Why Game stores closing matters for shoppers
Game stores closing across South Africa have shrunk Massmart’s discount chain to 96 branches, the company confirmed this week, down from about 150 in 2019. The closures raise practical questions Massmart has not answered publicly. What happens to a lay-by, a voucher or a warranty when the local branch shuts, and how quickly does a failed online order have to be refunded?
Massmart told MyBroadband that Game was operating 96 stores as of Tuesday, 13 October 2026. By Southafriworld’s calculation, that is about 54 fewer stores than in 2019, a fall of roughly 36%.
In February, Massmart confirmed it was considering closing around 20 Game stores, subject to consultations with affected employees. A Game employee named five KwaZulu-Natal branches at the time, in Amanzimtoti, Ballito, Richards Bay, Pietermaritzburg and Westville, but Massmart has not published a full list.
What happens to your money if your Game store closes
South African law sets out what a retailer owes you when it cannot deliver, and closing a branch does not cancel those obligations. Each right is owed by Game as the supplier, not by a particular branch.
| If you have | The law | What you are owed |
|---|---|---|
| A lay-by at a closing store | Consumer Protection Act, section 62 | Every instalment stays your property until the goods are delivered; if the goods cannot be supplied once paid for, comparable goods or a refund with interest |
| A Game voucher or gift card | Consumer Protection Act, section 63 | Valid until fully used, or for three years from issue unless the supplier agreed a longer period |
| A recently bought product that fails | Consumer Protection Act, section 56 | A six-month implied warranty of quality: repair, replacement or a refund |
| An online order cancelled as unavailable | ECT Act, section 46 | Immediate notice, and a refund within 30 days of that notice |
| An online order not delivered in 30 days | ECT Act, section 46 | The right to cancel with seven days’ written notice |
The lay-by rule is the strongest. If a retailer has no good reason for failing to supply goods that have been fully paid for, the Western Cape Government’s consumer guide notes that the shopper can claim double the amount paid.
Vouchers carry a similar protection. The Act treats the money paid for a voucher as the property of whoever holds it until it is redeemed, so the value does not disappear when a branch closes. Southafriworld’s guide to your return rights under the Consumer Protection Act covers how to claim.
Online refunds are the weakest point
Game’s online platform is where complaints are piling up. The retailer has a 1.1 out of 5 rating on Hellopeter, and many of the low scores relate to online orders.
One shopper said R7 999 was debited for an order placed on 26 August that later showed as failed, and that by 12 October no refund had arrived, despite written confirmation on 8 September that it had been escalated. Another wrote on 9 October that a refund promised within three to five working days of 7 September had still not been paid. MyBroadband counted at least four similar complaints since the start of October.
On the shoppers’ own accounts, both waits are longer than the 30 days the ECT Act allows once a customer has been told the goods are unavailable. Massmart told MyBroadband that it takes such concerns seriously and is “committed to resolving issues that arise”.
Shoppers whose refunds are overdue can escalate to the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud or the National Consumer Commission. Keep the order number, proof of the debit and every written notice from the retailer.
Walmart is replacing some Game stores
Some closing Game sites are becoming Walmart stores. Massmart, led by chief executive Miles van Rensburg, has opened Walmart-branded stores at Clearwater Mall in Roodepoort, in Fourways, and at East Point in Boksburg, where Walmart replaced a Game store in March 2026.
SA Corporate Real Estate, which owns East Point, said in its interim results that the Walmart achieved trading density 28.7% higher than the Game it replaced over its first four months. Massmart said in March that it proposed 21 more Walmart stores in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.
The rollout has since gone quiet. In July, Massmart told MyBroadband it had no further communication on upcoming launches. It has also said it does not plan to close the Game brand.
What the Game stores closing mean for jobs
Massmart said the February closures were subject to engagements with employees. It has not said how many jobs have been affected across the 54 stores that have closed since 2019.
Workers facing retrenchment are entitled to consultation and, in most cases, severance pay of at least one week’s pay for each completed year of service. Southafriworld has explained the retrenchment process in detail.
What happens next for Game shoppers
Several points remain unclear. Massmart has not said which stores will close next, whether more Game sites will be converted to Walmart, or when the delayed online refunds will be paid.
Shoppers planning purchases before Black Friday on 27 November should check whether their branch is still trading before starting a lay-by. Anyone with an existing lay-by, voucher or open online order should keep written proof of every payment.
HOW WE REPORTED THIS
- The store count of 96 was taken from Massmart's statement of 13 October 2026 as published, and the earlier counts from a published analysis of Game's network for 2019 and July 2024.
- Southafriworld calculated the fall in store numbers and the percentage decline from those published figures.
- Consumer rights were checked against sections 56, 62 and 63 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2008, and section 46 of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, 2002.
- The Walmart trading comparison comes from SA Corporate Real Estate's interim results for the six months to 30 June 2026 as quoted in published reports, and the online refund complaints from public Hellopeter reviews as reported.
- No comment was sought from Massmart before publication, and this article is general consumer information rather than legal advice.
- This article was drafted with AI assistance and the facts, figures and quotations were checked against the primary source by the editor before publication.
