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What began as a concern raised at a store level quickly exposed a far more serious issue: a complete systems failure in how Woolworths handles sensitive matters relating to gender-based violence across its organisation.After raising my initial concern in good faith, the issue escalated across multiple internal touchpoints including store management, customer service, social media teams, complaints handling, and the press office. Instead of clarity, care, or consistency, each escalation revealed further misalignment, poor communication, and a lack of accountability.What has been most disturbing is the stark disconnect between Woolworths’ public statements and my private experience. Publicly, the company positions itself as a brand that stands with GBV victims, emphasising values of dignity, respect, and support. Privately, the responses I received across different teams repeatedly contradicted those values. Messages were inconsistent, dismissive at times, and in some cases caused additional distress.The issue was not handled with the sensitivity or seriousness that a GBV-related matter demands. Different departments appeared to operate in silos, with no shared understanding of context, no continuity of care, and no clear ownership of the problem. Social responses conflicted with complaint responses. Press office positioning conflicted with direct communications. What should have been a coordinated, empathetic response instead became fragmented and deeply disheartening. Despite multiple promises by Woolworths that I would receive updates, this was never done. The only update I received was after I followed up multiple times, across multiple platforms and email addresses. While Woolworths has stated that it stands with GBV victims, I did not feel stood with at any point in this process. I felt unheard, unsupported, and left to navigate an incoherent system during a moment that required care, accountability, and integrity.This experience raises serious questions about whether Woolworths’ public commitments to GBV awareness and support are meaningfully embedded into its internal systems, training, and response protocols, or whether they exist primarily at the level of messaging.Standing with GBV victims cannot be performative. It must be reflected consistently across every touchpoint, especially when a real person is asking to be heard.
I have finally paid off my woolworths account that was ceded to a debt agency, wfs refuses to acknowledge that the debt is paid and keeps sending statements with an amount due, when I call they say it will remain as owed forever. But I have settled the debt.
I tried to order a Gift Voucher to send to a relation.Nightmare since last Tuesday their Website doesn’t work.Ended up going through an e Gift website after 3 calls to their customer call centre. They email you with ref nos and you don’t hear again.Very disappointing
I initially visited the Woolworths store near South Beach to purchase two lamps. As they were not available in-store, I was advised to place the order online. I did so using my South African number (data-only) and confirmed my hotel address for delivery. I also added a special instruction requesting that the items be left at the hotel reception, and I informed the hotel staff to expect the delivery. Since I was travelling back to my country soon, I paid an additional R75 for express delivery.However, the order never arrived. The tracking status showed “out for delivery” and later “incorrect address,” even though the address was correct. I contacted the help line multiple times:On the first day, I was told the courier would be advised.On the second day, the first operator put me on hold for over 20 minutes and then disconnected. When I called again, the same thing happened with a second operator.On my third attempt, the operator was helpful. She called me back and suggested that, given the urgency, I go directly to the warehouse to collect the package.I travelled to the warehouse myself but was not told who to contact. After considerable inconvenience, I eventually located the Skynet office and managed to collect my order.This entire experience was extremely disappointing, especially considering that I paid for express delivery.
DO NOT order overnight shipping from Woolworths for a special event. I ordered a duffel bag from Woolworths online on 28 October and paid extra for overnight delivery because it was meant to be a birthday gift needed by the 30th. On 29 October, I received an SMS saying: “Your order will be delivered before 5pm on 29-Oct.” By 4:15pm there was no delivery. I called Woolworths and was told my parcel was “out for delivery.” I called again at 5pm and was told the same thing , but shockingly, the agent admitted that they have no contact with the courier. How do you hand over customer parcels to a courier you can’t even reach?! I stayed at work an extra hour waiting for this parcel that never came. At 17:45 I called again, got a new tracking number from a different agent, and discovered the parcel was with Skynet Worldwide Express, who were already closed by then. The next morning (30 Oct), I called again and was told something completely different: apparently, the item wasn’t even being sent to me, it was being moved from one warehouse to a store first! So Woolworths knew they couldn’t fulfil overnight delivery, but they still took my payment and sent me an SMS promising delivery by 5pm! Now they’re saying the parcel will arrive on 31 October — two days after the order. Their “solution”? A R75 delivery refund. What use is that do me? They can't charge me for a service you did not provide anyway. What about my time, stress, phone calls and extra money I now have to spend buying another gift because cancelling the order and getting a refund takes 3-5 working days. This was misleading, poorly handled, and a complete waste of time. The lack of communication from both Woolworths and the courier is shocking. I expected better from a brand that prides itself on service.
Beware using this store if you visit from abroad. I made a purchase from a Woolworths store in Nairobi. The shop took a duplicate payment for my purchase. When I initially complained to head office they refunded the money but then took the payment again and told me to contact the store directly. They have provided no contact details for the store and there are none online - they are clearly trying to make this difficult and avoid repaying the money.
The Values on their website of which CUSTOMER FIRST is a lie! I fell in their Cavendish store in August 2025 and injured my head and my back. I had medical and X-ray expenses that they refused to pay. When I asked for the footage of the incident they sent footage that only showing me walking to the aisle where I fell, nothing of the actual incident. they took their own time to communicate with me and you cannot get through to anyone higher than the clan in headoffice. I am still hurt the way I was treated as a loyal customer.
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Woolworths Holdings Limited is a South Africa-based multinational retail company that owns the South African retail chain Woolworths, and Australian retailers David Jones and Country Road Group.
