fashion & Clothing industry average of 1.4. Their strongest theme is Product Quality (3.4); their weakest is Online Delivery (0.8). The top AI-rated Fashion & Clothing business on Hellopeter is Studio 88 (2). How is the AI Score calculated? →
Old School SA has a TrustIndex of 2.6 out of 10 on Hellopeter, based on 86 reviews in the last 12 months. Hellopeter has tracked Old School SA across 109 total reviews. How is the TrustIndex calculated? →