Takealot Under Fire for Selling Unmarked Grey Imports on Its Marketplace

Hidden Grey Imports: How Takealot’s Marketplace is Misleading South African Shoppers

The online marketplace Takealot has recently come under scrutiny for allowing third-party sellers to list parallel-import or “grey” goods without clear consumer warnings — a practice that has serious implications for warranty, support and value. According to a report by MyBroadband, several smartphone listings on the platform featured high-end models imported through unofficial channels but lacked the legally required disclosure that they were not local official imports.

Consumers who purchased these devices later discovered they were locked to foreign regions, unable to access features such as tap payment services, and ineligible for the two-year local warranty offered by authorised distributors in South Africa. The problem is not illegal per se — parallel imports are permitted under South African law — but the regulations require that such goods be clearly labeled as such, with full disclosure of warranty limitations.

Takealot’s own Marketplace Seller Agreement states that sellers listing parallel imports must clearly identify them in the product listing name, disclose feature limitations and provide an “equivalent or superior warranty” to the local version. Despite these policies, investigative journalists found multiple listings that were either unlabeled or misleading, often using official manufacturer imagery but offering products with region-locked software or no local service support.

From a consumer protection standpoint this raises a number of red flags. Buyers may assume they are purchasing locally supported models, only to find out that they lack critical features, cannot register for warranty claims, or must return the item overseas at their own expense. The statutory requirement in South Africa — under the Consumer Protection Act (South Africa) — is that the notice be “conspicuous, legible and in plain language.” However, the typical online listing may render this requirement ineffective if the disclosure is buried or absent.

On the marketplace operations side, this situation puts pressure on Takealot’s governance and seller-compliance mechanisms. The company’s seller compliance guide includes a dedicated section on “Parallel Imports or Grey Goods” and explicitly states that sellers must categorize such listings correctly. Meanwhile, the platform has taken action in some reported cases — suspending listings once they were flagged for being unmarked grey imports.

For shoppers using such platforms, the practical takeaway is clear: when purchasing high-value electronics or items where regional compatibility, warranty and support matter, it is wise to verify the following:

• Check the listing carefully for any indication that the product is a parallel import or “grey” good.

• Confirm whether the posting assures a local warranty and support service.

• Verify the model’s region code or manufacture origin if relevant (e.g., in smartphones where tap payments or mobile features are region-locked).

• Consider buying from authorised distributors or official reseller listings if warranty and long-term support are important.

In conclusion, while Takealot remains one of South Africa’s largest e-commerce platforms, the issue of grey-market imports being sold without proper warnings highlights a gap between marketplace policy and practice. Consumers risk being caught out by lower prices that come with hidden limitations. Until seller-compliance is consistently enforced and disclosures are made prominent, buyers should proceed with caution and do extra due diligence when purchasing electronic items from third-party sellers.