Khotso M

Refusal to Exchange Gift Item – Rigid Policy Over Fair Customer Treatment

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