Scores of customers were left furious after snapping up “unbelievable” bargains on a Makro sale, only to learn that the prices were a mistake. The sale, called Weekend Mania, offered high-ticket items such as Macbooks, inverters, coffee machines, TVs, and gaming laptops for just R55.

Customers were thrilled to score such incredible deals, but their excitement was short-lived. On Sunday morning, they received notifications from Makro cancelling their orders due to an “obvious error” in pricing. The company initially promised refunds within 48 hours but later changed the timeline to up to 10 days, sparking outrage among customers.

Makro has since apologized for the debacle, citing the Consumer Protection Act’s provision for obvious and unintentional pricing errors. However, some customers have questioned whether the R55 prices can be construed as “obvious errors,” given the marketing context and Makro’s reputation for offering deep discounts on sought-after products.

“Weekend Mania” was marketed as a special promotion with “unbelievable deals,” leading customers to believe the prices were part of the sale. “The prices listed during Makro’s ‘unbelievable deals this weekend’ promotion were not immediately recognizable as errors by a reasonable consumer,” said Raeesa Moosa, a customer who was affected by the cancellation.

Makro has committed to processing affected customers’ refunds within 48 hours, but the damage to their reputation may take longer to repair. The incident has sparked a heated debate about retailers’ responsibilities when it comes to advertised prices and obvious errors.

As one customer pointed out, “If it looks too good to be true, it usually is. But in this case, Makro’s marketing made it seem like a legitimate sale.”