Appliances Kenya: Kenyans who bought electronics and household goods via online retailer Appliances Kenya may have lost millions of their money.
Nearly 6 months after reserving their orders and making payments, the majority of buyers are yet to receive their products. The retailer has gone under and has even deactivated the sales’ Facebook page and primary website dubbed www.appliances.co.ke. This is as questions linger on the fate of the electronic and household goods worth millions that were bought between October and December 2019.
The mega sale that has now turned into an apparent scam started during the 2019 November Black Friday Sales month. Appliances Kenya, whose offices were located at Westlands in Nairobi, advertised for discounted household and electronic goods on their Facebook page. To many people, their sales were a golden opportunity to acquire goods at a bargain.
Among the most popular items on sale was the 32 inch Brumh Tv. The retailer would often advertise for the discounted Tv which was selling at Sh. 9,999 as follows:
“BLACK FRIDAY FANTASTIC SALE AT APPLIANCES KENYA
BRUHM German Technology 32 Inches Digital Tv With Inbuilt Decoder. Reserve Yours Now Through Our Till Number 669097 (Appliances Kenya). Sales Line: 0722792735 / 0727555894. Website www.appliances.co.ke. Location. Mountain View Along Waiyaki Way near Tosha Petrol Station Next to Car Wash
Please Note: Do not make any payment to any individual. Payments is made only on our till number 669097. Our official lines are 0722792735 / 0727555894″
With Kenyans in a mad rush to close deals before the end of the Black Friday shopping season, hundreds trooped to the paybill number and made their reservations.
The cheap bargains soon proved to be very expensive for the buyers. Weeks passed without Appliances Kenya honoring deliveries for the reserved goods. Complaints piled on their Facebook page as buyers protested the delays while others demanded for refunds.
“My order number…AR14138. It’s now a month .how many more months should I continue waiting??” a customer identified as Chege Caroline complained.
“Imgn I payed on Monday for 32inch nkaambiwa naletewa within 20 mins since that day ukiwapigia hawashiki nany mnackianga to kukula nyasi hee hamtapenda nkt,” said Kagz Jacky.
“Why are you not picking your calls?” Naomi Soita asked.
This is why I stopped going to Gikomba Market
On December 11 last year, though, Appliances Kenya posted the following explanation on their Facebook page as the reason for their failure to honour reservations:
“STATEMENT REGARDING DELAYED IN DELIVERY OF CUSTOMER GOODS.
Our attention is drawn to reports circulating on social media highlighting the challenges we have had as a company in honoring delivery of to our loyal customers who have entrusted us with their home appliances purchases.
Appliances Kenya has been in operation for the last Three (3) years having completed well over 1,500,000 orders supplied successfully, with most of our valued customers being repeat customers. The current back log in deliveries has been occasioned by internal security lapse that saw an assortment of goods stolen. The same is under investigation and has been reported at Kabete Police Station under O.B 94/04/12/19 as such our Mountain View offices remain closed temporarily pending completion of internal investigations and stock taking, we shall update you once the same is completed.
While we are making every effort to resume our usual operations, we wish to direct all customers with pending orders to direct their queries regarding refunds or in the alternative delivery of goods on WhatsApp +254100568933 and include the order number for a speedy resolution.
Yours Faithfully.
Appliances Kenya”
The retailer, though, failed to release the reserved goods or refund the money that was paid. The main office in Westlands remained closed. Their Facebook page and website were deactivated, leaving buyers who bought appliances hopeless and with nowhere to seek refunds.