Out of Stock After Payment: Your Rights in SA
Quick Answer
If an online supplier cannot perform because the ordered goods are unavailable, ECTA requires notice to the consumer and a refund of payments made within 30 days after that notice.
You do not have to accept a different gaming PC because the original configuration ran out. A substitute can be offered, but you should compare it and give clear consent before the order changes.
Ask for the stock problem, refund amount and notice date in writing. Keep the original configuration beside the proposed answer so a quiet component downgrade cannot slip through.
Separate an Oversell From a Short Delay
The first question is whether the named goods are unavailable or the order is waiting for normal fulfilment. Ask the supplier to state which one applies.
If one component in a gaming PC is unavailable, the rest of the system may still be allocated. A substitute could keep the build moving, but model names alone do not prove equal value or performance.
Compare the replacement part's chipset, capacity, speed, warranty and role in the build. For a graphics card or power supply, the exact model can matter as much as the broad tier.
You Choose Whether to Accept a Substitute
A useful offer should name the replacement and explain any change in price, specification and lead time. Read it as a new decision.
If you accept, reply with the exact model and revised total so both sides have the same record. If you decline, ask for the original order to be cancelled and the payment refunded through the applicable process.
Do not let an open-ended hunt for stock replace a decision. Ask for a date by which the supplier will either confirm the named goods or process the refund.
Record the Refund Clock
Under ECTA's unavailability rule, the supplier must notify the consumer and refund payments within 30 days after the date of that notification.
Save the notice. Ask for the refund reference once issued, and allow for the payment provider's processing step before the amount appears.
If a supplier will not give notice or return the payment, gather the invoice, stock message and correspondence. Take that file to the National Consumer Commission or the ombud responsible for the dispute.
Reduce the Risk on the Next Order
Capture the full basket and lead time before payment. For a built PC, list the processor, motherboard, memory, graphics card, storage, power supply and case.
You can scan the current PC best sellers for configurations attracting attention, then check the broader technology best sellers. Stock can change, so confirm the named system at checkout.
FAQ
Can the supplier keep the payment while searching for stock?
Ask it to state whether the goods are unavailable and which legal or agreed timeline it is using. ECTA sets notice and refund duties when inability to perform is based on unavailability.
Must you take a replacement model?
No. Review any proposed substitute and consent only if the exact product, price and timing suit you.
Is store credit the same as a refund?
Do not treat it as the same without checking the remedy. Ask for the basis of the offer and state when you require the payment returned.
Request written stock status, compare any named substitute line by line, and record the ECTA notice date if the supplier cannot fulfil the order.