Takealot takes action after allegations of price-gouging for portable power stations

Source: © SME SA SME SA

This comes after consumers noticed a spike in the price of one of the hottest commodities during this seemingly neverending season of rolling blackouts: the Gizzu Portable Power Station.

Debate about the devices was set off by reviews of the Gizzu 150, 296 and 518 by trader Dwaine van Vuuren on Twitter, who posted on Wednesday, 21 December: “After nearly a month of use, I formally vouch for this product Gizzu 296. Paid R4,700 on Black Friday but range from R5,500-R9,000 so shop wisely. Slams 4hr loadshedding with 40% battery spare with 65cm TV, AppleTV & Soundbar with subwoofer. Runs desktop PC or iMac 27″ for 6 hrs”, followed by “The Gizzu portable UPS stock situation in SA is ridiculous leading to price gouging, Can an official rep for Gizzu please inform the public if they gonna meet demand or must people look elsewhere for another manufacturer to avoid getting gouged”.

Demand had already shot up on Takealot for the devices at the end of last month, as shown by Serval Tracker, which records the historic price of the top-rated products on Takealot.

The Gizzu 296, for example, listed in February for R10,689, has possibly suffered more price fluctuations than Eskom’s power grid, but on 27 November one third-party retailer hiked prices progressively over three weeks, from R4,799 to R10,999.